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Tag: NTSB investigation

  • Midair helicopter crash in New Jersey leaves 1 dead and another critically injured

    Two helicopters crashed midair in New Jersey on Sunday, killing one person and critically injuring another, authorities say.Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel said rescuers responded to a report of an aviation crash at about 11:25 a.m. Video from the scene shows a helicopter spinning rapidly to the ground. Police and fire crews subsequently extinguished flames that engulfed one of the helicopters.The Federal Aviation Administration described the crash as a midair collision between an Enstrom F-28A helicopter and Enstrom 280C helicopter over Hammonton Municipal Airport. Only the pilots were on board each aircraft. One was killed, and the other was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.Sal Silipino, owner of a cafe near the crash site, said the pilots were regulars at the restaurant and would often have breakfast together. He said he and other customers watched the helicopters take off before one began spiraling downward, followed by the other.“It was shocking,” he said. “I’m still shaking after that happened.”Hammonton is a town of about 15,000 people located in Atlantic County in the southern part of New Jersey, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) southeast of Philadelphia. The town has a history of agriculture and is located near the Pine Barrens, a forested wilderness area that covers more than 1 million acres (405,000 hectares).The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the crash, Friel said.Investigators will likely first look to review any communications between the two pilots and whether they were able to see each other, said Alan Diehl, a former crash investigator for the FAA and NTSB.“Virtually all midair collisions are a failure to what they call ‘see and avoid,’” Diehl said. “Clearly they’ll be looking at the out-of-cockpit views of the two aircraft and seeing if one pilot was approaching from the blind side.”Although it was mostly cloudy at the time of the crash, winds were light and visibility was good, according to the weather forecasting company AccuWeather.

    Two helicopters crashed midair in New Jersey on Sunday, killing one person and critically injuring another, authorities say.

    Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel said rescuers responded to a report of an aviation crash at about 11:25 a.m. Video from the scene shows a helicopter spinning rapidly to the ground. Police and fire crews subsequently extinguished flames that engulfed one of the helicopters.

    The Federal Aviation Administration described the crash as a midair collision between an Enstrom F-28A helicopter and Enstrom 280C helicopter over Hammonton Municipal Airport. Only the pilots were on board each aircraft. One was killed, and the other was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

    Sal Silipino, owner of a cafe near the crash site, said the pilots were regulars at the restaurant and would often have breakfast together. He said he and other customers watched the helicopters take off before one began spiraling downward, followed by the other.

    “It was shocking,” he said. “I’m still shaking after that happened.”

    Hammonton is a town of about 15,000 people located in Atlantic County in the southern part of New Jersey, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) southeast of Philadelphia. The town has a history of agriculture and is located near the Pine Barrens, a forested wilderness area that covers more than 1 million acres (405,000 hectares).

    The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the crash, Friel said.

    Investigators will likely first look to review any communications between the two pilots and whether they were able to see each other, said Alan Diehl, a former crash investigator for the FAA and NTSB.

    “Virtually all midair collisions are a failure to what they call ‘see and avoid,’” Diehl said. “Clearly they’ll be looking at the out-of-cockpit views of the two aircraft and seeing if one pilot was approaching from the blind side.”

    Although it was mostly cloudy at the time of the crash, winds were light and visibility was good, according to the weather forecasting company AccuWeather.

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  • ‘Emergency landing.’ Someone on Greg Biffle plane texted family member, NTSB says

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    Greg Biffle, 6 others killed in NC plane crash

    A plane crashed early Thursday at Statesville Regional Airport, killing seven people, including NASCAR star Greg Biffle, his wife and two children, and three other people. Biffle, who flew aircraft in WNC to help victims of Hurricane Helene, owned the Cessna that crashed mid-morning north of Charlotte.

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    STATESVILLE

    A passenger aboard NASCAR driver Greg Biffle’s plane texted a family member moments before the Cessna 550 jet crashed at Statesville Regional Airport Thursday, National Transportation Safety Board member Michael Graham said Saturday.

    “Emergency landing,” read the text, Graham said at a news conference.

