New York helicopter broke apart in midair before deadly crash, report shows

NTSB report is US government's first public explanation about what might have happened

US transportation safety officials have released images of the New York City sightseeing helicopter that crashed earlier this year, killing a family of five and the pilot, showing that the aircraft began to break apart in midair, according to a preliminary report released on Wednesday.

The report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is the government's first public explanation about what might have happened on 10 April, when the Bell 206L-4 helicopter plunged into the river.