Since 1981 it’s been owned by Met Life (though the Met Life sign didn’t go up until 1991)—a 60-story skyscraper behind Grand Central Station. But in 1963 it opened as the Pan Am Building, becoming sort of a symbol of post–World War II, jet-age New York City.
Too bad the Pan Am Building lacked the beauty and grace of the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings and was never especially beloved by New Yorkers.
But it did have one distinct amenity: a helipad on the roof. A company called New York Airways regularly offered seven-minute copter service to JFK and LaGuardia Airports.
The copter shuttle operated in the 1960s and then started up again in 1977—until one helicopter’s broken landing gear caused another copter to tip over and kill four passengers waiting to board. A fifth person, a pedestrian, died when the rotor blade fell off the roof and tumbled all the way down to 43rd Street.
Tags: Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, helicopter accidents in New York City, Met Life Building, Pan Am Building, skyscrapers of New York City
Ephemeral New York 
May 20, 2009 at 2:53 pm |
i hate that building
May 21, 2009 at 12:16 am |
It is only the Met Life building to non-native New Yorker’s. The same people who refer to Sixth Ave as the Avenue of the Americas and the Triborough bridge as the RFK Bridge.
March 18, 2012 at 12:03 am |
Or 7th Avenue as “Fashion Avenue.”
May 21, 2009 at 10:05 am |
I have never seen the stripes on the lower level of the building. I guess that is like a “do not go here” sign for helicopter pilots.
May 22, 2009 at 3:09 pm |
It changed names in 91, not 81.
May 24, 2009 at 8:40 pm |
Right, it’s a little confusing. The Met Life sign went up in the early 90s, but they already owned the building since the early 80s.
August 11, 2009 at 2:46 pm |
just i need a pan firend and good relation siph plece writh me
June 22, 2011 at 4:17 pm |
i am not a native new yorker, but it will always be the pan am building to me. i have taken that helicopter ride many years ago.
August 3, 2011 at 1:31 pm |
I was reminded of this by watching Coogan’s Bluff set in New York in 1968. Coogan(Clint Eastwood) arrived and left in this helicopter with his prisoner. I flew on it once in 1977 fortunately before the horrific accident.
March 2, 2012 at 7:15 am |
[…] 2012 https://ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com/2009/05/20/the-last-helicopter-to-land-on-the-pan-am-building/ […]
March 18, 2012 at 12:08 am |
Does anyone recall the name of the “pedestrian” killed at the corner of Madison and 43rd? I do. I don’t know why but it always stuck in my mind that her name was Ann Barncott and she was a 29 year old woman who had moved to NYC to start a new life. That life was tragically snuffed out in one instant of literally being in the wrong place at the wrong time when the fragment of a rotor blade struck her on the neck, killing her instantly.
Note: Not positive about the spelling of her last name.
January 17, 2013 at 10:36 pm |
I do not know the name of the woman. I had heard from an acquaintance of mine that she and a colleague were at lunch that day and that the colleague had to buy a greeting card. “Ann,” if that is her name decided to wait outside rather than go in the store. An unfortunate choice for her.
January 28, 2013 at 6:05 am |
[…] structure is the New York Central building (now the Helmsley Building), right in front of the Pan Am Building, which opened in […]
May 31, 2013 at 12:39 pm |
There was just one helicopter involved in the accident. Its right front landing gear collapsed while the rotors were turning, causing the aircraft to roll and one rotor blade to hit the surface and break off. Link to the NTSB report: http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/ntsb/aircraft-accident-reports/AAR77-09.pdf The pedestrian was identified in AP newspaper articles as Anne Barnecott, who still lived with her parents in the Bronx. The accident happened at 5:35 in the afternoon, so likely the lunchtime greeting card story is inaccurate. Maybe it was an after work thing.
July 7, 2013 at 5:35 am |
I’ll Never Forget Seeing A White Sheet With A Woman’s Leg & Dress Shoes Sticking Out On The Sidewalk. So Very Sad. I Was 19 Years Old & Working At Thomas Cook In The United Nations Building. I Just Turned 56 & It Still Haunts Me To This Day. After Researching I Now Know Who The Woman Was & Just Want To Say How Sorry I Am To Her Family.
August 19, 2013 at 6:45 pm |
Never forget, OK? Pan firend.
December 7, 2015 at 3:24 am |
I am still remembering this event, and would like to thanks the blogger. Will check back.
May 19, 2017 at 3:32 am |
One of the four killed instantly on the roof was Michael Findlay, who, with wife Roberta, filmed many NY porn films of the 1960s and 70s. He was decapitated. In the NY Times, a policeman at the scene said the head was still attached but just barely.
March 7, 2019 at 10:04 pm |
Thanking you for the additional info details. SO sad to hear that the poor man was decapitated like that. Oh no. I will revisit the site again.