A helicopter crash-landed on top of a 54-story building in New York yesterday, killing the pilot. The collision happened at around 2pm local time. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident. President Donald Trump described the event as “a big tragedy.”

What happened?

The helicopter took off from 34th St. heliport at 1.32pm local time yesterday.

A matter of minutes later it crashed landed on the roof of the AXA Equitable Center skyscraper, just moments away from Times Square.

The collision sparked a rooftop fire which was quickly tackled by New York firefighters.

The 752-foot building in Seventh Avenue was evacuated as a precaution, following the incident.

Who was the pilot?

The pilot killed in the incident has been named locally as experienced airman Tim McCormack.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) believe the pilot was making an emergency landing and there was no indication of terrorism or foul play connected to the incident.

The governor of New York spoke out to reassure New Yorkers following the tragic incident.

Governor Cuomo said after preliminary reports: “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.

“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.

“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.”

The cause of the crash, which happened in foggy weather conditions is still being investigated.

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.

While it’s not known where the helicopter was headed, New York Commissioner James O’Neill told a news conference it had been engaged in “executive travel” at the time of the crash.

The city’s top police officer said the aircraft’s reason for flying in such poor weather would be “part of the investigation”.

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