On August 8, 2009, at 11:53 a.m. (15:53 UTC), nine people died when a tour helicopter and a small private airplane collided over the Hudson River near Frank Sinatra Park in Hoboken, New Jersey, United States.

[5] Visual flight rules on the river corridors by Manhattan have been subject to considerable debate since the 2006 New York City plane crash, in which New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle crashed into an apartment building while flying using visual flight rules on the East River.

[4] The helicopter, a Eurocopter AS350 carrying five Italian tourists and its pilot, took off from the West 30th Street Heliport at 11:52 a.m.[9] At about the same time, Teterboro tower radioed Altman in the Piper at take-off requesting him to pick his flight path towards Ocean City, and indicate whether he wished to head there via the Hudson River, or take a southwest tack.

[9] It later transpired that, in acknowledging the instruction to contact Newark, Altman had read back the wrong frequency (127.8 MHz instead of 127.85), an error that the controller did not correct.

All recovered victims died from blunt trauma to the head, torso and extremities, according to the NYC medical examiner's office.

Aided by a sonar, investigators attempted to discover the plane's debris in deeper water near the mid-channel point of the Hudson.

The report discussed several aspects of the collision, including locations of origin of the aircraft, planned destination, and air traffic control communications.

In addition, the report discussed how one of the controllers at Teterboro Airport was on a phone call and did not warn the airplane pilot of the potential conflict.

[14] The National Air Traffic Controller's Union (NATCA) then issued their own press release disputing some of the phrasing in the NTSB's report.

Due to the accident, the FAA put the Teterboro controller and his supervisor on leave and made comments about the phone call, which was deemed improper behavior.

[27] Fifteen members of Congress, led by Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-New York), sent a letter to FAA administrator J. Randolph Babbitt calling for "immediate action to provide greater oversight of small aircraft operations".

[30] Representatives from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), including AOPA President Craig Fuller, have appeared on numerous news programs and collaborated with news sources to explain the workings of the Hudson River VFR corridor and the safety record of flights in that area.

Because of the accident airplane's intended flight path, the NTSB believes that the pilot may have wanted to climb out of the uncontrolled VFR corridor into the controlled Class B airspace above.

[32] The NTSB recommended that the FAA revise the procedures for ATC facilities in the area to facilitate the process for VFR traffic that wishes to transit Class B airspace.

[32] Additionally, the NTSB recommended that ATC controllers and supervisors be briefed in the circumstances of this accident; that a Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) be established for the location requiring special training for pilots transiting the area; and that helicopters be required to operate at lower altitudes than airplanes in the corridor to minimize the speed differences.

In addition, many existing procedures that have been treated as "Suggested" items for flying the corridor will now be mandatory, including operating landing lights; maintaining a speed of 140 kn (160 mph) or less while flying in the corridor; monitoring and announcing on the area Common Traffic Advisory Frequency; and travelling along the west shore when southbound and along the east shore when northbound.

[33] The FAA instituted new rules for the Hudson River corridor beginning November 19, 2009, establishing three air traffic zones.