Midair Collision Claims Lives of Two New Jersey Pilots

Mon Dec 29 2025 21:28:57 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Authorities have identified the two pilots who tragically died in a helicopter midair collision in Hammonton, New Jersey. The investigation is ongoing.

Kenneth Kirsch and Michael Greenberg, both experienced pilots and friends, died after their helicopters collided near Hammonton Municipal Airport. Witnesses reported seeing the helicopters flying close together before the crash into a farm field. Investigators are analyzing communications and visibility conditions at the time of the incident.

Authorities on Monday identified two pilots who died after their helicopters collided midair in southern New Jersey.

Kenneth Kirsch, 65, and Michael Greenberg, 71, were friends who both lived in New Jersey and would often have breakfast together at a cafe near the crash site in Hammonton, about 35 miles southeast of Philadelphia.

Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel stated that Kirsch, of Carney’s Point, was pronounced dead after being flown to an area hospital, while Greenberg, of Sewell, succumbed to his injuries at the crash site.

Witnesses reported the two helicopters were flying in close proximity before the incident, he said. The crash occurred approximately a mile and a half from the airport in a farm field.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have started examining the site. Friel said rescuers responded to the crash report at about 11:25 a.m. on Sunday. Eyewitness video captured alarming footage of one helicopter spinning rapidly downwards before crashing, resulting in flames that engulfed one of the aircrafts.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the collision involved an Enstrom F-28A and an Enstrom 280C helicopter. Both helicopters carried only their respective pilots.

Sal Silipino, a café owner near the crash site, recounted how the pilots were regular customers at his restaurant. He described the scene, stating that he and other patrons observed the helicopters depart before one spiraled down, followed closely by the other. It was shocking, Silipino expressed. I’m still shaking after that happened.

Local resident Dan Dameshek recounted a similar experience, noting he heard a loud snap before witnessing the helicopters spinning uncontrollably from a nearby gym.

Investigators will likely look into the pilots' communications and visual awareness to determine the cause of the midair collision. Alan Diehl, a former crash investigator, indicated that most such incidents are due to an inability to see and avoid others, stressing the need to analyze the aircrafts' out-of-cockpit views.

Despite mostly cloudy skies at the time, conditions were otherwise favorable with light winds and good visibility, according to AccuWeather.