    He declined to say who sent the text, and to whom, saying the NTSB needed to respect the family’s privacy during the ongoing crash investigation.

    “We are not aware of any other communications from passengers to those on the ground,” Graham said.

    Biffle died in the plane crash at Statesville Regional Airport Thursday along with his wife, their two children and three others.

    “We do not know the circumstances which led the aircraft … to attempt to return to the airport,” Graham said. “That is the focus of our investigation.”

    An NTSB investigator documents one of the engines from the Cessna Citation C550 that crashed in Statesville on Dec. 18, 2025.
    An NTSB investigator documents one of the engines from the Cessna Citation C550 that crashed in Statesville on Dec. 18, 2025. National Transportation Safety Board

    ‘Stable on approach’

    On Friday, NTSB officials held a news conference providing preliminary information on the crash. Between 10:05 a.m. and 10:15 a.m., the plane left the airport about 45 miles north of Charlotte, returned for an unknown reason and crashed before the runway entrance, Graham said.

    The 44-year-old Cessna 550 jet was in the air for about five minutes before it started to return, Investigator-In-Charge Dan Baker said. The jet left Statesville at about 10:05 a.m. It made a left turn toward the west followed by a left turn to the east, which led the aircraft back to the airport.

    NTSB investigators “are confident” they know who was piloting the plane “but still need to verify” that through further investigation, Graham said Saturday. The pilot will be named in the preliminary NTSB report on the crash within a month, he said.

    “Early indications from multiple sources indicate that the airplane was stable on approach, configured for landing, with the landing lights on, but the aircraft was coming in low,” Graham said.

    “That information is consistent with the debris field our team continues to survey, and consistent with the first points of impact on the airport runway lighting stanchion located approximately 1,800 feet from the runway threshold,” he said.

    The airplane later hit trees, two other lights and the airport perimeter fence short of the runway before coming to a stop on the runway, Baker said.

    Partial view of the debris field from the Cessna Citation C550 crash in Statesville on Dec. 18, 2025.
    Partial view of the debris field from the Cessna Citation C550 crash in Statesville on Dec. 18, 2025. National Transportation Safety Board

    In response to a question by The Charlotte Observer, Graham said the plane “was lower than a normal glide slope for the airport. And the fact that it contacted the approach lighting stanchion tells you that it was basically level or below the runway level at that point, because the runway is up on a hill a little bit.”

    The Cessna 550 jet was destroyed in the crash and subsequent fire, the FAA said.

    Witnesses noted on social media the plane cut a path through a wooded area near the airport, and left a smoking trail carved in the grass before it came to a stop. Graham added that when the plane was returning to the airport, witnesses noted that it returned at a low height.

    Cockpit voice recorder, instrument panels recovered

    On Friday, an NTSB team “documented the accident debris field, aircraft wreckage positioning, component locations and the flight controls,” Graham said Saturday.

    Analysts at NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C., are examining the cockpit voice recorder recovered Friday, he said.

    NTSB teams “also recovered additional avionics equipment, one being the ground proximity warning system, a Garmin G750 display … and various cockpit instruments,” Graham said.

    The team secured the caution and warning panel from the instrument panel, he said.

    The NTSB has the maintenance logs of the plane, and will try to determine its weight and balance “and verify the loading,” Graham said.

    Another team continues to examine the engines of the plane, he said.

    The NTSB completed documenting the scene Saturday morning and will release the scene to local authorities Sunday or Monday, Graham said.

    NTSB investigators will continue gathering evidence at the site as long as it takes, he said.

    A final report on the crash is expected in a year to a year and a half, he said.

    He urged anyone who saw or has video of the crash to email the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.

    This is a developing story.

    This story was originally published December 20, 2025 at 11:41 AM.

    Joe Marusak

    The Charlotte Observer

    Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news.
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  • Legacy of a hero: The racing world mourns Greg Biffle and family

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    Greg Biffle, 6 others killed in NC plane crash

    A plane crashed early Thursday at Statesville Regional Airport, killing seven people, including NASCAR star Greg Biffle, his wife and two children, and three other people. Biffle, who flew aircraft in WNC to help victims of Hurricane Helene, owned the Cessna that crashed mid-morning north of Charlotte.

