The flight, departed from a Manhattan heliport, lasted less than 18 minutes before breaking apart midair and plunging into the water.
Videos on social media showed debris splashing down and the overturned aircraft surrounded by rescue boats.
The wreckage was lifted from the river by crane later that evening.
An investigation into the crash is now underway.
The recent rise in deadly aviation incidents in the US has intensified calls for tighter regulation and oversight.
