Hammonton mid-air helicopter crash: what caused collision — details inside
The FAA, detailing who was on board the fatal helicopters, confirmed: 'The helicopters collided mid-air, and only the pilots were on board each aircraft'
December 29, 2025
After two helicopters collided mid-air, leaving one dead and another person in critical condition in Hammonton, New Jersey, on Sunday, December 28, 2025.
According to the Hammonton Police Department, just before 11:30 a.m., two helicopters crash-landed near Basin Road and White Horse Pike in Atlantic County.
The Federal Aviation Administration released a statement noting that "an Enstrom F-28A helicopter and an Enstrom 280C helicopter were involved in the deadly collision near Hammonton Municipal Airport.
Further detailing who was on board the fatal helicopters, the FAA stated, “The helicopters collided mid-air, and only the pilots were on board each aircraft.”
One of the helicopters was engulfed in flames,” local police authorities reported.
What caused the collision?
As investigations into the cause of the collision are underway, dramatic videos of the crash went viral soon after they surfaced online. The footage has left onlookers and authorities scrambling to determine what happened.
The emergency alerts hint that the collision occurred near 100 Basin Road, with one helicopter reportedly plunging into a wooded area. At least one person has been rescued, and search-and-rescue teams are still combing the site for others.
While the Hammonton Fire Department shared a post on their Facebook and wrote,
“The Hammonton Fire Department, along with assisting agencies, is currently responding to an aviation-related incident in the area of Basin Road and WHP.” The HFD further cautioned the public to “refrain from sharing AI-generated videos of the crash and avoid the area to allow emergency personnel to operate safely.”
Two agencies, the Federal Aviation Administration (the U.S. government aviation agency that regulates civil aviation) and the National Transportation Safety Board, will investigate the crash.
The FAA is expected to issue a preliminary report within the next business day, while the NTSB's full preliminary report will be issued within 30 days.
In a statement, the NTSB said that "it is looking into the in-flight collision, and once the wreckage from the scene is documented, the aircraft will be moved to a secure facility for further evaluation.”
The agency’s investigation will focus on three areas: the pilot, the aircraft, and the operating environment, as reported by CBS News.