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    In the wake of the devastating plane crash at Statesville Regional Airport on Thursday, Dec. 18, the initial shock has transitioned into a profound period of reflection across the racing community and the state of North Carolina. As more details emerge regarding the investigation into the Cessna C550, the focus has turned toward honoring the lives of the seven victims and the unique legacy left behind by Greg Biffle.

    The humanitarian behind the helmet While the record books will always remember Biffle as a 19-time Cup Series winner and a two-time national series champion, the tributes pouring in Friday highlight a man whose greatest impact was felt off the track. Following the destruction of Hurricane Helene in late 2024, Biffle became a beacon of hope, flying his personal helicopter into the most isolated parts of the Appalachian Mountains to deliver life-saving supplies.

    CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 13: Honorary Starter, former NASCAR Cup Series driver, Greg Biffle poses with the green flag in the flagstand prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 13, 2024 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
    Honorary starter and former NASCAR Cup Series driver, Greg Biffle poses with the green flag prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 13, 2024 in Concord, N.C. Meg Oliphant Getty Images

    Governor Josh Stein and other state leaders have spent the last 24 hours reminding the public of Biffle’s “courage and compassion,” noting that he stepped up for North Carolinians when they needed it most. For many, Biffle will be remembered not for his speed on the asphalt, but for the selfless hours spent in the air serving those in crisis.

    Remembering the families lost The grief extends far beyond the racing world as the community mourns the loss of seven individuals. Among the victims were Biffle’s wife, Cristina, and their young children, Ryder and Emma. Also lost in the crash were Dennis Dutton and his son, Jack, along with NASCAR community staple Craig Wadsworth.

    Greg Biffle, center, is regarded as one of NASCAR’s top 75 drivers of all time. He and his family died on Dec. 18 after his plane crashed at Statesville Regional Airport, which is about 45 miles north of Charlotte.
    Greg Biffle, center, is regarded as one of NASCAR’s top 75 drivers of all time. He and his family died on Dec. 18 after his plane crashed at Statesville Regional Airport, which is about 45 miles north of Charlotte. Courtesy of Lake Norman Humane

    Statements from family and friends describe a group bound by deep ties and a shared love for the community. Garrett Mitchell, the YouTuber known as Cleetus McFarland, shared the heartbreak of many, revealing that the Biffles were en route to Florida for a long-planned family visit when the tragedy occurred.

    Investigation and legacy The NTSB and FAA continue their work on the ground in Statesville, focusing on why the 1981 Cessna turned back toward the airport just five minutes after takeoff. While the technical findings may take months to finalize, the narrative of “The Biff” is already set. He was a fierce competitor who transformed into a state hero, leaving a void that fellow drivers say will be impossible to fill.

    As the ninth hole of Lakewood Golf Club, where the aircraft came to rest, remains a site of investigation, the rest of the state remains a site of mourning for a champion who gave his all to the place he called home.

    This roundup was curated with the help of AI.

    Greg Biffle’s marker at the North Carolina Auto Racing Walk of Fame in Mooresville on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025.
    Greg Biffle’s marker at the North Carolina Auto Racing Walk of Fame in Mooresville on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH

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  • 5 hospitalized after helicopter crashes in busy oceanfront area of Huntington Beach

