PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — It has been a devastating day for the Action News team after two crew members on board Chopper 6 were killed in a crash on Tuesday night.
A pilot and a photographer were in the helicopter when it went down in Washington Township, New Jersey just after 8 p.m. They were returning from an assignment at the Jersey Shore.
The pilot was 67-year-old Monroe Smith of Glenside, Pa. and the photographer was 45-year-old Christopher Dougherty of Oreland, Pa.
They have a long history with our station and have been working as part of the Action News team for years.
“Our hearts are just broken for these men. They’re broken for their families,” reporter Katherine Scott said during a report on Action News. “We just can’t believe this has happened.”
Pete Kane, who is a retired Philadelphia journalist, was friends of Monroe Smith since high school. They also used to fly together.
“We had the same goals: that was to do the job the best we could do it. And I think we both did that. He did it till the end,” said Kane.
SEE ALSO: Friends, former colleagues remember 2 crew members killed in Chopper 6 crash
“Life brought us together, and friends forever. And it hurts, it really does hurt,” added Kane.”Tomorrow I’ll wake up and wish it was a dream, but I know it’s not.”
Dougherty is survived by two daughters and a wife. He was said to play guitar in the office from time to time while waiting for his next assignment.
Kane says Dougherty would talk about family during dinners together and would do anything to help a friend.
Reporter Maggie Kent spoke with colleagues of the crew members at Northeast Philadelphia Airport, where the chopper was based.
“They are described as the best guys that you would want to know, on the job for decades,” she said. “They are highly skilled in what they do. They loved their craft.”
Pictured: Chopper 6, a 2013 American Eurocopter AS-350 Astar
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The chopper took off from the Northeast Philadelphia Airport before 7:30 p.m. and the crew flew to an assignment near Galloway Township, New Jersey.
Flight tracker data shows the helicopter’s altitude dropping while returning to Philadelphia. Chopper 6 was last airborne over Wharton State Forest before it crashed in a remote section of the woods.
Picture: A map showing the location where Chopper 6 crashed in Burlington County, New Jersey on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023.
A helicopter from a fellow Philadelphia television station captured video of the wreckage. Scattered debris, with some pieces on fire or smoking, could be seen as authorities searched with flashlights in the darkness.
New Jersey State Park Police say a debris field was located shortly after midnight a few hundred yards from Mullica River Road, in the area of Middle Road and Quaker Bridge Atsion Road in Washington Twp.
The area is part of the New Jersey Pinelands, a million-acre wilderness area that stretches across more than seven counties and features dense woods, rivers and rare plant species.
The Federal Aviation Administration arrived at the crash site at 3:15 a.m. Wednesday and took control of the scene. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation.
Officials give update after 2 crew members killed in Action News’ Chopper 6 helicopter crash
“Due to the remote location of the scene and the limited visibility, it was determined at that point that the investigation would be suspended until sometime after daybreak,” said Chief George Fedorczyk of the New Jersey State Park Police. “Know that our thoughts are with the pilots, their families and the media community.”
State park police say Quaker Bridge Road, Mullica River Road and Middle Road – all unpaved local roads within the forest – were closed as the investigation continues.
Chopper 6 was a 2013 American Eurocopter AS-350 Astar, which 6abc leases from U.S. Helicopters Inc. based in North Carolina.
U.S. Helicopters said in a statement the pilot and photographer were ‘beloved’ long-time employees of the company.
“We deeply sympathize with their families and share in their grief as a result of this tragic event. We will share arrangements in accordance with the families’ wishes,” the statement reads.
“We will cooperate with the FAA and other authorities during their investigation and are still gathering information, so we cannot comment or provide further information on the cause of this tragedy,” the statement continued. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of our cherished colleagues.”
Pictured: Chopper 6, a 2013 American Eurocopter AS-350 Astar
How the NTSB will investigate the Chopper 6 crash
A spokesperson from the National Transportation Safety Board told Action News that an investigator will begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the helicopter on Thursday morning.
The helicopter will then be taken to a secure facility for evaluation.
“NTSB investigations involve three primary areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment,” said spokesperson Jennifer Gabris.
The information and records the NTSB will examine include flight track data, air traffic control communications, maintenance records, weather conditions, the pilot’s license and flight experience, a 72-hour background check of the pilot, witness statements, and potential information from electronic devices and any available surveillance video – including doorbell cameras.
“During the on-scene phase of the investigative process, the NTSB does not determine or speculate about the cause of the accident,” Grabis said.
A preliminary report will be available within 30 days.
The important role of Chopper 6 at Action News
Chopper 6 and those who fly in it play an integral role in our news-gathering operation, accessing areas that are difficult to reach by ground, giving us everything from weather and beauty shots, traffic backups, and important information about news of the day.
The first helicopter to serve as Chopper 6 launched in February 1980.
It was the first TV news helicopter in Philadelphia.
Thank you from Action News for your support
We want to thank all of you for your words of comfort and your condolences as we mourn the loss of our colleagues.
Your outpouring of support is overwhelming, and we are grateful.
“Absolutely heartbreaking. Prayers for their families and their work family as well,” Rosaline Rosa wrote on the Action News Facebook page.
“Thoughts and prayers to the families, friends and coworkers,” wrote Carolyn Brady.
Stay with Action News and 6abc.com as this story develops.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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