A bystander in Manhattan Monday afternoon was concerned enough with the sound and erratic movement of a helicopter overheard that she began filming the vehicle which later crash-landed on the roof of a 54-story building on Seventh Avenue.
The pilot was reportedly killed in the crash, which also stared a fire which FDNY successfully extinguished within 30 minutes, reports say.
The video, provided to 710 WOR New York by Wendy Slater, shows the helicopter lurching down and up over East River as the engine sputters. Eventually the craft disappeared into the fog above Manhattan, where it made a "hard landing" atop a building at around 2 p.m.
Slater's video affirms other reports that say the pilot was experiencing mechanical issues prior to the crash and was looking for a safe place to land. The pilot lost contact with air traffic moments before the crash.
No one in the building was hurt.
Low visibility in New York City Monday due to nearby thunderstorms may also have contributed to the crash. The FAA reports weather caused a complete ground-stop at Newark and LaGuardia airports.
Airspace around the building onto which the helicopter crashed was restricted before the incident, because President Donald Trump is in the city.
Slater, will join WOR Tonight at 6:05 p.m. Eastern to discuss what she saw and heard prior to the crash. Listen live here.