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One dead in helicopter crash on NYC skyscraper New York helicopter crash: Pilot killed in skyscraper collision
(about 11 hours later)
The pilot of a helicopter died after it crash-landed on top of a skyscraper in Manhattan, fire officials say. The pilot of a helicopter has died after it crash landed on top of a skyscraper in Manhattan.
The incident sparked a rooftop fire, which was quickly extinguished. Some workers were evacuated from the tower, but none were hurt. The helicopter burst into flames on hitting the AXA Equitable Center, but there were no other casualties.
The office building close to Times Square shook from the impact, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said. The pilot has been identified as Tim McCormack, a veteran aviator. An investigation is under way.
New Yorkers, he added, have "a level of PTSD from 9/11" when they hear news of an aircraft crash in Manhattan. Eyewitnesses said the building shook with the impact and they were reminded of the plane attacks on the city in September 2001.
The pilot has been named by local media as Tim McCormack. Officials quickly ruled out any terrorist element to the crash.
He was the only person aboard the twin-engine Agusta A109E helicopter, said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). How did the crash happen?
The incident happened at around 14:00 (18:00 GMT) on a rainy and foggy Monday on Seventh Avenue. It occurred on a rainy and foggy Monday afternoon at 787 Seventh Avenue, just north of Times Square.
Governor Cuomo said after preliminary reports that there was no indication of foul play. The twin-engine Agusta A109E, carrying only the pilot, had taken off from a heliport on Manhattan's east side at 13:32 local time. It was reportedly heading to Linden Airport in New Jersey.
"There was a helicopter that made a forced landing, emergency landing, or landed on the roof of the building for one reason or another," he told reporters at the scene. Eleven minutes later it plunged into the top of the 54-storey office building, in what was described as a forced or emergency landing.
"There was a fire that happened when the helicopter hit the roof. People that were in the building said that they felt the building shake." New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the helicopter was "pretty obliterated... it was obviously a very hard hit".
He added: "If you're a New Yorker, you have a level of PTSD, right, from 9/11. And I remember that morning all too well. What will the investigation look into?
National Transportation Safety Board officials will be looking into why the helicopter, which officials said was engaged in "executive travel", was flying in such poor weather.
Mr de Blasio said it was "an unusual situation for sure", and the helicopter would have needed special permits from LaGuardia Airport in the New York City borough of Queens.
The Federal Aviation Administration said its controllers would not have been handling the flight.
The building is about half a mile from Trump Tower, and airspace has been under flight restrictions since that building's owner Donald Trump became president.
How did people react?
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said: "If you're a New Yorker, you have a level of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), right, from 9/11. And I remember that morning all too well.
"So as soon as you hear an aircraft hit a building, I think my mind goes where every New Yorker's mind goes.""So as soon as you hear an aircraft hit a building, I think my mind goes where every New Yorker's mind goes."
Speaking at the White House on Monday, US President Donald Trump said the crash was "a big tragedy" and "a very sad event". President Trump said the crash was "a big tragedy" and "a very sad event".
No debris was visible on the pavement or road below the scene of the AXA Equitable building, which is about 750ft (229m) and more than 50 storeys high. Eyewitness Nicolas Estevez told Reuters he "saw the explosion and the smoke coming out" and it had reminded him of 9/11. A 12in (30cm) piece of metal landed on the pavement just feet away, he said.
Michaela Dudley, of Hoboken, New Jersey, was working in the building that the helicopter crashed into and described feeling "a small tremor". Michaela Dudley, of Hoboken, New Jersey, who works in the building, described feeling "a small tremor".
"I started hearing the blare of sirens and knew something bad had happened," the 30-year-old lawyer said."I started hearing the blare of sirens and knew something bad had happened," the 30-year-old lawyer said.
"There was a flood of sirens outside and an announcement for us to leave the building. I grabbed my backpack and cell phone. "There was an announcement for us to leave the building. I grabbed my backpack and cellphone. The stairwell was packed with people trying to get out and so it was a really slow process. We didn't know what was happening so people were getting a bit panicky."
"The stairwell was packed with people trying to get out and so it was a really slow process. We didn't know what was happening so people were getting a bit panicky." Who was the pilot?
Nicolas Estevez told Reuters news agency he had been standing across the street when a 12in (30cm) chunk of metal that may have come off the helicopter landed on the pavement just feet away. Tim McCormack was described as a highly trained, veteran pilot who was also a volunteer firefighter.
The aircraft took off from a heliport at Manhattan's east side at 13:32 and crashed 11 minutes later, officials said. ABC News carried a statement it said had been sent on behalf of the McCormack family, which read: "Our family lost a great man today when my brother lost his life doing his job. He was a caring and compassionate man who put others first over himself."
According to Mayor Bill de Blasio, there is no helicopter landing pad on the roof of the AXA Equitable tower at 787 Seventh Avenue where the aircraft crashed. It said he had landed on the roof "so that it didn't impact anyone else's life except his own. My brother was a true hero".
New York Commissioner James O'Neill told a news conference the helicopter had been engaged in "executive travel" at the time of the crash. Some US media have said Mr McCormack was also involved in setting down a helicopter safely after a bird strike in 2014.
The city's top police officer said the aircraft's reason for flying in such poor weather would be "part of the investigation". American Continental Properties, which the helicopter is registered to, said it mourned the loss of Tim McCormack "who has flown for us for the past five years. Our hearts are with his family and friends".
Mr de Blasio said it was "an unusual situation for sure", and the helicopter would have needed special permits from LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York City. Paul Dudley, Linden Airport manager, said the pilot had "tremendous local knowledge, having flown in this area for many years... Something must have happened to overwhelm him."
The building is about half a mile from Trump Tower, and airspace has been under a flight restriction since he became president. The East Clinton Fire Department said Mr McCormack was "a dedicated, highly professional and extremely well-trained firefighter. Tim's technical knowledge and ability to command an emergency were exceptional."
The mayor described the helicopter as "obliterated".
"There is no indication at this time that this was an act of terror and there is no ongoing threat to New York City," he added.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident.
Last month a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, falling just short of a heliport.
Five people were killed in 2018 when a sightseeing helicopter plunged into the East River.