Before a Fatal Helicopter Crash, 2 Midair Breakdowns and Unpaid Bills, fleet was smaller and older [View all]

Before a Fatal Helicopter Crash, 2 Midair Breakdowns and Unpaid Bills
The charter firm whose helicopter plunged into the Hudson River, killing the pilot and a family of five, had been struggling financially, records show.



Public records and interviews with pilots and other members of the helicopter industry showed that the company, which has operated as New York Helicopter Charter, had long been seen as an also-ran in the competitive business of taking tourists for aerial views of landmarks in and around New York City.

Its fleet was smaller and older than those of the biggest operators in the metropolitan area, where a single helicopter can earn up to $5,000 an hour.

Its owner and chief executive, Michael Roth, had developed a reputation for being slow to pay and quick to sue. After a sightseeing flight in 2013 ended in an emergency landing in the Hudson, Mr. Roth sued a company that had performed maintenance on its aircraft, saying it was to blame for the near disaster.

He accused the operator of one heliport in Manhattan of “ripping us off” and later sued the operator of another heliport to regain access there after being accused of failing to make good on past debts. He has also sued lenders over loan agreements, one of which he called “criminally usurious” in a court filing.

“He’s had disputes with everybody,” said John Kjekstad, a longtime sightseeing tour operator who said he has known Mr. Roth for 40 years. “That’s him.”

Even before the Covid pandemic wiped out tourism in New York, Mr. Roth’s company had fallen into tough financial straits. His company filed for bankruptcy in 2019 and had one its helicopters repossessed late last year, just eight months into its lease. Court records show that Mr. Roth reconstituted the business as New York Helicopter Tours after it failed under its former name.