A New York City sightseeing helicopter made an emergency landing at a New Jersey cargo port on Tuesday after the pilot reported possible engine trouble.
The Bell 206L-4 helicopter, carrying two people, landed on a road at the Port Jersey Marine Terminal in Bayonne around 8:55 a.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. No injuries were reported.
Air traffic control audio captured the pilot issuing a "mayday, mayday, mayday" call, stating, "we need to land outside of the airport." The helicopter landed minutes later outside the container terminal.
Video from the scene showed a portion of the helicopter's tail approximately 30 feet from the aircraft. The helicopter was manufactured in 1999, FAA records indicate.
The incident occurs amid heightened scrutiny of the sightseeing helicopter industry. Last year, a similar helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, killing all six people on board. The National Transportation Safety Board investigation suggested the aircraft may have struck birds before the crash.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General announced an audit of sightseeing helicopter regulations, citing "longstanding concerns regarding the industry’s safety and whether the current regulatory framework provides adequate safeguards." Since 2008, there have been at least 58 crashes involving tourist helicopters in the U.S., with 11 resulting in fatalities, according to Assistant Inspector General Marshall Jackson.