NEW YORK (Reuters) - At least one person was killed when a helicopter crashed onto the roof of a building in Midtown Manhattan on Monday, emergency officials said.

The crash occurred shortly before 2 p.m. (1800 GMT) in rain and fog. Dozens of emergency vehicles swarmed the busy area around Seventh Avenue between 51st and 52nd streets, a few blocks north of Times Square.

The city fire department said on Twitter around 2:40 p.m. that one unidentified person was killed. Media reports said the person killed was the helicopter pilot.

Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was at the scene soon after the crash, told reporters that it appeared a helicopter attempted a forced emergency landing on the roof and that no one inside the building had been injured.

Melvin Douglas, 50, who was selling umbrellas on the street, said he heard a “rumble” when the helicopter crash landed.

“I didn’t see it, but I felt it,” said Douglas. “Smoke was on top of the building.”

A fire that broke out on the roof was quickly brought under control, the fire department said. The building, the AXA Equitable Center, was evacuated after the crash.

U.S. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the crash and continues to monitor the situation, White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said. </s> At least one person was killed when a helicopter crash-landed onto the roof of a high-rise building in midtown Manhattan on Monday afternoon, according to New York City Fire Department officials.

The helicopter crashed onto the roof of the 51-story AXA Equitable Center office building at 787 7th Avenue, near 51st Street. According to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, it’s not clear whether the helicopter crashed or attempted to make an emergency landing on the roof of the building. Officials said it did not appear to be terrorism-related.

A fire broke out, but has since been put out, according to the New York City Police Department. The person killed is believed to be the helicopter pilot.

This is a developing story, and officials have not confirmed what prompted the helicopter’s hard landing. Here’s what we know and don’t know.

What we know
• Shortly before 2 pm, a helicopter crash-landed onto the roof of a 51-story building in midtown Manhattan, located at 787 7th Avenue, according to Fire Department officials.
• A fire broke out on the roof after the incident, but it has been extinguished, according to the police.
• New York City Police Department officials described it as “hard landing.” Gov. Cuomo told reporters on Tuesday the helicopter may have crashed while attempting to make an emergency landing on the building, thought the circumstances are still unclear. There is no helipad on top of the building.
• New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at an afternoon press conference that “there is no indication that this was an act of terror.” The weather in New York is rainy and cloudy, but it’s not yet clear if weather or visibility-related issues prompted the crash landing.
• The Fire Department has confirmed one fatality, which is presumed to be the pilot.
• The building has been evacuated, and police and fire officials are investigating. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are also assisting, according to NBC News.
• There is a temporary flight restriction in the area, which is not far Trump Tower in New York City. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at an afternoon press conference that the pilot would have needed approval to fly into this zone, something officials have not yet confirmed.

What we don’t know
• The cause of the crash landing
• Why the helicopter was flying in this area of midtown Manhattan
• What type of helicopter it was, and who it was affiliated with </s> NEW YORK, June 10 (Reuters) - A helicopter made a crash landing onto the roof of a midtown Manhattan skyscraper on Monday, killing at least one person and sending a plume of smoke skyward from the top of the building, which was shrouded in fog.

The crash occurred shortly before 2 p.m. (1800 GMT) on a rainy day at the AXA Equitable Center at 787 Seventh Avenue. Dozens of emergency vehicles swarmed the busy area, a few blocks north of Times Square.

The city fire department said on Twitter around 2:40 p.m. that one unidentified person was killed. Media reports said the person killed was the helicopter pilot.

Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was at the scene soon after the crash, told reporters that it appeared a helicopter attempted a forced emergency landing on the roof and that no one inside the building had been injured. It was not clear if the weather was a contributing factor.

Nathan Hutton, who works in information technology for the French bank BNP Paribas on the 29th floor, said the building shook when the helicopter slammed into the roof.

"It felt like you were just standing there, and someone takes their hand and just shoves you," he said. "You felt it through the whole building."

Melvin Douglas, 50, who was selling umbrellas on the street, said he heard a "rumble" when the helicopter crash landed.

