A Danbury Native Was the Pilot During Deadly Helicopter Crash in NYC

Tragic news out of New York City last night. Such horrible news of the unthinkable. A helicopter crash claiming the lives of all on board except for the pilot, who has ties to Danbury, Connecticut.

Honestly, helicopters scare the beejesus out of me, and last night's incident seals the deal for me.

In a story reported by nypost.com around 7 p.m. Sunday night (March 11) a helicopter carrying five passengers went down in the East River in New York City. The pilot, who survived the crash, according to the account, is Richard Vance, a native of Danbury, Connecticut.

Officials say that Vance somehow was able to escape the downed helicopter and get to safety. Vance was identified by police sources as the sole survivor in Sunday night’s crash. Vance told authorities that a signal went off in the cabin which notified him of an engine failure right before the chopper went down.

Sources said the chopper Vance was piloting was chartered for a “doors off” photographic or video shoot, so the aircraft was flying with its doors removed so the passengers could take pictures without the windows getting in the way.

The National Transportation Board is due on the scene today. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.

Read More Local Stories:

• The Rumors Were True, Five Guys Is Headed Back to BrookfieldThe Story of the Town That Sits at the Bottom of Candlewood Lake
• 5 Strange Laws Actually on the Books in Connecticut
• Five Things Everyone From Danbury Already Knows

Lou's Hilarious Commercial for Olive Garden's Meatball Pizza Bowl:

The Official Rules of the American Handshake: