In the town of Hammonton in the U.S. state of New Jersey, one person lost his life and another was seriously injured as a result of a mid-air collision between two helicopters. The accident occurred on Sunday around midday over Hammonton Municipal Airport.
Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel stated that emergency crews responded to a report of an aircraft accident at around 11:25. Footage recorded at the scene showed one of the helicopters rapidly losing altitude and crashing to the ground. Police and fire crews quickly extinguished a fire that broke out in one of the crashed helicopters.
FAA: Mid-Air Collision
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that the accident occurred as a result of a mid-air collision between an Enstrom F-28A helicopter and another Enstrom 280C helicopter. It was stated that only the pilots were on board both helicopters.
Authorities reported that one of the pilots died at the scene, while the other was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Witnesses Describe Terrifying Moments
Sal Silipino, the owner of a café near the crash site, said that the pilots were frequent customers of the restaurant and usually had breakfast together. Stating that he and other customers were watching the helicopters take off, Silipino used the following words:
“One of the helicopters suddenly started to fall, spiralling downward. Shortly afterwards, the other one also went down. It was very shocking, I’m still shaking.”
Hammonton resident Dan Dameshek, speaking to NBC10, said that while leaving the gym he heard a loud explosion and saw two helicopters spinning uncontrollably as they fell.
“The first helicopter suddenly flipped over and began spinning rapidly as it fell towards the ground. The second helicopter seemed normal for a short time, then there was a cracking sound and it also began to fall in the same way.”
Investigation Launched
Hammonton Police Chief Friel stated that the investigation into the accident will be conducted by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Former FAA and NTSB accident investigator Alan Diehl said that the investigation would initially focus on communication between the pilots and their mutual visibility.
“Most mid-air collisions occur due to a failure of the ‘see and avoid’ rule. The possibility that one of the pilots did not see the other because it was in a blind spot will be examined.”
Weather Conditions Were Favourable
According to AccuWeather data, although the weather was mostly cloudy at the time of the accident, winds were light and visibility was at a good level.
With a population of approximately 15,000, Hammonton is located in southern New Jersey, within the borders of Atlantic County. Known for its agricultural past, the town is located close to the Pine Barrens natural habitat, which features extensive forested areas.
