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, authorities say.
Police Commissioner James O'Neill said 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.
![Fire Department officials at the scene of the helicopter wreckage on the roof on the 7th Ave building in Manhattan. Photo / FDNY](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/IZ7UCPD25TVYZEF7VHHOHRTAWI.jpg?auth=e24baa61cb2b981e9a048d85a041d47a416460cc6a40a8ecbf78bdcecab6f27d&width=16&height=20&quality=70&smart=true)
The helicopter struck the 228m-tall AXA Equitable building just before 1.45 pm local time.