Two helicopters collided in mid-air Sunday morning shortly after takeoff from Hammonton Municipal Airport, leaving one pilot dead and the other seriously injured, authorities said.
The crash happened around 11:25 a.m. near the intersection of Highway 30 and Basin Road, about a mile from the airport. Both helicopters crashed in a nearby field and one caught fire, police said.
Hammonton Police Department Chief Kevin Friel said early reports indicated the planes were flying close to each other shortly after takeoff.
“They were reported to be flying in tandem, close to each other, which is likely what caused the collision,” Friel said.
Aerial photos show the aftermath of a fatal helicopter collision on December 28, 2025.
The Enstrom F-28A and Enstrom 280C helicopters had just taken off after the pilots stopped for breakfast at an airport cafe where the cafe owner said they were regulars.
“They just had breakfast at our cafe, they're regulars, they come in, they seem like really nice people,” said Sal Silipino, owner of Apron Cafe. “I saw one fall and then I saw the other one fall and it was a little bit of disbelief, like is this really happening?”
Witnesses throughout the area said they saw helicopters flying unusually close before the collision.
“They were flying lower than I would have expected in a helicopter, and they were flying very close to each other, too close,” said Diana Kleuff of Shamong, New Jersey. “I say to myself, 'Oh my God, I hope they're just flying too close, I hope they don't kill each other.' And the minute I said this to myself, the effect happened.”
Cleff said she watched in horror as one helicopter crashed and another appeared to be struggling in the air.
One person killed in helicopter collision in Hammonton, New Jersey
“It was terrible, I saw one just crash and the other one, I felt terrible because he was trying to gain control,” she said. “This is something no one should have to see in their life.”
One of the helicopters crashed in the backyard of Hammonton resident Caitlin Collins, who said she and her husband heard the plane minutes before the crash.
“I just heard this wub, wub, wub sound… and I thought, 'What is that?' Collins said. “My husband just starts screaming, 'Call 911.'”
Collins said she and her husband, along with a neighbor who is an off-duty Hammonton police officer, rushed to the crash site.
“There was a man there, he was conscious, breathing and kind of just looking around,” she said. “The only thing I could do was hold his hand and talk to him, so I just laid down on the ground next to him and said, 'Hey, we're here, don't worry.'
The injured pilot was taken to a trauma center where he remains hospitalized, authorities said. The identity of the deceased pilot has not yet been disclosed.
“One of the helicopters caught fire; fortunately there were no industrial buildings, commercial buildings or populated areas where it crashed,” Friel said. “Things could have been much worse and there could have been a lot more loss of life.”
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. The NTSB said an investigator will be on the scene and that the agency will lead an investigation that will examine the pilots, the aircraft and the operating environment.
Both pilots were from the tri-state area, authorities said. Their names will be published by local authorities.
A preliminary report is expected within 30 days. A final report, including probable cause, may take up to two years.
