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Helicopter Crash Onto Roof of Manhattan Building Kills Pilot Helicopter Crash Onto Roof of Manhattan Building Kills Pilot
(about 2 hours later)
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For hours on Monday, fog had surrounded the skyscrapers in Midtown Manhattan, hiding the upper floors behind a gauzy, grayish curtain.For hours on Monday, fog had surrounded the skyscrapers in Midtown Manhattan, hiding the upper floors behind a gauzy, grayish curtain.
About the time the late-lunch crowd would have been signaling for the check, there were noises that seemed out of place, even in noisy Manhattan: the disturbing roar of an aircraft flying low, followed by what some assumed was an explosion.About the time the late-lunch crowd would have been signaling for the check, there were noises that seemed out of place, even in noisy Manhattan: the disturbing roar of an aircraft flying low, followed by what some assumed was an explosion.
A helicopter had crashed onto the roof of an office building and burst into flames. A helicopter had crashed onto the roof of an office building on Seventh Avenue and burst into flames.
Only one person, presumably the pilot, was aboard the doomed aircraft when it hit the roof of the 51-story building on Seventh Avenue and officials said that the person had been killed. Only the pilot was aboard the doomed aircraft when it hit the roof of the building. He was killed, and investigators were trying to determine if the helicopter was trying to make an emergency landing.
Still, as word spread and a smoky plume streamed through the fog, the crash unnerved New Yorkers who wondered whether it had been an accident or had been deliberate. And it rekindled memories of a far different day — Sept. 11, 2001, when jetliners commandeered by terrorists destroyed the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Alerts spread on cellphones and a smoky plume streamed through the fog, unnerving New Yorkers who wondered whether it had been an accident or had been deliberate. And it rekindled memories of a far different day — Sept. 11, 2001, when jetliners commandeered by terrorists destroyed the twin towers of the World Trade Center.
The memories of 9/11 were compounded as the 54-story building was evacuated. Employees streamed down staircases as firefighters rushed in, heading to the roof.
But Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who arrived quickly at the scene, said there was no indication of terrorism.But Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who arrived quickly at the scene, said there was no indication of terrorism.
Mr. Cuomo acknowledged that the initial reports of the accident unsettled people. “If you’re a New Yorker, you have a level of PTSD, right, from 9/11,’’ Mr. Cuomo said. “I remember that morning all too well.” Mr. Cuomo acknowledged that the initial reports had jarred nerves. “If you’re a New Yorker, you have a level of PTSD, right, from 9/11,’’ Mr. Cuomo said. “I remember that morning all too well.”
On Monday, when visibility was little more than a mile and the cloud ceiling was about 500 feet, the crash prompted building evacuations as the police closed off streets and emergency vehicles rushed in. Firefighters who raced to the roof said they found a debris field. “There wasn’t many whole pieces left,” a firefighter said at a briefing. But in contrast to that bright, clear day, Monday’s weather was dismal. The visibility was little more than a mile and the cloud ceiling was low. The police commissioner, James P. O’Neill, said the helicopter was flying through restricted airspace. Mayor Bill de Blasio said investigators would have to establish whether the helicopter had been in contact with air traffic controllers at La Guardia Airport.
The crash shook the building at 787 Seventh Avenue — one worker on the seventh floor said it “felt like a small earthquake.’’ Andrew Heath, 37, working on the fifth floor, said what he heard “sounded like a manhole cover had exploded.” The crash was the second involving a helicopter in less than a month and the latest of several fatal incidents in and around New York City in the last 20 years. It rekindled longstanding calls for greater restrictions on helicopters flying over such a densely populated region.
The police commissioner, James P. O'Neill, said the helicopter had taken off from the heliport on the East River at 34th Street at 1:32 p.m., 11 minutes before it slammed onto the roof. Mr. Blasio told reporters at the scene of the crash that it was an “absolutely stunning, shocking incident.’’
The helicopter’s home base was an airport in Linden, N.J., where Paul Dudley, the airport manager, identified the pilot as Tim McCormack. He said Mr. McCormack worked for the helicopter’s owner, Daniele Bodini, who he said commuted to the city from upstate New York. A woman who answered the phone at Mr. Bodini’s office declined to say whether the helicopter belonged to him. The impact jolted the building at 787 Seventh Avenue, between 51st and 52nd Streets. One worker on the seventh floor said it “felt like a small earthquake.’’ Andrew Heath, 37, working on the fifth floor, said what he heard “sounded like a manhole cover had exploded.”
It happened only 11 minutes after the helicopter had taken off from the heliport on the East River at 34th Street. The helicopter’s home base was an airport in Linden, N.J., where Paul Dudley, the airport manager, identified the pilot as Tim McCormack. He said Mr. McCormack worked for American Continental Properties, a real estate concern that said he had flown for the company for five years.