"I didn't see it, but I felt it," said Douglas. "Smoke was on top of the building."

A fire that broke out on the roof was quickly brought under control, the fire department said. The building, which houses a number of corporate offices, was evacuated after the crash.

"Phenomenal job by our GREAT First Responders who are currently on the scene," U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter after being briefed on the crash. "The Trump Administration stands ready should you need anything at all." (Reporting by Gabriella Borter; Additional reporting by Peter Szekely; Writing by Joseph Ax; Editing by David Alexander and Bill Rigby) </s> New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (center) and a firefighter at the scene.

One person is dead after a helicopter crashed on a building roof in New York City on Monday afternoon, authorities said.



The helicopter made a "hard landing or an emergency landing" on the roof of the 54-story building on Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters.

He added that it was "not a routine landing."

Only the pilot was on board the Agusta A109E helicopter, the Federal Aviation Administration said. FAA air traffic controllers did not handle the flight, the agency said.

The National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the probable cause of the accident. </s> A helicopter crash-landed on the roof a midtown Manhattan skyscraper Monday, killing the pilot, authorities said.

The crash happened at around 2 p.m. in a steady rain and clouds that obscured the roof of the 750-foot (229-meter) AXA Equitable building.

The helicopter that crashed into a New York City skyscraper was flying in heavy rain in airspace that is supposed to be off-limits.

A flight restriction in effect since President Donald Trump took office bans aircraft from flying below 3,000 feet (914 meters) within a 1-mile radius of Trump Tower, which is just a few blocks from the crash site.

Fire Department officials say the helicopter pilot died when the craft hit the top of the AXA Equitable building at around 2 p.m.

There were no other reports of injuries.

It wasn't clear why the pilot flew into that part of Manhattan, but authorities called it an emergency landing.

Trump said in a tweet that he'd been briefed on the crash. He said first responders on the scene did a "phenomenal job."

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who spoke to reporters at the scene about 20 minutes after the crash, said the impact shook the building and caused a fire, but it was under control and there were no other reports of injuries.

The crash, close to both Rockefeller Center and Times Square, sent rescue vehicles swarming to the building and immediately evoked memories of the Sept. 11 attacks, though officials said there were no indications it was related to terrorism.

"If you're a New Yorker, you have a level of PTSD, 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," Cuomo said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it would investigate. It was not immediately known what type of helicopter was involved. New York officials said the pilot was believed to be the only one aboard.

Videos posted by onlookers showed emergency vehicles in the street, but no obvious damage to the skyscraper.

Pedro Rodriguez, a pastry line cook at Le Bernardin, a well-known restaurant in the building, said workers got an announcement telling everyone to exit, and he later heard from people around him that there was a fire on the roof. The evacuation wasn't chaotic, Rodriguez said, but he was rattled because he immediately thought of the Sept. 11 attacks.

"It's scary when something like this happens," he said.

Alex Jacobs was working on the seventh floor when he heard bells and an announcement to evacuate. He and his colleagues — who hadn't heard or felt an impact — used stairs to a fire exit. "It's really unfortunate. I Just hope everyone's OK," he said.

New York City has a history of both minor and major helicopter wrecks and crash landings.

Last month, a helicopter crash landed in the Hudson River near a busy Manhattan heliport. The pilot escaped mostly unscathed.

Five people died when a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the East River last year. Three people died in another crash into the same river in 2011. Nine people died in a collision between a sightseeing helicopter and a small plane in 2009, not far from the scene of Monday's mishap. </s> NEW YORK (Reuters) - A helicopter made a crash landing onto the roof of a midtown Manhattan skyscraper on Monday, killing at least one person and sending a plume of smoke skyward from the top of the building.

The crash occurred shortly before 2 p.m. (1800 GMT) on a rainy, foggy day at the 750-foot (229m) AXA Equitable Center at 787 Seventh Avenue. Dozens of emergency vehicles swarmed the busy area, a few blocks north of Times Square.

The person killed is “presumed” to be the pilot, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference. No injuries, either to people in the building or on the ground, have been reported, he said.

“Thank God for that,” de Blasio said. “This could have been a much worse incident.”