    Five people, including a child, were hospitalized when a helicopter crashed in the Southern California city of Huntington Beach on Saturday afternoon.It happened just after 2 p.m. local time near a parking lot off Pacific Coast Highway, between Beach Boulevard and Twin Dolphins Drive, according to Huntington Beach firefighters. City officials tell CBS News that the two people on the helicopter were safely pulled from the wreckage. Three pedestrians on the street were also injured in the incident, and all five people were taken to the hospital for treatment. None of their conditions was known.Police closed PCH between Huntington Street and Beach Boulevard at around 3 p.m., as they began to investigate the crash. They asked people to avoid the area and use alternate routes for at least several hours after the closure was put into place. A dramatic video posted on social media shows the helicopter spinning several times before crashing into palm trees and the outdoor stairway of the pedestrian bridge that runs over PCH to the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa. Other video footage shows an object falling from the helicopter moments before it plummeted from the sky. With SkyCal over the scene, scattered debris was seen in the beach access parking lot, a large part of which was blocked off by police tape. The tail of the aircraft broke off in the crash, with the rest of the helicopter still wedged between the staircase and palm trees as of 4:30 p.m.There were several other small helicopters parked in the parking lot near where the crash happened, just in front of the Hyatt Regency and Waterfront Beach Resort. An “exclusive helicopter landing party” was being hosted by MD Helicopters at the Offshore 9 Rooftop Lounge on Saturday afternoon, where attendees were invited to “watch helicopters arrive from a bird’s eye view.” The landing party was scheduled ahead of the Cars ‘N Copters On the Coast main event on Sunday.Event organizers said that the event was not going to be canceled. “We are sending our prayers out to all involved in the unfortunate incident today,” said a statement. “Our plan for now is to move forward with our event tomorrow, Sunday, October 12th. We will advise everyone at the earliest possible opportunity if that plan changes.”Witnesses said that the helicopter appeared to dip towards the bridge before it lost control and crashed. “You can hear this odd sound that didn’t sound right,” said Kevin Bullat, who saw the scene unfold. “I looked out and I see the helicopter spiraling out of control. … My friend saw shrapnel, or just debris, catapulting across PCH.”It’s unclear what caused the helicopter to crash. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified of the crash, city officials said. The helicopter was a Bell 222, which is powered by two turboshaft engines, and was manufactured in 1980.

    KCAL,KCBS —

    Five people, including a child, were hospitalized when a helicopter crashed in the Southern California city of Huntington Beach on Saturday afternoon.

    It happened just after 2 p.m. local time near a parking lot off Pacific Coast Highway, between Beach Boulevard and Twin Dolphins Drive, according to Huntington Beach firefighters.

    City officials tell CBS News that the two people on the helicopter were safely pulled from the wreckage. Three pedestrians on the street were also injured in the incident, and all five people were taken to the hospital for treatment. None of their conditions was known.

    Police closed PCH between Huntington Street and Beach Boulevard at around 3 p.m., as they began to investigate the crash. They asked people to avoid the area and use alternate routes for at least several hours after the closure was put into place.

    A dramatic video posted on social media shows the helicopter spinning several times before crashing into palm trees and the outdoor stairway of the pedestrian bridge that runs over PCH to the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa.

    Other video footage shows an object falling from the helicopter moments before it plummeted from the sky.

    With SkyCal over the scene, scattered debris was seen in the beach access parking lot, a large part of which was blocked off by police tape. The tail of the aircraft broke off in the crash, with the rest of the helicopter still wedged between the staircase and palm trees as of 4:30 p.m.

    There were several other small helicopters parked in the parking lot near where the crash happened, just in front of the Hyatt Regency and Waterfront Beach Resort. An “exclusive helicopter landing party” was being hosted by MD Helicopters at the Offshore 9 Rooftop Lounge on Saturday afternoon, where attendees were invited to “watch helicopters arrive from a bird’s eye view.” The landing party was scheduled ahead of the Cars ‘N Copters On the Coast main event on Sunday.

    Event organizers said that the event was not going to be canceled.

    “We are sending our prayers out to all involved in the unfortunate incident today,” said a statement. “Our plan for now is to move forward with our event tomorrow, Sunday, October 12th. We will advise everyone at the earliest possible opportunity if that plan changes.”

    Witnesses said that the helicopter appeared to dip towards the bridge before it lost control and crashed.

    “You can hear this odd sound that didn’t sound right,” said Kevin Bullat, who saw the scene unfold. “I looked out and I see the helicopter spiraling out of control. … My friend saw shrapnel, or just debris, catapulting across PCH.”

    It’s unclear what caused the helicopter to crash. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified of the crash, city officials said.

    The helicopter was a Bell 222, which is powered by two turboshaft engines, and was manufactured in 1980.

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