The National Transportation Safety Board issued its preliminary report Monday in the deadly East River helicopter crash.Five people died on March 11, when the AS-350 operated by Liberty Helicopter tours plunged into the river . Five people died after the helicopter they were passengers on went down March 11 in New York’s East River. Descriptions of the engine, emergency float system, seats and restraint systems are also contained in the report.Related: Expert says simple device may have prevented East River helicopter crash According to investigators:Vance said he he twice told the passengers, as part of two safety briefings, how to use the cutting tools located on the harnesses in the event they needed to cut themselves out. When the helicopter was flying along the east side of Central Park, "the front seat passenger turned sideways, slid across the double bench seat toward the pilot, leaned back, and extended his feet to take a photograph of his feet outside the helicopter." He then began to prepare for a water landing and activated the floats at about 800 feet.He reached down and noticed the emergency fuel shut off level was in the off position, and a portion of the front seat passenger's tether was underneath the lever.He turned the fuel level back on and tried to restart the engine, and it began to work, but he didn't have enough altitude to fully restart. They were using restraints and tethers to allow them to reposition themselves around the chopper to take pictures.The doors were off, and some passengers sat on the side of the chopper floor, with their feet on the chopper's skids.At one point during the flight, the pilot noticed the front passenger's restraint was hanging from the seat. Previous developments

The March 11 crash was the deadliest crash involving a national doors-off helicopter tour, and Liberty Helicopters' third crash in the past 11 years

Liberty Helicopters posted a statement on its website after the crash, saying it was "focused on supporting the families affected by this tragic accident and on fully cooperating with the FAA and NTSB investigations."
The US National Transportation Safety Board releases a preliminary investigative report containing new information on the accident, in which five passengers drowned when they were trapped in the wreckage.