The mayor said the cause was unknown but that there was no indication that the crash was an “act of terrorism.” It was not clear if the weather was a contributing factor.

The chopper took off from a heliport on Manhattan’s east side and crash-landed on the building 11 minutes later, emergency officials said.

The site is about half a mile from Trump Tower, where U.S. President Donald Trump maintains an apartment. The area has been under a temporary flight restriction since his election in November 2016.

Nathan Hutton, who works in information technology for the French bank BNP Paribas on the 29th floor, said the building shook when the helicopter slammed into the roof.

“It felt like you were just standing there, and someone takes their hand and just shoves you,” he said. “You felt it through the whole building.”

The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the aircraft was an Agusta A109E, a twin-engine, lightweight helicopter. The pilot was the only person aboard, and FAA air traffic controllers did not handle the flight, according to the agency.

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash, the FAA said.

Melvin Douglas, 50, who was selling umbrellas on the street, said he heard a “rumble” when the helicopter crash landed.

“I didn’t see it, but I felt it,” said Douglas. “Smoke was on top of the building.”

A fire that broke out on the roof was quickly brought under control, the fire department said. The building was evacuated after the crash.

Trump called New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was at the scene soon after the crash, to offer assistance if needed, the governor’s office said.

“Phenomenal job by our GREAT First Responders who are currently on the scene,” Trump said on Twitter after being briefed on the crash. “The Trump Administration stands ready should you need anything at all.”

The AXA Equitable Center was built in 1985 and includes more than 50 floors. A roof helipad is not listed as one of the building’s amenities on its website.

In addition to BNP Paribas, the building houses offices for a number of other corporate tenants, including law firms Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Sidley Austin and investment manager New Mountain Capital. Le Bernardin, one of New York City’s most celebrated restaurants, is also located in the AXA building.

The skyscraper is managed by the Los Angeles-based CommonWealth Partners. Reached by telephone, LeAnn Holsapple, the office manager for CommonWealth, said the company had “no comment at this time.”

Helicopters are a regular sight in the air around Manhattan, and they have occasionally been involved in crashes.

Nearly a month ago, a chopper crashed into the Hudson River in New York City shortly after taking off from Manhattan, injuring two people. A sightseeing helicopter went down in New York City’s East River in March 2018, killing five passengers. </s> A helicopter crashed onto the fog-shrouded roof of a midtown Manhattan skyscraper on Monday, killing at least one person and unnerving a city still scarred by memories of the Sept. 11, 2001, airplane attacks on the World Trade Center.

The crash occurred shortly before 2 p.m. (1800 GMT) on a rainy, gray day atop the 750-foot (229m) AXA Equitable Center at 787 Seventh Avenue, a few blocks north of Times Square. Dozens of emergency vehicles swarmed the area, shutting down traffic and evacuating offices in one of the city’s busiest areas.

The person killed is “presumed” to be the pilot, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference. No injuries, either to people in the building or on the ground, have been reported.

“The helicopter is pretty obliterated at this point. It was obviously a very hard hit,” de Blasio said during the briefing.

He said the cause was unknown but that there was no indication the crash was an “act of terrorism.” It was not clear if limited visibility due to the weather was a contributing factor.

Nicolas Estevez was standing across the street from the building when a 12-inch (30 cm) piece of metal that appeared to be from the helicopter landed on the pavement just feet away.

The crash, which sent people streaming out of the building within seconds, reminded him of Sept. 11, Estevez said.

“I saw the explosion and the smoke coming out,” he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the aircraft was an Agusta A109E, a twin-engine, lightweight helicopter. The pilot was the only person aboard, and FAA air traffic controllers did not handle the flight, according to the agency.

The chopper took off from a heliport on Manhattan’s east side at 1:32 p.m. and crash-landed on the building 11 minutes later, causing a fire that was quickly extinguished by responding firefighters, officials said.

The site is about half a mile from Trump Tower, where U.S. President Donald Trump maintains an apartment. The area has been under a temporary flight restriction since his election in November 2016.

