Full Notification

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is continuing there investigation into the helicopter crash from Thursday. NTSB removed the helicopter from the woods on Saturday and continued the investigation at a hanger in Delaware. South Brunswick Police will be continuing to assist the NTSB in the week ahead to recover any evidence for their investigation. NTSB is asking anyone in the Kingston, Princeton, Montgomery, and Franklin Township area who may have had ring doorbell video or any first-hand accounts of the helicopter flying or the crash to email Investigator Aaron McCarter at  [email protected]. South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said, "Some people may have been away for the holiday weekend, so we are sending out the request to ask them to review any home surveillance or ring doorbell video they may have."


Incident Information:
On Thursday, August 31st at 3:25 pm South Brunswick Police received multiple 911 calls along with a radio transmission from a firefighter reporting a helicopter crash in the area off Route 27 near Carnegie Lake. Within minutes, Kingston Fire Department Captain Chuck Pisano and South Brunswick Officer Tyler Harpster arrived at the scene within minutes of the call. Witnesses believed the helicopter had gone down somewhere within the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park. The two men made their way back through the woods approximately 1/4 mile to an open area of water where the helicopter crashed. Pisano and Harpster observed the helicopter partially submerged in water and the pilot's shoulder sticking out. The two men waded through four-foot-deep water, lifted the helicopter up, pulled the pilot out, and brought him to the shoreline. The pilot, identified as Josef Yitzhak age 44 of Israel, had suffered severe injuries and life-saving efforts were not possible. Yitzhak was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The initial call of an aircraft crash brought over a dozen emergency response agencies from Middlesex, Mercer, and Somerset Counties. Instrumental in providing assistance the first evening were the Kingston Fire Department, Middlesex County Hazmat, Middlesex County Office of Emergency Management, Franklin Township Police, Middlesex County Medical Examiner Deputy Chief Thoma, Rabbi Mendy Carlbach, and Misaskim.

In the two days that followed the crash, South Brunswick Police worked with the NTSB, FAA, KIngston Fire Department, New Jersey State Park Police, and Middlesex County Hazmat to recover the aircraft and remove it from the woods. 

Chief Hayducka said, "I want to thank all the agencies who have helped us. Our thoughts and condolences go out to Mr. Yitzhak's mother, sisters, and his entire family. We are committed to helping the NTSB in any way possible and I ask anyone with information to contact them."


Links -
NTSB briefing - https://twitter.com/SoBrunswickPD/status/1697685577745961237?s=20

Instagram @SoBrunswickPD
 

Instructions:

Any ring doorbell video or any first-hand accounts of the helicopter flying or the crash email Investigator Aaron McCarter at [email protected]