Tragic Helicopter Collision Claims Lives of Two New Jersey Pilots

Mon Dec 29 2025 21:54:34 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a devastating midair collision over Hammonton, NJ, two experienced pilots lost their lives, prompting a thorough investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Two New Jersey pilots, Kenneth Kirsch and Michael Greenberg, were identified as the victims of a midair helicopter collision on Sunday. The incident shocked local residents who watched the tragic event unfold near Hammonton as both aircraft spiraled down. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board were called to the scene as authorities begin to analyze communications between the pilots during 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 and often enjoyed breakfast together at a café near the crash site in Hammonton, approximately 35 miles southeast of Philadelphia.

According to Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel, Kirsch was pronounced dead at an area hospital after being transported there, while Greenberg died at the scene. Witnesses reported seeing the two helicopters flying close together just prior to the crash, which occurred in a farm field about a mile and a half from the airport.

Response teams were alerted to the aviation accident around 11:25 a.m. on Sunday. Eyewitness video captured a helicopter spinning rapidly before descending.

Following the crash, firefighters extinguished a fire consuming one of the helicopters. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the incident involved an Enstrom F-28A and an Enstrom 280C helicopter, with only the pilots on board each aircraft.

Sal Silipino, owner of a café near the crash site, expressed shock over the incident. I’m still shaking after that happened, said Silipino, who witnessed the takeoff of both helicopters before they spiraled downward.

Local resident Dan Dameshek described hearing a loud snap followed by seeing the helicopters lose control. Immediately, the first helicopter went from right side up to upside down and started rapidly spinning, falling out of the air, Dameshek recounted.

Investigators will likely look into communications between the pilots and their visibility during the flight. Alan Diehl, a former investigator for the FAA and NTSB, noted that these types of collisions often arise from failures to 'see and avoid' other aircraft.

Despite mostly cloudy weather, winds were light, and visibility was reported as good at the time of the collision.