Authorities have confirmed that two men who tragically died after their helicopters collided in midair in New Jersey were both relatively recent aviators, having earned their pilot licenses later in life. Prior to their ill-fated flights, the two, identified as Kenneth Kirsch, 65, and Michael Greenberg, 71, were known to share a routine of meeting for breakfast at a café located in close proximity to the crash site near Hammonton Municipal Airport.
The collision, which took place Sunday, was witnessed by several observers who reported that the two helicopters were flying in close formation moments before they fell from the sky and crashed into a farm field near the airport, situated approximately 35 miles southeast of Philadelphia.
Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel detailed that Kirsch, a resident of Carney’s Point, was transported to a nearby medical facility but was pronounced dead upon arrival. Greenberg, hailing from Sewell, succumbed to injuries at the scene of the crash.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators arrived at the accident location on Monday, describing the wreckage as spanning roughly 100 yards. The debris field included critical components such as main and tail rotor parts from both helicopters. Removals of the helicopters from the crash site are scheduled for Tuesday for further technical examination.
The Federal Aviation Administration characterized this event as a midair collision involving two helicopters – specifically, an Enstrom F-28A and an Enstrom 280C – both operated solely by their respective pilots at the time.
FAA records reveal Kirsch and Greenberg both obtained their pilot certificates in 2014. Regular patrons at the adjacent Apron Cafe, their pre-flight breakfasts and mutual flights had become well-known amongst local staff and patrons. The establishment’s owner, Sal Silipino, expressed shock at the incident, remarking on the pilots' friendly demeanor, consistent visitation schedule, and the apparent normality of their routine flights that day.
Video footage from the crash scene shows troubling visuals of a helicopter descending while spinning uncontrollably before impacting the ground, followed by emergency crews extinguishing flames engulfing one of the aircraft.
Local eyewitness Dan Dameshek described the scene, noting he had been leaving a nearby gym when he heard a loud snapping sound and saw both helicopters lose control in succession, each spinning rapidly as they descended uncontrollably.
Hammonton is a community of roughly 15,000 residents located within Atlantic County in southern New Jersey. The town holds a longstanding agricultural identity and lies adjacent to the Pine Barrens, a vast forested region spanning over one million acres.
Investigators anticipate a thorough review that will include communications between the pilots as well as visual awareness assessments to understand if either pilot was operating with limited sight of the other’s aircraft. Former FAA and NTSB crash investigator Alan Diehl noted that midair collisions most frequently are attributed to failures in “see and avoid” procedures, emphasizing that analysis will focus on whether one helicopter approached from a blind spot.
Weather conditions at the time reportedly included mostly cloudy skies with light winds and generally good visibility, as recorded by meteorological services.