Crashed helicopter downed in Hudson River was on 8th flight that day, had no black box: report

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed Saturday that the Bell 206 L-4 helicopter had already completed seven sightseeing tours earlier in the day before it went down during an eighth flight, which was carrying a family of five from Spain and the pilot. Officials revealed that the helicopter did not have any flight recorders and no onboard audio or video equipment was recovered. No recording devices have been recovered from the crash site.

Much of the wreckage from the helicopter has been recovered, including the cockpit and cabin, forward tail boom, horizontal stabilizer finlets, and vertical fin. However, the main rotor blades remain missing and have yet to be retrieved. The recovered parts are being sent to NTSB laboratories in Washington, DC, for further analysis in the investigation regarding why the crash occurred. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

The NTSB also confirmed that the helicopter had undergone its last major inspection on March 1, according to a report by the New York Post.

Horrifying video circulated on social media of the moment on Thursday when the helicopter fell from the sky and into the Hudson River. The victims were identified as Augustin Escobar, Merce Montal, and their three children: 10-year-old Augustin, 8-year-old Mercedes, and 4-year-old Victor. Also killed was pilot Sean Johnson, a US Navy veteran.

"I was walking by and the helicopter went down at a 45-degree angle," a witness who saw the crash told ABC News. "Big splash — it was very scary."

"It sounded like a sonic boom," another witness told ABC affiliate station WABC.