The Philadelphia television news crew members who died after their helicopter crashed in a South Jersey forest were returning from a trip to film a Christmas lights display, an investigator said Thursday.
Todd Gunther, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), told reporters near the crash site that WPVI's Chopper 6 took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport Tuesday night and “had flown over to report on some Christmas light activity, and then they were returning back to base when the accident occurred.”
Killed in the crash were the pilot, 67-year-old Monroe Smith of Glenside, Pennsylvania, and a photographer, 45-year-old Christopher Dougherty of Oreland, Pennsylvania.
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Gunther did not specify the precise location the crew was filming, but the station previously reported the crew had been sent to a story assignment in Galloway Township, just outside Atlantic City.
One of the main attractions in Galloway is Historic Smithville, a tourist attraction that in winter includes a lavish holiday light display with over 120 Christmas trees decorated with more than 50,000 lights on a lake.
The federal agency, which investigates deadly crashes involving transportation, has an eight-member team on-site in Washington Township in Burlington County, at Wharton State Forest. They plan to remain there for three days and then issue a preliminary report 10 to 15 days after that time.
A pickup truck hauled the secured remains of the helicopter from the forest on Friday. The debris was moved to a secure location where the NTSB will work to piece together what caused the crash.
Gunther revealed more details on the crash and investigation during a Friday afternoon press conference.
Gunther said investigators will conduct a 2-D reconstruction of the crash in order to better examine the wreckage.
“One of the things that we’ve been doing over the last few days is charting the wreckage, looking to see where the wreckage path began and where it ended,” Gunther said.
Investigators determined the helicopter was traveling at a high speed when it struck the trees at an approximately 320 degree magnetic heading. The magnetic heading is the direction an aircraft is pointing in reference to a magnetic compass.
The helicopter then traveled 200 yards through the woods before coming to a rest and catching fire, according to Gunther.
“Initially, we thought it was about 100 yards long. We now know that it’s double that,” Gunther said. “It goes from where the main wreckage, the hull of the aircraft itself came to rest, up to a fire break that’s in the woods.”
Gunther said the fire occurred after the crash and there wasn’t an explosion or fire while the helicopter was flying.
Investigators recovered all four corners of the helicopter and all major portions of the aircraft, as well as the four main rotor blades and both tail rotor blades, according to Gunther.
Gunther said there were breaks in the rotor blades, indicating they were rotating when the helicopter struck the trees.
Investigators will analyze the avionics – a category of electronic systems and equipment specifically designed for use in aviation – of the helicopter to see if they can download and access any flight data.
Investigators haven’t recovered any evidence of an emergency call or mayday before the crash, according to Gunther.
Investigators plan to reveal a preliminary report on the crash in 10 to 15 days. Gunther said the entire investigation will take approximately 18 months at which time they will release a final report and a public docket, including graphs and photographs. The NTSB will then issue a statement of probable cause 60 to 90 days after that. Officials will also issue recommendations if they find anything of concern during the investigation.
Gunther said investigators will look at anything that may have either contributed to or caused the crash. Elements to be examined include the structural integrity of the helicopter, its rotor, drive and flight control systems, its maintenance history and “the physiology of the pilot on board," Gunther said.
Both Smith and Dougherty have ties to NBC10.
Smith, a veteran helicopter pilot in the Philadelphia news business, had previously flown for NBC10 and the LNS news service NBC10 once used.
Dougherty's brother, Jeff, is an editor with NBC Sports Philadelphia. Dougherty left behind two children.
Pete Kane, a retired NBC10 photojournalist, worked with Smith for several years.
“What we lost with losing Monroe in that chopper was someone who took care of what he had to do,” Kane said. “He made sure we were safe. He made sure he got that story for whatever he was going out for. What we lost was a great man. A great pilot. A wonderful human being and I lost a good friend.”
Dave Allegretti, a childhood friend of Dougherty since kindergarten, recalled the photographer's “infectious laugh” and his knack for storytelling.
“He enjoyed listening to and creating music," Allegretti told the ABC6. “He was an avid Philly sports fan, a dedicated and talented photographer, but most importantly, he was an incredible husband, father, brother, son, and friend.”
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