One Dead After Helicopters Collide Mid-Air Over New Jersey

A mid-air collision between two helicopters in southern New Jersey killed one person and left another critically injured Sunday morning.

Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel said rescuers responded to reports of an aviation crash at approximately 11:25 a.m. near Hammonton Municipal Airport, the Associated Press reported. Police and fire crews extinguished flames that engulfed one of the aircraft after both helicopters crashed.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the aircraft as an Enstrom F-28A and an Enstrom 280C. Only the pilots were on board each helicopter.

One pilot died at the scene. Emergency crews transported the second pilot to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries. (RELATED: ‘Just Out Of Instinct’: Bystanders Step In After Helicopter Crash Leaves Crew Member Trapped)

Breaking News: Two helicopters crashed midair in southern New Jersey, leaving one pilot dead and the other critically injured. https://t.co/yzZwJYfQ5n

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 28, 2025

Hammonton Fire Department Chief Sean Macri told CNN that both helicopters came down in a field. Both victims were airlifted to a trauma center.

Video captured by witnesses showed one helicopter spinning rapidly toward the ground before impact.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation into the crash, according to the FAA.

Acting New Jersey Governor Tahesha Way said she has been updated on the collision. The Atlantic County Office of Emergency Management and New Jersey State Police personnel responded to the scene alongside local agencies.

Hammonton is a town of about 15,000 residents in Atlantic County, located roughly 35 miles southeast of Philadelphia. The area sits near the Pine Barrens, a forested wilderness covering more than 1 million acres.

Authorities have not released the identities of the pilots or disclosed what caused the collision. The investigation remains ongoing.