‘Loud snap’: Man leaving gym turns around to see something falling from the sky. Nothing could prepare him for what happened next

Two helicopters crashed into each other in the sky over southern New Jersey on Sunday, killing one person and badly injuring another. The deadly crash happened just before noon near Basin Road and North White Horse Pike in Hammonton. Emergency teams from different agencies rushed to the area after people reported seeing two helicopters go down and thick black smoke rising from the wreckage.

According to The Sun, Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel said one person died in the crash. Another person was taken to a nearby hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries. The Federal Aviation Administration said an Enstrom F-28A helicopter and an Enstrom 280C helicopter hit each other while flying. Only the pilots were on board each aircraft, according to the FAA.

The Hammonton Fire Department said it was called to handle an aviation incident at the location. Officials asked people to stay away from the area so emergency workers could do their jobs safely. Police and fire crews arrived to find one of the helicopters completely on fire and worked to put it out.

The witness account reveals just how terrifying the crash was

Video that spread quickly on social media shows the helicopter coming down around 11:40 am. The cause of the crash is still being investigated as authorities try to figure out what led to the mid-air collision. The FAA said the NTSB will lead the investigation and give more updates later.

Dan Dameshek, 34, told reoporters he had just left the gym when he heard a “loud snap” sound. While gyms can sometimes create stressful situations, nothing could prepare him for what he witnessed next. “Turned around and saw one helicopter go from right side up to upside down and dive into the ground,” he said. 

For a moment, it looked like the other helicopter was fine. Then he heard another smack sound, like metal hitting metal. The second helicopter started spinning out of control and crashed as well. Some witnesses have described harrowing aviation incidents this year, but this helicopter disaster was far more serious than many of them. 

Rescuers were sent to the scene after a report of an aviation crash came in at about 11:25 am. The area has been blocked off and remains under investigation. Flood lights have been set up to help investigators work at the crash site. The investigation continues to determine what caused the two helicopters to collide in mid-air.