The pilot would have required permission from air control at La Guardia Airport in New York, and investigators are trying to determine if the pilot was in contact with the tower there or at any other airport, de Blasio said.

Nathan Hutton, who works in information technology for the French bank BNP Paribas on the 29th floor, said the building shook when the helicopter slammed into the roof.

“It felt like you were just standing there, and someone takes their hand and just shoves you,” he said. “You felt it through the whole building.”

Trump called New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was at the scene soon after the crash, to offer assistance if needed, the governor’s office said.

“Phenomenal job by our GREAT First Responders who are currently on the scene,” Trump said on Twitter after being briefed on the crash. “The Trump Administration stands ready should you need anything at all.” </s> iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Two people were killed when a private helicopter crashed into the East River Sunday evening, authorities said.

The red Eurocopter AS350 helicopter was carrying six passengers when it went down, police sources said. One of the passengers was seriously injured after being pulled from the water, sources said.

A bystander captured the helicopter’s descent into the water on video. The footage shows the final seconds as the chopper’s propellers strike the glassy river’s surface, its engine sputtering.

The helicopter hit the cold water at East 96th Street on Manhattan’s Upper East Side neighborhood about 7 p.m., local and federal authorities later confirmed.

The pilot who was experiencing engine failure, sources said.

The Federal Aviation Administration tweeted that it was investigating the crash and added that the helicopter is “reportedly inverted in the water.” It added that the National Transportation Safety Board would lead the investigation.

New York City’s NYPD and FDNY confirmed that there were sending emergency personnel into the area near East 90th Street in Manhattan. </s> At least 32 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977, when an accident on a skyscraper landing pad led the city to start putting restrictions on where choppers could land.

Helicopter flights are getting renewed scrutiny after a fatal crash into a Manhattan tower Monday.

A look at accidents over the years:

2019: A helicopter used for executive travel hits the roof of a Manhattan skyscraper in restricted airspace. The pilot is killed.

2019: A charter helicopter goes into the Hudson River and sinks while being maneuvered at a heliport. The pilot escapes.

2018: Five people drown when a charter helicopter offering "open door" flights crashes in the East River . The pilot survives.

2011: Three people die when a helicopter carrying a family outing plunges into the East River.

2009: A sightseeing helicopter carrying Italian tourists collides with a private plane over the Hudson River, killing nine.

2007: A sightseeing helicopter drops into the Hudson River after experiencing a mechanical problem after lifting off from a West Side heliport. Everyone makes it out safely.

2005: A corporate helicopter carrying MBNA Corp. executives falls into the East river after taking off from the East 34th Street heliport. The pilot is seriously injured but everyone survives.

2005: A sightseeing helicopter goes into the East River while trying to take off from the Wall Street heliport. A British tourist nearly drowns.

2004: A WNBC news helicopter hits a building in Brooklyn and disintegrates while covering a story. All occupants survive.

1997: One person is killed and a second is badly injured when a helicopter owned by the Colgate-Palmolive Company falls into the East River after taking off from the 60th Street heliport.

1990: One person dies after the pilot of an Island Helicopter air taxi misjudges the wind during a takeoff from the East 34th Street heliport and flies into the river.

1988: A passenger drowns when a sightseeing helicopter loses power and makes a forced landing in the East River.

1986: An NBC radio traffic reporter dies when the helicopter she is riding in loses lift, hits a fence and crashes into the Hudson.

1985: A passenger drowns when a sightseeing flight operated by New York Helicopters crashes into the East River after taking off from the East 34th Street heliport.

1983: A seaplane coming in for a landing on the East River collides with a police helicopter over the Brooklyn waterfront, killing four people.

1981: Hijackers seize a sightseeing helicopter and order the pilot to fly to a federal jail in Manhattan in an unsuccessful attempt to free a prisoner waiting on the roof.

1977: A rotor breaks loose from a New York Airways helicopter on a landing pad atop the Pan Am Building and kills five people, including one on the street two blocks away. The helipad closes after the accident.
A helicopter crashes onto the roof of the AXA Equitable Center in New York City, killing the pilot.