1 of 6 | New York police officers stand near the site of a helicopter crash Monday on a rooftop in Midtown Manhattan. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI |
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June 11 (UPI) -- The pilot who died after crashing a helicopter on the roof of a Manhattan high-rise wasn't licensed to fly in the weather conditions at the time of the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday.
The FAA requires helicopter pilots to be instrument rated in order to fly when visibility is less than 3 miles, Al Yurman, a former air safety investigator with the agency, told NBC News. An FAA spokesman told The Hill that Timothy McCormack, the pilot of the helicopter, did not have that rating.
The National Transportation Safety Board started investigating the cause of the crash Tuesday.
The chopper crashed Monday atop the 54-story AXA Equitable Building and caught fire. Authorities closed down several blocks in Midtown Manhattan while firefighters rushed to the roof.
The civil aviation agency is working to find out how the helicopter crashed in rainy and foggy conditions, and why it was flying in restricted airspace.
New York police Commissioner James O'Neill said Monday it took off from a nearby heliport 11 minutes before the crash, which was described as a "hard landing."
"If you witnessed Monday's helicopter crash in NYC, have video you shot of the crash or photos you took of the crash, NTSB investigators would like to hear from you," the NTSB tweeted Monday.
McCormack, 58, the only person aboard the helicopter, was an experienced flyer and a volunteer firefighter in Clinton Corners, N.Y.
"Tim will be exceptionally missed by his department members, not only for his leadership but his wonderful sense of humor," East Clinton Fire Department Chief Don Estes said.
