A midair crash involving two helicopters over southern New Jersey claimed one life and left another person in critical condition as of late Sunday morning, according to authorities. The incident occurred in Hammonton, a community of roughly 15,000 people in Atlantic County, sitting about 35 miles southeast of Philadelphia.
Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel said rescuers responded to a report of an aviation crash at about 11:25 a.m near Hammonton Municipal Airport in the area of the 100 block of Basin Road. Police, fire, and EMS units arrived to find that two helicopters had collided in the air and crash-landed, with one aircraft engulfed in flames that responders quickly put out. New Jersey Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way wrote on X that “The Atlantic County Office of Emergency Management, Hammonton Police Department, and @NJSP personnel are on the scene.”
Federal officials said the incident involved an Enstrom F-28A helicopter and an Enstrom 280C helicopter. Each aircraft was carrying only its pilot at the time of the collision. One pilot was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was rushed to a nearby hospital with critical, life-threatening injuries.
Witnesses described a terrifying scene as the helicopters fell from the sky. Local resident Dan Dameshek told NBC10 that he recalls hearing a “loud snap” before seeing the aircraft lose control, adding that he “turned around and saw one helicopter go from right side up to upside down and dive into the ground. For a second it looked like the other helicopter was OK, then I heard another smack like metal slapping metal and it started spinning out of control.”
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were notified shortly after the crash, with the NTSB taking the lead on the investigation. In a preliminary statement, the FAA confirmed the midair collision and noted that its findings are subject to change as more information becomes available.
Investigators will examine a wide range of factors, including pilot qualifications, aircraft maintenance records, weather conditions, flight data, and air traffic communications. Wreckage from both helicopters will be documented before being moved to a secure location for further analysis. The NTSB said a preliminary report is expected within 30 days — a final determination of probable cause could take up to two years.
Authorities have not released the identities of those involved. Anyone with information related to the crash has been asked to contact investigators at witness@ntsb.gov.
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