Chopper 6 Crash
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On December 19, 2023, a Eurocopter AS-350 Astar operated by the news station 6abc under WPVI-TV, known as "Chopper 6", crashed near Wharton State Forest, New Jersey shortly after 8:00 PM EST. Both of the crew members, the only people aboard, died in the accident.
| Occurrence | |
|---|---|
| Date | December 19, 2023 |
| Summary | Helicopter Crash; under investigation |
| Site | Washington Township, New Jersey |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Eurocopter-AS350 Astar |
| Aircraft name | Chopper 6 |
| Operator | WPVI-TV |
| Registration | N606HD |
| Flight origin | Northeast Philidelphia Airport |
| Destination | Northeast Philidelphia Airport |
| Passengers | 1 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Fatalities | 2 |
| Survivors | 0 |
Accident flight
changeThe chopper departed Northeast Philidelphia Airport at around 7:30 PM EST, enroute to cover a news story near the Jersey Shore. After completing their assignment, the two crew then began flying back to Northeast Philidelphia Airport. While flying over Wharton State Forest, the aircraft began descending. The helicopter crashed into trees at a very shallow angle, however the chopper had a very high speed. The aircraft fragmented and a post-crash fire began. Both crew members were killed.
Victims
changeThe victims of the Chopper 6 Crash were 67-year-old pilot Monroe Smith who had been with 6abc for 20 years. 45-year-old photographer Christopher Dougherty was also killed in the accident. He was with the news station for about 18 years.[1]
Investigation
changeOn January 17th, 2024, the National Transportation Safety Board released their preliminary report into the accident. The NTSB found that the four main rotor blades and the tail rotor blades were all broken, meaning that the chopper had power when it impacted the trees. The investigators also confirmed that there was no inflight fire or explosion that brought down the helicopter. They stated that they found no issues with the engine. Investigators made note that the aircraft had come out of maintenance the day of the accident and that they would be further investigating the possibility of a mechanical failure, among other possible causes. No possible cause of the crash was included in the report.
References
change- ↑ "What we know after pilot, photographer killed in Action News' Chopper 6 crash in New Jersey". 6abc Philadelphia. 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
- ↑ "No issues found with Chopper 6 engine after crash, NTSB says in preliminary report". 6abc Philadelphia. 2024-01-17. Retrieved 2024-03-28.