see ing ▁hel ic opter , ▁which ▁was ▁going ▁about ▁half ▁the ▁speed ▁of ▁the ▁air plane . ▁The ▁pilot ▁of ▁another ▁hel ic opter ▁( who ▁was ▁ref uel ing ▁at ▁the ▁hel i port ) ▁saw ▁the ▁imp ending ▁accident , ▁and ▁attempted ▁to ▁warn ▁both ▁the ▁air bor ne ▁hel ic opter ▁and ▁the ▁plane ▁by ▁radio , ▁but ▁received ▁no ▁response . ▁At ▁ 1 1 : 5 3 : 1 4   a . m ., ▁the ▁Pi per ' s ▁left ▁wing ▁crash ed ▁into ▁the ▁Euro cop ter , ▁sever ing ▁the ▁left ▁wing ▁of ▁the ▁air plane ▁and ▁rot or ▁bl ades ▁from ▁the ▁hel ic opter . ▁Most ▁witness es ▁reported ▁the ▁plane ▁entering ▁a ▁nose ▁d ive ▁while ▁spir aling ▁into ▁the ▁river , ▁while ▁the ▁hel ic opter ▁dropped ▁into ▁the ▁water . ▁The ▁collision ▁occurred ▁at ▁approximately ▁ ▁MS L ▁alt itude ▁and ▁was ▁caught ▁on ▁t ape ▁by ▁an ▁Italian ▁tour ist . ▁Less ▁than ▁a ▁minute ▁after ▁the ▁collision ▁occurred , ▁the ▁T eter bor o ▁controller ▁contact ed ▁the ▁New ark ▁tower ▁to ▁in quire ▁about ▁the ▁air plane , ▁and ▁was ▁told ▁that ▁the ▁air plane ▁had ▁not ▁contact ed ▁New ark . ▁ ▁N ine ▁people ▁were ▁killed ▁in ▁the ▁collision . ▁All ▁recovered ▁vict ims ▁died ▁from ▁bl unt ▁tra uma ▁to ▁the ▁head , ▁tor so ▁and ▁extrem ities , ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁NY C ▁medical ▁exam iner ' s ▁office . ▁ ▁National