What to Know
- 6ABC in Philadelphia said its news helicopter crashed in a wooded area of New Jersey Tuesday night.
- Action News said its pilot, Monroe Smith, and photographer, Chris Dougherty, from its news team were in the helicopter when it went down about 8 p.m. Tuesday in Wharton State Forest in Hammonton.
- The helicopter was returning from an assignment at the Jersey Shore when it crashed in the woods, Channel 6 said.
A Philadelphia news helicopter crashed in the New Jersey Pinelands Tuesday night, killing both journalists on board.
Chopper 6, the news chopper of 6ABC, crashed near Mullica River Road in the Wharton State Forest in Burlington County, around 8 p.m. Tuesday, a devastated Channel 6 news team said. Officials said the crash happened in a remote section of the vast forest.
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Both the chopper pilot and photographer on board were killed, 6ABC Action News said Wednesday morning.
Wednesday afternoon, 6ABC identified the victims as Monroe Smith, 67, of Glenside, Pennsylvania, and Chris Dougherty, 45, of Oreland, Pennsylvania.
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Both Smith and Dougherty have ties to NBC10.
Smith, a veteran helicopter pilot in the Philadelphia news business, had previously flown for NBC10 and the LNS news service NBC10 once used.
Dougherty's brother, Jeff, is an editor with NBC Sports Philadelphia. Dougherty left behind two children.
"They have a long history with our station and have been working as part of the Action News team for years," 6ABC wrote on its website.
The area where the chopper went down -- near Shamong -- is densely wooded and very dark at night.
"Due to the remote location of the scene and the limited visibility, it was determined... that the investigation would be suspended until some time after daybreak," New Jersey State Park Police Chief George Fedorczyk said.
No word yet on how the crash happened.
Where was the news chopper heading?
Channel 6 reported that it leases the helicopter from U.S. Helicopters Inc., which is based in North Carolina. A spokesperson said company officials were not prepared to comment Wednesday morning.
According to online flight data, the chopper -- what the NTSB called an American Eurocopter AS350-B2 -- had left Northeast Airport, went into New Jersey toward the Jersey Shore and was on its way back before crashing. 6ABC said the chopper was returning from covering something near the Jersey Shore.
What is the timeline of events, investigation?
Here is the timeline of events, according to Fedorczyk:
New Jersey State Park Police were first contacted about a missing helicopter around 10:50 p.m.
Just after midnight, a state park police officer found a debris field a few hundred yards from Mullica River Road in Washington Township.
Around 3:15 a.m. an investigator with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) arrived for "an initial assessment," Fedorczyk said.
Another Philadelphia-based news news helicopter captured video of the wreckage, 6ABC said. Video of the wreckage site showed scattered debris, with some pieces on fire or smoking, as authorities searched with flashlights in the darkness.
State police, state park police, state forest fire service and the Hamilton Township police department secured the scene ahead of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) arriving on scene to lead the investigation, Fedorczyk said.
A state trooper’s cruiser idled Wednesday near the forested scene, where paved roads turn to gravel and signs advised that motor vehicles were restricted from entering the area near the forest.
The site is part of the Pinelands, a million-acre wilderness area that stretches across more than seven counties and features dense woods, rivers and rare plant species.
Authorities asked the public to steer clear of Mullica River, Quaker Bridge and Mill roads throughout Wednesday due to the ongoing investigation.
Wednesday evening, the FAA paused their investigation due to limited visibility. They resumed their investigation on Thursday.
Broken hearts in the Philadelphia news community
It was a sad morning for all of the Philadelphia news community. TV stations in Philly have used choppers in daily news coverage for decades.
"Know that our thoughts are with the pilots, their families and the media community, Fedorczyk said.
“Our hearts are just broken for these men. They're broken for their families,” 6ABC reporter Katherine Scott said Wednesday morning, reporting from near the scene of the crash.
During a live report in which she choked up with emotion, Action News reporter Maggie Kent told of speaking 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.”
What will the NTSB be investigating?
The NTSB released a statement to NBC10 on Wednesday about their investigation. They promised a preliminary report within 30 days.
"An NTSB investigator is traveling to the scene," the federal agency said Wednesday morning. "Once on site, the investigator will begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the aircraft. The aircraft will then be recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation."
"NTSB investigations involve three primary areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment. As part of this process, investigators will gather the following information and records:
- Flight track data
- Recordings of any air traffic control communications
- Aircraft maintenance records
- Weather forecasts and actual weather and lighting conditions around the time of the accident
- Pilot’s license, ratings and recency of flight experience
- 72-hour background of the pilot to determine if there were any issues that could have affected the pilot’s ability to safety operate the flight
- Witness statements
- Electronic devices that could contain information relevant to the investigation
- Any available surveillance video, including from doorbell cameras"
"During the on-scene phase of the investigative process, the NTSB does not determine or speculate about the cause of the accident."
It could take up to two years for a final report.
"A probable cause of the crash along with any contributing factors will be detailed in the final report, which is expected in 12-24 months," the NTSB said.
During a Thursday morning press conference, Todd Gunther, investigator-in-charge at NTSB, went into more detail about the investigation. He said the NTSB will be on site for the next three days.
"We're going to be looking at things such as flight path, flight path angle, the structure of the helicopter, its power plant, which is the engine," Gunther said. "Getting witness interviews, witness statements, anybody who may have seen what happened with the helicopter."
Gunther also spoke about how large the debris field is at the scene of the crash.
"The debris field is about 100 yards long that goes through the trees, and the helicopter itself is in a densely wooded area," he said. "We'll be using 4-wheel drive vehicles to get most of the way in and then we'll be moving in farther. The plan is to be able to bring in some heavy equipment so we can start moving some things around."
Gunther also said investigators will look at the helicopter's maintenance records, the history of Chopper 6 flights and Smith's physiology.
A preliminary report on the crash will be released in 10-15 days and within about 18 months, the NTSB will produce a factual and final report on the incident, including a statement of probable cause, according to Gunther.
There have been other deadly helicopter crashes involving staff from television stations in the United States. Among them was a July 2007 crash, when two helicopters from KNXV-TV and KTVK-TV collided over Phoenix while covering a police chase. Four people — both pilots and two photographers — were killed.
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