Fate struck WPVI’s Action News team Tuesday night when two team members were killed in a helicopter crash over New Jersey.
A Philadelphia news pilot and photographer lost their lives as “Chopper 6” went down in a wooded area in Wharton State Forest near Hammonton, New Jersey, just after 8 p.m.
The victims were the only people aboard the seven-seat aircraft that was flying back from a reporting assignment for WPVI at the Jersey Shore.
According to data from FlightAware, the helicopter disappeared from the radar at 8:03 p.m., approximately 40 miles southeast of Philadelphia.
Video captured by a CBS helicopter crew showed flames coming from the wreckage.
During a press briefing, New Jersey State Park Police (NJSPP) chief George Fedorczyk gave an overview of the timeline of the crash.
“At 22:50 hours the New Jersey State Park Police received a call referencing a helicopter that went missing in the area of Wharton State Forest. At 00:02 hours a New Jersey State Park Police officer located and confirmed a debris field a few hundred yards off Mullica River Road, in Washington Township, Burlington County. At 03:15 hours a Federal Aviation Administration representative arrived on scene to conduct an initial assessment.”
He added that the National Transportation Safety Bureau will be the lead agency for the investigation as soon as they arrive from out of state.
The crash scene was being secured by the police with the assistance of the New Jersey forest fire service and other authorities, Mr. Fedorczyk said. Quaker Bridge Road, Mullica River Road, and Middle Road—all unpaved roads within the forest—had been closed.
“Know that our thoughts are with the pilots, their families, and the media community,” Mr. Fedorczyk said.
“It has been a devastating day for the Action News team,” WPVI said in an online statement. “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 crew members have a long history with our station and have been working as part of the Action News team for years.”
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy shared his sympathies with the news team Wednesday morning on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Our deepest condolences go out to the Action News family following last night’s helicopter crash in Wharton State Forest.”
The helicopter was a 2013 American Eurocopter AS-350A-STAR that WPVI leased through North Carolina-based U.S. Helicopters Inc., the station reported.
“Chopper 6 and those who fly in it play an integral role in our news-gathering operation, accessing areas that are difficult to reach by ground, giving us everything from weather and beauty shots, traffic backups, and important information about news of the day.”
