2 pilots killed in mid-air helicopter collision in New Jersey – National

UPDATE Dec. 29: Authorities on Monday identified two pilots who died after their helicopters collided midair in southern New Jersey.

Hammonton Police Department Chief Kevin Friel said in a press release that Kenneth Kirsch, 65, “succumbed to injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital.”

The other pilot was identified as Michael Greenberg, 71, who was pronounced at the scene of the crash, Friel added.

ORIGINAL STORY: One person is dead and another is injured after two helicopters crashed mid-air in New Jersey on Sunday.

Hammonton Police Department Chief Kevin Friel said in a statement rescuers responded to a report of an “aviation crash between two helicopters” at about 11:25 a.m. local time on Sunday.

Police and fire crews extinguished flames that engulfed one of the helicopters.

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) described the crash as a mid-air collision between an Enstrom F-28A helicopter and an Enstrom 280C helicopter over Hammonton Municipal Airport. Only the pilots were on board each aircraft. One was killed, and the other was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

A spokesperson from Hammonton’s municipal government told NBC News that the second pilot was taken to the hospital with “critical life-threatening injuries.”

Authorities look over the scene after two helicopters crashed in Hammonton, N.J., on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025.

WPVI-TV/6ABC via AP

In a statement shared on X, New Jersey Lt.-Gov. Tahesha Way said the Atlantic County Office of Emergency Management, the Hammonton Police Department and NJSP personnel were at the scene of the crash.

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“At this time, there is at least one confirmed fatality,” she added.

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.

— Lt Governor Tahesha Way (@LtGovWay) December 28, 2025

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Sal Silipino, owner of a cafe near the crash site, told The Associated Press the pilots were regulars at the restaurant and would often have breakfast together. He said he and other customers watched the helicopters take off before one began spiralling downward, followed by the other.

“It was shocking,” he said. “I’m still shaking after that happened.”

Local resident Dan Dameshek told NBC News he was leaving the gym when he suddenly heard a “loud snap.”

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“Turned around and saw one helicopter go from right side up to upside down and dive into the ground,” Dameshek said. “For a second it looked like the other helicopter was OK, then I heard another smack like metal slapping metal and it started spinning out of control and that’s what you see on the video.”

After the crash, the Hammonton Fire Department warned the public that there are “AI-generated image and photos/videos from prior incidents circulating on social media that are being falsely depicted as coming from this incident.”

“These images and videos are not from the scene. We also ask community members to think before sharing content, as this is a tragic incident and an ongoing investigation,” the department added in a statement on Facebook.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the crash, the FAA said in a statement.

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— with files from The Associated Press

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