Channel 6 Action News helicopter crash in Burlington County kills pilot, photographer

A pilot and a photographer were killed when Action News' helicopter Chopper 6 crashed Tuesday night in a densely wooded area of Burlington County, New Jersey, the station reported Wednesday morning.

The men died when the iconic helicopter went down after 8 p.m. in Wharton State Forest while returning from an assignment in the Galloway area near the Jersey Shore.

The victims were identified as the pilot, Monroe W. Smith, 67, of Glenside, and photographer Christopher W. Dougherty, 45, of Oreland.

The chopper was reported missing around 10:50 p.m. and a State Park Police officer located the debris shortly after midnight.

A "post impact fire" at the accident scene was extinguished, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

A representative of the Federal Aviation Administration arrived on the scene around 3:15 a.m., but an investigation was delayed until daybreak.

The aircraft was located near Mullica River Road, one of several unpaved roads in the area, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The crash scene is in Washington Township, a lightly populated community deep in the Pinelands.

Victims of the fatal Chopper 6 crash

A Linkedin page describes Smith as a lead pilot for U.S. Helicopters Inc., a North Carolina firm that leased Chopper 6 to Action News.

He and Dougherty were "members of our team that have worked for years with the station," Action News reporter Katherine Scott said in a broadcast report.

"We're just devastated," said the reporter, describing the men as "crucial parts of our operation."

The pilot and photographer were contractors with the station, said a 6ABC representative at the scene.

The crash prompted an outpouring of sadness and support from Action News viewers, fellow journalists and elected officials.

"Two members of our extended @6ab family lost their lives last night. Please keep them in your prayers," Cecily Tynan, the station's chief meteorologist, posted on X.

Gov. Phil Murphy expressed his administration's "deepest condolences" to the Action News Family.

And Rep. Andy Kim's office posted, "Our hearts are with the crew members' loved ones and their Action News team and friends after such a tragic loss."

The crash occurred in the area of Quaker Bridge Atsion and Middle roads.

Site of the 6ABC helicopter crash

Flightpath of the 6ABC helicopter

According to tracking data from Flight Aware, the American Eurocopter AS-350-A-STAR left Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 7:23 p.m.

The chopper made several loops around the area of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, just northeast of Atlantic City International Airport at 8:03 p.m.

The chopper then returned on the same flight path toward Philadelphia before crashing.

The crash is being investigated by the NTSB, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days. A final report, which would likely include a probable cause, will not be released for a year or more.

Weather conditions the night of the crash

Conditions around 8 p.m. were tranquil, with no significant cloud cover, said Ray Martin, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Westampton.

Winds were between 5 to 10 mph with temperatures a few degrees above freezing, Martin said.

Staff writers Jim Walsh and Kaitlyn McCormick contributed to this story.

Check back for more details to this developing story.

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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: 6ABC news helicopter crash in New Jersey kills pilot, photographer