Pilot, news photographer killed in news helicopter crash

BURLINGTON COUNTY, N.J. — A pilot and photographer who worked at the ABC affiliate in Philadelphia have been killed after the station’s helicopter crashed in New Jersey on Tuesday night.

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Update 6:55 a.m. EST Dec. 21: The pilot and photojournalist who were killed in Tuesday’s crash have been identified.

WPVI reported that their pilot Monroe Smith, 67, and their photographer, Christopher Dougherty, 45, died.

“Our hearts are just broken for these men. They’re broken for their families,” Katherine Scott, a reporter at the station said. “We just can’t believe this has happened.”

Original report: The names of the team members have not been released, WPVI reported.

“For now, we are not releasing the names of the crew members who died because family members are still being notified about the crash,” the station wrote on its website.

“They have a long history with our station and have been working as part of the Action News team for years.”

The team was returning to Philadelphia after covering an assignment at the Jersey Shore. It crashed around 8 p.m. in Washington Township, New Jersey, less than 20 miles from Philadelphia.

The Eurocopter AS-350A-STAR helicopter had left Northeast Airport and circled Wharton State Forest before crashing, according to flight data compiled by WCAU.

New Jersey State Police found the helicopter wreckage in the woods, KYW reported.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash. There is no indication as to why the helicopter crashed.