John Kjekstad, the president of Helicopter Flight Services, one of the biggest charter operators in the New York area, said he had employed Mr. McCormack briefly several years ago. He remembered Mr. McCormack as a “nice, normal guy” who once had to contend with a bird crashing through the windshield on a flight over Manhattan with several passengers aboard.
“He calmed the passengers down and did a great job landing,” Mr. Kjekstad said.
Mr. McCormack was also the chief of the volunteer fire squad in East Clinton, N.Y., in Dutchess County, according to his Facebook page, which was filled with photos showing him flying above familiar landmarks like the Statue of Liberty.
The fire commissioner, Daniel A. Nigro, said firefighters who arrived in little more than four minutes put the fire out as the building below, which houses the offices of a number of financial firms, was being evacuated.The fire commissioner, Daniel A. Nigro, said firefighters who arrived in little more than four minutes put the fire out as the building below, which houses the offices of a number of financial firms, was being evacuated.
Melissa DeRosa, Mr. Cuomo’s top aide, said on Twitter that President Trump had called the governor to ask about the accident “and to offer any assistance needed.”Melissa DeRosa, Mr. Cuomo’s top aide, said on Twitter that President Trump had called the governor to ask about the accident “and to offer any assistance needed.”
There were several reports of a helicopter flying erratically near the East River not long before the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.There were several reports of a helicopter flying erratically near the East River not long before the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
Wendy Slater, 46, was walking her pit bull Ewing on the East River near 20th Street when she heard the sound of a low-flying helicopter.Wendy Slater, 46, was walking her pit bull Ewing on the East River near 20th Street when she heard the sound of a low-flying helicopter.
“It was flying really low, going up and diving down, flying sideways,” she said. “I just thought he was going to crash right there in the river, but then he went north.”“It was flying really low, going up and diving down, flying sideways,” she said. “I just thought he was going to crash right there in the river, but then he went north.”
The memory of the Sept. 11 attacks flashed through the minds of people in Le Bernardin, the three-star Michelin restaurant at the bottom of the building. The lunchtime crowd, eating lobster and drinking Champagne, was jolted by the noise. “It goes through everyone’s mind,” said Jenaro Mendoza, a waiter, recalling the terror attacks. Added a colleague, Antony Cordero, “You never know what it is, if it’s terrorism.” The crash recalled an accident in 2006, when a single-engine plane carrying the Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle smashed into a 42-story apartment building on the Upper East Side, killing Mr. Lidle and his flight instructor. That accident sent debris tumbling to the sidewalk and started a fire that destroyed several apartments.
But it was the memory of the Sept. 11 attacks that flashed through the minds of people in Le Bernardin, the three-star Michelin restaurant at the bottom of the building. The lunchtime crowd, eating lobster and drinking Champagne, was jolted by the noise. “It goes through everyone’s mind,” said Jenaro Mendoza, a waiter, recalling the terror attacks. Added a colleague, Antony Cordero, “You never know what it is, if it’s terrorism.”
At table after table, cellphones started flashing alerts about a plane crash. Before long the chef, Eric Ripert, emerged from the kitchen and asked everyone to leave.At table after table, cellphones started flashing alerts about a plane crash. Before long the chef, Eric Ripert, emerged from the kitchen and asked everyone to leave.
Upstairs in the building are a number of law firms, including Sidley Austin and Willkie Farr & Gallagher, and some operations of several financial services firms, including BNP Paribas, UBS and Citibank, as well as an office of CalPERS, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.Upstairs in the building are a number of law firms, including Sidley Austin and Willkie Farr & Gallagher, and some operations of several financial services firms, including BNP Paribas, UBS and Citibank, as well as an office of CalPERS, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.
Melvin Douglas, 50, said he was selling umbrellas on Seventh Avenue near 51st Street when he heard a loud boom. He said that he and others on the street did not know a helicopter had crashed, and that they only realized something was wrong when people started streaming out of the tower. The emergency responders who rushed to the top of the building said the helicopter might have hit something on the roof as the pilot tried to land, causing the aircraft to flip over and burst into flames, one city official said.
“Nobody knew what was really going on,” Mr. Douglas said. “We couldn’t see anything because it was so cloudy.” “The aircraft came down between structural metal supports and or mechanical equipment on the roof,” the official said. “So it did appear he was trying to bring it down in a clear area, but there wasn’t enough clearance to do so.”
Mr. Dudley said he believed that Mr. McCormack had chosen that building as the best possible spot — or the least bad spot, considering the density of Midtown Manhattan — to put the helicopter down.
“He may have intentionally gone for that roof to spare the people on the street,” Mr. Dudley said.
“This wasn’t a landing. It was a crash. He knew it was going to be ugly.”
Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, Michael Gold, William K. Rashbaum, Ashley Southall and Ali Watkins contributed reporting.Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, Michael Gold, William K. Rashbaum, Ashley Southall and Ali Watkins contributed reporting.