One dead after helicopter crashes into midtown Manhattan rooftop

• A pilot is dead after a helicopter crashed onto the roof of a building in Manhattan, the New York City Fire Department confirmed.
• New York City Police Department officials called the collision a "helicopter hard landing," which happened on the roof of 787 Seventh Ave., according to PIX 11.
• The pilot was identified by ABC 7 NY as Tim McCormack. He had taken off in a privately owned helicopter from the 34th Street Helipad at 1:32 p.m. and crashed less than 15 minutes later.
• There is no indication of terrorism, and officials believe the crash was an accident, ABC News reported, citing a Federal Aviation Administration official. 
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A pilot is dead after a helicopter crashed onto the roof of a building in Manhattan, the New York City Fire Department confirmed to The Associated Press.

NYPD officials called the collision a "helicopter hard landing," which happened on the roof of 787 Seventh Ave., according to PIX 11. A police investigation is ongoing.

The pilot was identified by ABC 7 NY as Tim McCormack. He had taken off in a privately owned helicopter from the 34th Street Helipad at 1:32 p.m. en route to Linden, New Jersey, according to the news outlet. He crashed at 1:45 p.m.

At least one building was evacuated, CBS New York reported. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is on the scene. 

Cuomo told reporters that a fire broke out when the helicopter crash-landed, but it is now under control, according to The Associated Press.

He said the crash shook the building, but there are no reports of injuries of people in the tower.

Read more: Photos and video show the scene where a helicopter crashed into the roof of a building in midtown Manhattan

"The preliminary information is that there was a helicopter that made a forced landing, an emergency landing or landed on the roof of the building for one reason or another," Cuomo said, adding that he did not know what caused the pilot to land, according to CBS New York.

Video from onlookers showed smoke billowing from the building but no apparent damage to the skyscraper.

The building that the helicopter hit does not have a helipad.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it was an Agusta A109E helicopter that crashed. A spokesperson said in a statement that FAA air traffic controllers did not handle the flight.

"The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will determine probable cause," the statement said. "We will release the aircraft registration after NYC officials release the pilot's name."

The only person on board the aircraft was the pilot, CBS New York reported.

A senior FAA official told ABC News that the agency is investigating. The official said the crash is believed to be an accident and there is no indication of terrorism.

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

"Somebody lost their life there today. It's really upsetting that there's somebody's family out there grieving," New York City Council member Keith Powers said.

He added that he was not sure whether flights should have been grounded today, given the weather. 

President Donald Trump was briefed on the crash and is monitoring the situation. 

Melissa DeRosa, secretary to the New York governor, said on Twitter that Cuomo and Trump spoke about the crash. 

".@realDonaldTrump called Gov Cuomo this afternoon to ask about the helicopter accident in midtown Manhattan and to offer any assistance needed. The two spoke," she said. 

California Public Employees' Retirement System, which has the building featured in its real-estate portfolio, said it was monitoring the situation.

"We are monitoring the situation and will continue to communicate with our manager, CommonWealth Partners, and their on-site staff,"it said on Twitter.

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