At a Glance
- Two New Jersey pilots die after their Enstrom helicopters collide midair near Hammonton.
- The crash involved an Enstrom F-28A and an Enstrom 280C.
- The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will release a preliminary report in about 30 days.
- Why it matters: The fatal collision highlights safety concerns for small helicopter operations.
Two New Jersey pilots died when their helicopters collided midair over a farm field near Hammonton on Sunday. The crash involved an Enstrom F-28A and an Enstrom 280C, and authorities say the pilots had been friends and regulars at a nearby café. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has begun an investigation and will release a preliminary report in about 30 days.
The Accident
Rescuers responded at about 11:25 a.m. after a report of an aviation crash. Video shows one helicopter spinning rapidly to the ground, while the other briefly stayed upright before also spinning. Flames engulfed one of the aircraft, but the other was recovered intact.
- Kenneth Kirsch, 65, of Carney’s Point, was pronounced dead at an area hospital after being flown there.
- Michael Greenberg, 71, of Sewell, died at the crash site.
- Both pilots had received their private pilot licenses in 2014.
Investigation and Reactions
The FAA described the incident as a midair collision between the two Enstrom helicopters. The NTSB examined the debris field, which is about 100 yards long, and will remove the aircraft for further analysis.
| Helicopter Model | Registered Owner | Pilot |
|---|---|---|
| Enstrom F-28A | Kenneth Kirsch | Kenneth Kirsch |
| Enstrom 280C | M&M Charter LLC of Mountville, Pennsylvania | Michael Greenberg |
Sal Silipino said:
> ‘They were just at our café having breakfast. They’re regulars. They come in every week or every other week. They fly in together. They seem to be very nice people. They were also very kind to the workers and staff and all.’
Dan Dameshek told News Of Austin:
> ‘Immediately, the first helicopter went from right side up to upside down and started rapidly spinning, falling out of the air. 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.’
Alan Diehl noted:
> ‘Virtually all midair collisions are a failure to what they call see and avoid,’ he said. ‘Clearly they’ll be looking at the out-of-cockpit views of the two aircraft and seeing if one pilot was approaching from the blind side.’
Winds were light and visibility was good, and it was mostly cloudy at the time of the crash, according to AccuWeather.
Key Takeaways
- Two pilots died after a midair collision involving Enstrom helicopters.
- The NTSB will release a preliminary report in about 30 days.
- Investigators will examine pilot communications and visibility to determine how the collision occurred.
The tragedy underscores the importance of vigilant airspace monitoring and the potential risks of small-aircraft operations in populated areas.
