Another unfortunate tragedy has left one person dead and another critically injured. On Sunday, December 28, 2025, just after 11 a.m., two helicopters collided in Hammonton, New Jersey, near Basin Road and North White Horse Pike. The identities of the victims have not been released out of respect for their loved ones, and as this is an ongoing investigation.
Helicopters Collide
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the crash occurred over the Hammonton Municipal Airport between an Enstrom F-28A helicopter and an Enstrom 280C helicopter. They described it as a midair collision, and only the pilots were aboard each aircraft. “Reports were that they were flying in tandem, that they were flying close together, which is probably what caused the collision to occur,” said Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel.
Police report that one of the pilots has died while the other was taken to the hospital with critical, life-threatening injuries. “They were flying lower than I would presume a helicopter would be, and they were flying really close together, like too close,” Diana Cleuff of Shamong, NJ, reported. “I say to myself, ‘My God, I hope they are just flying too close, I hope they don’t clip each other,’ and the minute I said it to myself, the impact occurred.”
Witness Statements
The owner of a nearby cafe, Sal Silipino, witnessed the crash and stated that the two pilots were regulars at his establishment. He reported that the two would often eat breakfast together and seemed to be friends. He and other customers had watched the helicopters take off before tragedy struck. All of a sudden, one helicopter began spiraling downward, and the other followed. “It was shocking,” Silipino said. “I’m still shaking after that happened.“
Another witness to the crash, Brian Sherr, said he was standing outside of a nearby store when he heard other witnesses reacting to the crash. One woman in particular could be heard screaming, “Oh my God, oh my God.” Sherr told ABC News that he “did hear a metal clank, but there’s a lot of vehicles around, so I didn’t really pay much attention.” He reported that when he looked up towards the sky, he saw one of the helicopters “slowly descending in a rotating motion, almost as if the rudder and the tail had lost control.”
As Sherr saw smoke rise from the crash after the second helicopter made impact, he called 911. “I thought that was the only one at first, and then I see a second one come down with the same issue behind it,” he said.
An Ongoing Investigation
Hammonton police have not released the names of the person killed or the person injured. They urge residents and passing drivers to avoid Basin Road while the investigation into the crash is underway. Officials said that once the wreckage of each of the helicopters is documented, crews will be moved to a secure facility to evaluate the situation further.
The Federal Aviation Administration often conducts incident investigations in collaboration with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). They focus on identifying the root cause of the incident and implementing corrective actions to prevent a future accident. The first stage of the investigation is the initial report and assessment, during which the FAA is notified of the incident and determines its severity.
After the initial assessment, a crew including experts will begin on-site data collection and evidence gathering, including flight recorder data, maintenance records, weather information, engine performance, pilot qualifications, and witness accounts. Using this information, investigators will analyze the data and create a detailed final report outlining their findings and recommendations to enhance safety.
