![]()
?Photo of Chopper 6 from WPVI 6ABC Action NewsAn Action News helicopter crashed while returning from an assignment Tuesday night, killing the pilot and photographer on board. The crew on Chopper 6, a 2013 Eurocopter AS-350A-STAR, were members of the 6ABC Action News Team WPVI in Philadelphia, an ABC affiliate.
The Philadelphia station mourned the loss of the two crew members, whose names have not been released as family members are still being notified about the crash. WPVI reported that the crewmembers had been with the station and Action News team for years and many colleagues have offered condolences online, mourning the loss of the pilot and photographer. The station reported that the copter was returning to Philadelphia from an assignment at the Jersey Shore when it went down in Washington Township, New Jersey around 8 p.m. on Tuesday. The New Jersey State Park Police found the debris field shortly after midnight.
The State Park Police said in a Wednesday morning update that the debris field was found a few hundred yards from Mullica River Road. Shortly after the scene was found, an FAA investigator arrived on scene and NTSB investigators are expected to arrive later on Wednesday. The Chief said that due to the remote location and limited visibility, the investigation would be suspended until after daybreak. He did not take any questions from the media after the update but said the NTSB investigator was likely coming from out of state and it would be several hours before they arrived.
WPVI reported that Chopper 6 was last airborne over Wharton State Forest before crashing in a remote section of the woods. Other local news stations offered condolences and one station caught footage of the wreckage on video. According to NBC 10 Philadelphia, the copter circled the state forest before crashing and was last recorded just 75 feet above ground. Video from the scene shows the dark wooded area surrounded by emergency responders, with other footage shot overhead, showing the dense woods and a small fire.
The station said that Chopper 6, and those who fly in it, have an important role in gathering news by accessing areas difficult to reach by ground including weather, beauty shots, traffic backups and other important news about the day. The first helicopter serving as Chopper 6 launched in February 1980 and was the first news copter in Philadelphia.
The NTSB will investigate and a preliminary report will be released in a number of weeks, with a final report in one to two years.