At least one person is dead and another is critically injured after two helicopters crashed late Sunday morning in Hammonton, New Jersey.
Police received calls at 11:25 a.m. ET about an “aviation crash between two helicopters,” with both of the aircraft crash-landing, according to a spokesperson from Hammonton’s municipal government. One of the helicopters was engulfed in flames after the crash, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson confirmed one person was killed in the crash and another was taken to the hospital with “critical life-threatening injuries.”
Local resident Dan Dameshek, 34, said he was leaving the gym when he suddenly heard a “loud snap” similar to a car crash. He shared video with NBC News of a helicopter spinning in circles as it rapidly loses altitude.
“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.”
It was a mid-air collision between an Enstrom F-28A helicopter and Enstrom 280C helicopter near the Hammonton Municipal Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
“Only the pilots were on board each aircraft,” the agency said.
The National Transportation Safety board will lead an investigation, the FAA said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
