The Latest: NYC helicopter crash was in controlled airspace
NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on a Manhattan helicopter crash (all times local):
9:45 p.m.
A New York congresswoman is calling on the Federal Aviation Administration to ban “non-essential” helicopter flights over Manhattan following a crash in the city.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney vowed Monday to hold the agency “accountable” for what happened.
The Manhattan Democrat said she would also consider pursuing legislation if necessary.
Maloney says she doesn’t believe that executive travel or tourist trips would qualify as essential travel.
The proposed ban would only apply to helicopters and not other small aircraft.
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6:55 p.m.
The pilot who was killed when his helicopter crashed into a New York City skyscraper has been identified.
The real estate company that used the helicopter confirmed Monday that the pilot was Tim McCormack, of Clinton Corners, New York.
American Continental Properties said McCormack had flown for the company for the past five years.
It said in a statement that “our hearts are with his family and friends.”
McCormack was formerly a volunteer fire chief for the East Clinton Fire District.
FAA records said he had been certified in 2004 to fly helicopters and single-engine airplanes.
He was certified as a flight instructor last year.
Authorities say the helicopter was being used for executive travel.
The helicopter was flying in rain and heavy clouds when it hit AXA Equitable building in midtown Manhattan.
5 p.m.
Photographs show that the helicopter that crashed into a New York City skyscraper was obliterated on impact.
Pictures released by the Fire Department on Monday show piles of burned rubble on the roof of the tower.
Only a few pieces of the wreckage are recognizable as having been parts of an aircraft, including a piece of the tail.
Damage to the building itself appear light.
Federal Aviation Administration records show that the helicopter was an Agusta A109E linked to a real estate company founded by Italian-born investor Daniele Bodini.
The helicopter was flying in rain and heavy clouds when it hit AXA Equitable building in midtown Manhattan.
The pilot was killed. Officials didn’t immediately release his name. They said he was not the helicopter’s owner.
No other people were aboard.
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4:10 p.m.
Authorities say the helicopter that struck a New York City skyscraper took off from a Manhattan helipad and was in the air for about 11 minutes before it crashed.
Police Commissioner James O’Neill said Monday that the privately owned aircraft took off from a pad on the East River.
He says it may have been headed to its home airport in Linden, New Jersey. The helicopter struck the 750-foot-tall AXA Equitable building just before 1:45 p.m.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said it isn’t clear why the helicopter went down.
The helicopter was flying in rain and heavy clouds. From the river, it veered into Manhattan airspace that is supposed to be off limits for security reasons.
The pilot was killed. Officials didn’t immediately release his name.
O’Neill said the aircraft was used for executive travel.
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3:20 p.m.
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.”
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2:40 p.m.
The New York City Fire Department says the pilot of a helicopter that crashed on a Manhattan skyscraper rooftop has died.
The Fire Department says the helicopter crash landed on the top of the tower, which isn’t far from Rockefeller Center and Times Square.
It does not appear anyone else was on board when the crash occurred at around 2 p.m.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters that a fire began when the aircraft hit, but it is under control. Cuomo said it shook the building. He said there are no reports of injuries of people in the tower.
It was not immediately known what type of helicopter was involved.
Videos posted by onlookers showed emergency vehicles in the street, but no obvious damage to the skyscraper.
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2:45 p.m.
The New York City Fire Department is responding to a report of a helicopter crash on the roof of a skyscraper in midtown Manhattan.
The Fire Department said in a tweet Monday that the helicopter appears to have crash landed on the top of the tower, which isn’t far from Rockefeller Center and Times Square.
An FDNY spokesman said one person was injured. The crash happened at around 2 p.m.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters that a fire began when the aircraft hit but is under control. Cuomo said it shook the building. He said there are no reports of injuries of people in the tower.
It was not immediately known what type of helicopter was involved.
Videos posted by onlookers showed emergency vehicles in the street, but no obvious damage to the skyscraper.
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2:15 p.m.
The New York City Fire Department is responding to a report of a helicopter crash on the roof of a skyscraper in midtown Manhattan.
The Fire Department said in a tweet Monday that the helicopter appears to have crash landed on the top of the tower, which isn’t far from Rockefeller Center and Times Square.
An FDNY spokesman said one person was injured. The crash happened at around 2 p.m.
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