A drone operator violated multiple regulations, including flying too far away to see the aircraft, in a mid-air crash that damaged a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, which landed safely in New Jersey in September, federal officials have determined.

The National Transportation Safety Board said the drone operator's lack of knowledge about aviation safety regulations contributed to the mid-air collision.

The investigation documents identified the drone pilot as Vyacheslav Tantashov, 58, who told investigators he had been flying drones for about two years.

The Black Hawk sustained damage to its main rotor blade and a window on Sept. 21 but landed safely at Linden Airport in New Jersey. No Army personnel were injured, but the DJI Phantom 4 drone was destroyed in the crash.

The Black Hawk helicopter sustained damage to its rotor during a collision with a DJI Phantom 4 drone. The helicopter landed safely at Linden Airport. (NTSB)

The helicopter, which was providing security for the United Nations General Assembly, was struck over the water at an altitude of 300 feet, about a mile east of Midland Beach, Staten Island in the area of Hoffman Island.

Tantashov took off from an area near Dyker Beach Park in Brooklyn and told investigators he had flown over the water where the crash occurred hundreds of times.

NTSB investigators said Tantashov was flying for recreational purposes and did not require an FAA remote pilot certification. His drone was properly registered with the FAA.

But he failed to operate his drone within federal regulations by maintaining visual contact with the aircraft and not interfering with any manned aircraft, the NTSB said. He was relying solely on his tablet's view of the drone's flight to control the drone, the NTSB found.

The NTSB produced this map using flight logs to show where the Black Hawk helicopter and drone collided. (NTSB)

The helicopter pilot saw the drone before the crash but didn't have enough time to avoid a collision, federal authorities said.

Tantashov was unaware of the crash at the time. After realizing he had lost contact with the drone, he assumed it had malfunctioned and crashed in the water, the NTSB said.

Two temporary flight restrictions were in effect at the time of the crash -- one for the U.N. General Assembly and one restricting aircraft, including model aircraft and unmanned drones, from operating within 30 nautical miles of Bedminster.

Tantashov, however, was unaware of the flight restrictions in place, and hadn't enabled the flight restriction function on the DJI drone app. That app, though, wasn't certified by the FAA.

"Sole reliance on advisory functions of a non-certified app is not sufficient to ensure that correct airspace information is obtained," the NTSB said.

The investigation also noted that helicopter pilot was flying at about 300 feet above sea level when the collision occurred and drone flights are permitted up to 400 feet.

Tantashov had violated that 400-foot limit on a previous flight, the drone's flight log's showed, according to the NTSB. In addition, the collision occurred two minutes prior to the end of civil twilight, the NTSB found. Drone flights at night are only allow through special permits.

A message left at a number listed for Tantashov was not immediately returned. It is unclear if he will face FAA penalties, which could include fines, from the incident.

The DJI Phantom 4 drone's arm and motor were recovered after the crash. (NTSB)

Drone flights in the New York Harbor area are strictly limited because of the proximity to area airports and other security concerns. In September, the Federal Aviation Administration announced additional flight limits restricting drone flights within 400 feet of the Statue of Liberty.

Still, there have been an increasing number of near misses between drones and manned aircraft in the region.

New Jersey is among the top 10 states nationwide reporting improperly flown drones, according to FAA data. Most have involved pilot sightings within a few miles of airports that included Newark Liberty, Teterboro and Atlantic City International Airport.

Other drones were unexpectedly high off the ground, thousands of feet in the air, at altitudes that could have threatened manned aircraft.

In July, the pilot of a Boeing 767, arriving in New Jersey from Switzerland reported a drone flying in the vicinity of Newark Liberty International Airport.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Ted Sherman contributed to this report.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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