Two Victims of Action News Helicopter Crash Named as TV Station Mourns Colleagues

Action News’ helicopter Chopper 6 crashed into a wooded area of Burlington County, New Jersey, on Tuesday night, killing the pilot and an on-board photographer from 6abc Action News, a television station in Philadelphia, Pa. The pair were returning from an assignment on the Jersey Shore, per the 6abc news bulletin.

Following the families of the victims being notified, the pilot has been named as Monroe Smith, 67, of Glenside, Pa. and the photographer as Christopher Dougherty, 45, of Oreland, Pa. We know that Dougherty is survived by a wife and two daughters.

In a tribute, the news station noted: “They have a long history with our station and have been working as part of the Action News team for years.”

During an on-air report, Action News journalist Katherine Scott said: "Our hearts are just broken for these men. They're broken for their families. We just can't believe this has happened."

The exact cause of the crash remains unknown and is pending an investigation from The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will also be conducting its own investigation at the crash site. In a statement shared with 6abc, spokesperson Jennifer Gabris said: "NTSB investigations involve three primary areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment."

In a press conference on Wednesday, George Fedoczyk, chief of New Jersey State Park Police, gave a timeline of the events. He said that at 10:50 p.m. on Tuesday night, the authorities received a call regarding a helicopter that had gone missing in the area of Wharton State Forest. At 12:02 a.m., the authorities located and confirmed the debris. At. 3.15 a.m., an FAA representative arrived on scene to conduct an initial assessment of the 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 some point after daybreak,” Fedoczyk said. “This will be an active investigation probably well into late today.”

Police asked the public to stay away from Quaker Bridge Road, Mullica River Road, and Middle Road on Wednesday, so as not to interrupt the investigation.

The Chopper 6 is a major part of 6abc's news-gathering operation because it helps journalists document difficult-to-reach places. As noted by 6abc, the first Chopper 6 helicopter used for news-gathering in Philadelphia launched in February 1980.

Online flight tracking shows that the Chopper 6 helicopter was last recorded 75-feet above ground circling Wharton State Forest on Tuesday night. Per an NBC News report, it’s common for air news helicopters to circle an area, in order to get aerial footage of the scene.