A helicopter pilot and a photographer working on behalf of the ABC Owned Stations broadcast TV property serving Philadelphia were killed Tuesday evening after their chopper crashed in Washington Township, N.J.
The incident occurred in the 8pm hour, as the helicopter was returning to WPVI-6 after an assignment on the Jersey Shore.
WPVI withheld the names of the deceased pending notification to next-of-kin of the incident.
That said, WPVI, known to viewers as “6ABC,” said of the two team members, “They have a long history with our station and have been working as part of the Action News team for years.”
WPVI reported on the incident Wednesday morning. “Our hearts are just broken for these men. They’re broken for their families,” Action News team member Katherine Scott said during her report from Shamong Township, N.J.. “We just can’t believe this has happened.”
The Federal Aviation Administration secured a heavy wooded area at approximately 3am Wednesday. New Jersey State Police discovered the wreckage. The cause of the crash is not known.
The helicopter was a 2013 American Eurocopter A S350 AStar, considered to be one of the best in its class. It was leased by WPVI from Marshville, N.C.-based U.S. Helicopters Inc., which has had a long history with the station.
