WATCH: NYC tour helicopter makes hard landing in New Jersey

On November 10, 2026, a Bell 206L-4 helicopter operated by FlyNYON made an emergency landing at the Port Jersey Marine Terminal in Bayonne, New Jersey. The incident occurred around 8:55 a.m., shortly after the aircraft took off from Kearny, New Jersey, and was en route to Manhattan for a maintenance flight. According to reports, the helicopter's tail rotor broke off during the flight, leading the pilot to issue multiple distress calls, including "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday," before landing safely on a roadway with no injuries reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that two people were aboard the aircraft at the time of the emergency landing. Video footage shows the helicopter's tail section resting about 30 feet away from the main body of the aircraft, which was manufactured in 1999. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey stated there were no injuries.

This incident follows a fatal accident involving another Bell 206L-4 sightseeing helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River last year, resulting in six fatalities. In response to such incidents, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General launched an audit into tour helicopter regulations earlier this month due to longstanding safety concerns within the industry.