Tragic Loss: Chopper 6 Photographer and Pilot Identified, Sadly Lost in New Jersey Crash, Station Expresses Deep Grief!
cybersecdn- News photographers and a chopper pilot from Philadelphia were killed in a crash in New Jersey on Tuesday night. The station has named them. Christopher Dougherty, a photographer from Oreland, Pennsylvania, died at the age of 45. Monroe Smith, a pilot from Glenside, Pennsylvania, died at the age of 67, WPVI said on its website.
Both had worked for the local news station for many years. The Post was told in a statement, “We are heartbroken to hear that two of our extended 6ABC family members were lost last night when Chopper 6 went down on its way back from an assignment in the Jersey Shore.”
The station said, “Our hearts break as we send our deepest condolences and prayers to their families, loved ones, and everyone at US Helicopters.”
The two were on their way back to Philadelphia from a job at the Jersey Shore when the chopper crashed in Washington Township in the New Jersey Pine Barrens just after 8 p.m. A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board said that they are still looking into what caused the crash.
The 2013 American Eurocopter AS-350A-STAR helicopter was based at Northeast Philadelphia Airport. It left for a job in Galloway Township in Atlantic County just after 7:30 p.m., according to the news source.
The helicopter’s level dropped as it flew back to Philadelphia, according to flight data. It went down in a remote part of the Wharton State Forest. NJ State Park Police found the field of burning trash just after midnight. The FAA arrived at the spot at 3:15 p.m., according to 6ABC. The NTSB is in charge of the probe, and within 30 days, a preliminary report should be ready.
6ABC rented the helicopter from US Helicopters Inc. in North Carolina. Smith worked there for 18 years, according to his LinkedIn page. The airline told 6ABC in a statement that the pilot and photographer had worked for the company for a long time and were “beloved” by staff. They said they are working with the police to find out what caused the crash.
“We feel very sorry for their families and share their grief over this terrible event.” The company said, “We will share arrangements based on what the families want.”
6ABC thanked the people in the area for their support during this tough time. The station said in a report, “We want to thank all of you for your comforting words and your condolences as we mourn the loss of our colleagues.”
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