A major helicopter collision left one pilot dead and another pilot critically injured on Sunday morning in Hammonton, New Jersey.
According to Fox News, the Hammonton Police Department told the outlet that it was notified at roughly 11:25 a.m. that two helicopters had crashed near the 100 block of Basin Road in Hammonton. The outlet noted that fire, emergency medical services, and police officials responded to the scene of the helicopter crash and that one of the helicopters had to be extinguished after catching on fire.
A statement released by the Federal Aviation Administration identified the two helicopters as an Enstrom F-28A helicopter and an Enstrom 280C helicopter. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the two helicopters “collided in mid-air” at approximately 11:25 a.m. (local time) on Sunday near the Hammonton Municipal Airport in New Jersey. The Federal Aviation Administration also confirmed that the only individuals on board the two helicopters were the pilots.
According to Sunday’s statement, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the fatal collision. The Federal Aviation Administration noted that the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation into Sunday’s incident and will provide additional updates as they become available.
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ABC 6 reported that Hammonton Police Department Chief Kevin Friel confirmed that early reports indicated the two helicopters were “flying close together” prior to Sunday’s crash.
“Reports were that they were flying in tandem, that they were flying close together, which is probably what caused the collision to occur,” Friel stated.
A video shared Sunday on social media shows one of the helicopters spiraling down toward the ground after colliding with the other helicopter. Additionally, pictures shared on social media show the remains of both the Enstrom F-28A helicopter and the Enstrom 280C helicopter.
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way (D-N.J.) wrote, “I have been updated on a mid-air collision involving two helicopters in Hammonton. The Atlantic County Office of Emergency Management, Hammonton Police Department, and @NJSP personnel are on the scene. At this time, there is at least one confirmed fatality.”