At a Glance
- Two helicopters collided midair over Hammonton, NJ, killing one and critically injuring another.
- The crash involved an Enstrom F-28A and an Enstrom 280C, each with only a pilot aboard.
- FAA and NTSB are investigating the incident, which occurred at about 11:25 a.m. on Sunday.
- Why it matters: The collision highlights the risks of “see-and-avoid” failures and has left a small New Jersey town in shock.
The incident unfolded just after 11:00 a.m. when a video from the scene shows a helicopter spinning rapidly toward the ground. Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel said rescuers responded to a report of an aviation crash at about 11:25 a.m. Flames engulfed one of the helicopters, and police and fire crews extinguished the fire.
The Crash
The Federal Aviation Administration described the event as a midair collision between an Enstrom F-28A helicopter and an Enstrom 280C helicopter over Hammonton Municipal Airport. Both aircraft carried only pilots. One pilot was killed, and the other was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.
- Helicopters involved: Enstrom F-28A, Enstrom 280C
- Crew: 1 pilot per aircraft
- Time: ~11:25 a.m. Sunday
Community Reactions
Sal Silipino, owner of a nearby cafe, said the pilots were regulars at his restaurant and would often have breakfast together. He watched the helicopters take off before one began spiraling downward, followed by the other.
> “It was shocking,” said Sal Silipino.
> “I’m still shaking after that happened.”
Dan Dameshek, a Hammonton resident, told News Of Austin that he was leaving a gym when he heard a loud snap and saw two helicopters spinning out of control.
> “Immediately, the first helicopter went from right side up to upside down and started rapidly spinning, falling out of the air,” Dameshek told the TV station.
> “And then it looked like the second helicopter was OK for a second, and then it sounded like another snap or something … and then that helicopter started rapidly spinning out of the air.”
Investigation
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, Friel said. Alan Diehl, a former crash investigator for the FAA and NTSB, said investigators will likely first review any communications between the two pilots and whether they were able to see each other. He added that “virtually all midair collisions are a failure to what they call ‘see and avoid,'” Diehl said, and that they will examine the out-of-cockpit views to determine if one pilot was approaching from the blind side.
Weather conditions were mostly cloudy at the time, with light winds and good visibility, according to AccuWeather.
Key Takeaways
- Two helicopters collided over Hammonton, killing one and critically injuring another.
- The aircraft were Enstrom F-28A and Enstrom 280C, each with a single pilot.
- FAA and NTSB are investigating the incident, focusing on pilot communications and visibility.
This report was written by Aiden V. Crossfield for News Of Austin.
