News helicopter crashes in New Jersey woods, killing pilot and photographer

A Philadelphia news helicopter crashed in a wooded area of New Jersey on Tuesday night, killing the pilot and photographer on board, the television station said.

The helicopter was returning to Philadelphia from an assignment at the Jersey Shore when it went down in Washington Township, New Jersey, around 8 p.m., WPVI-TV reported early Wednesday. 

The cause of the crash is under investigation and the pilot and photographer who died were not identified. 

“They have a long history with our station and have been working as part of the Action News team for years,” the news station said, calling it a “devastating day.”

The New Jersey State Park Police received a call just before 11 p.m. Tuesday about a missing helicopter in the area of Wharton State Forest, Chief George Fedorczyk told reporters early Wednesday.

A debris field was discovered shortly after midnight “in a remote location” near Mullica River Road in the area of Middle and Quaker Bridge Atsion roads in Washington Township, the chief said.

A Federal Aviation Administration representative will conduct an initial assessment this morning, and the scene has been secured by New Jersey State Park Police. 

The FAA said in a statement just two people were on board the chopper — a Eurocopter AS350B2.

The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation. 

An NTSB investigator is traveling to the scene to examine the aircraft, and the helicopter will be moved to a “secure facility for further evaluation,” the NTSB said. 

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.