Helicopter crash-lands on roof of Midtown NYC skyscraper, killing pilot

Jun. 10--A helicopter crash-landed onto the roof of a Midtown skyscraper Monday, killing the pilot, officials said.

The Agusta A109E aircraft made a hard landing in heavy rain and dense clouds on top of the 54-story AXA Equitable Center on Seventh Ave. at W. 51st St. about 1:45 p.m.

A fire broke out immediately after the crash on the roof, which was not equipped with a helicopter landing pad, law enforcement sources said.

The pilot was killed and still inside the mangled cockpit more than an hour after the crash, sources said. Nobody else was on board the chopper.

The helicopter crumpled in the landing and the roof suffered extensive fire damage. Fuel from the helicopter was leaking down the sides of the building in the aftermath of the crash, sources said.

Gov. Cuomo, who was at an event not far from the crash scene, held an impromptu press conference on the corner while using an umbrella to shelter himself from the rain.

"There was a helicopter that made a forced landing, emergency landing, or landed on the roof of the building for one reason or another," Cuomo said. "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."

The fire is now under control, Cuomo said, citing the FDNY.

"If you're a New Yorker you have a level of PTSD from 9/11," Cuomo said. "As soon as you hear an aircraft hit a building my mind goes where every New Yorker's mind goes."

Cuomo added there was no indication the crash was anything more than accidental.

Mayor de Blasio, in remarks to CNN, said "there's no evidence of any act of terror or motivation."

"This is a commercial pilot," he said of the victim. "This is someone who's been doing this work for a while." He added that helicopter "apparently" was an executive helicopter "used to ferry around executives.

Melvin Douglas, 50, was sitting across the street in front of the Winter Garden Theater when he heard a loud rumble.

"I heard a crash and then I felt the ground shake. I started to see smoke from the top of the building," he said. "I didn't see where the helicopter landed, I just know it hit the building."

Buildings in the Midtown area were evacuated by police and FDNY, creating crowds on the streets at the already busy lunchtime hour.

The helicopter was not in touch with Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers during its flight, FAA officials said. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the probe into the crash.

De Blasio held a brief meeting with NYPD brass in a fifth-floor conference room of the Manhattan at Times Square Hotel.

President Trump was briefed on the crash.

"Phenomenal job by our GREAT First Responders who are currently on the scene," Trump tweeted. "THANK YOU for all you do 24/7/365! The Trump Administration stands ready should you need anything at all."

"A helicopter crashed on the roof of 787 Seventh Ave. in New York at around 1:45 p.m. today. Preliminary information is that only the pilot was aboard. FAA air traffic controllers did not handle the flight. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will determine probable cause of the accident. We will release the aircraft registration after NYC officials will release the pilot's name."

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