DEVELOPING STORY:

Law enforcement sources said the helicopter took off from a heliport on the west side of Manhattan, headed for the Statue of Liberty, before going off course and crashing.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was an Agusta A109E helicopter and a preliminary investigation indicated the pilot was the only person aboard. Air traffic controllers did not handle the flight, the FAA said, adding that the National Transportation Safety Board would lead the investigation. The NTSB said a short time earlier that it was aware of the situation and monitoring developments.

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The Fire Department of New York said on Twitter the helicopter crashed into the building on Seventh Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.