Helicopter Crash Kills 5, Leaves Pilot as Only Survivor The Federal Aviation Administration said the helicopter crashed into the East River in New York City at 7 p.m. ET Sunday evening. The pilot, 33-year-old Richard Vance was the only survivor after being able to cut himself from his harness. Vance claimed that one of the passenger's bags may have accidentally hit the emergency fuel shutoff button, which lead to the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board tweeted that an team of 14 investigators will work to determine the cause of the crash. The helicopter company, Liberty Helicopters, has experienced three crashes in 11 years, according to CNN.