Tragic Incident: Two helicopters collide midair in New Jersey, resulting in one fatality and critical injuries to another person, authorities report.
The Hammonton Police Chief, Kevin Friel, stated that emergency responders were alerted to an aviation crash around 11:25 a.m. Shocking footage shows one helicopter spiraling to the ground before being engulfed in flames, which were later extinguished by police and fire crews.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the crash involved an Enstrom F-28A helicopter and an Enstrom 280C helicopter over Hammonton Municipal Airport. Both aircraft had only the pilots on board, resulting in one fatality and one pilot being rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Sal Silipino, the owner of a nearby cafe, revealed that the pilots were regular patrons who often had breakfast together at his establishment. Witnessing the tragedy unfold, he described the harrowing moment when both helicopters went down.
Local resident Dan Dameshek recounted hearing a loud snap and witnessing the helicopters lose control and spiral out of the sky. The chaotic scene left him and others in shock.
Hammonton, a small town in Atlantic County, New Jersey, known for its agricultural roots and proximity to the Pine Barrens, was the unfortunate site of this aviation disaster.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will conduct a thorough investigation into the crash, focusing on pilot communications and visibility during the incident, according to former crash investigator Alan Diehl.
Weather conditions at the time of the crash were reported as mostly cloudy with light winds and good visibility, as per AccuWeather.
Contributions to this report were made by Associated Press writer Sean Murphy from Oklahoma City and Fernando from Chicago.
