Here's how NTSB will investigate the fatal crash of Action News helicopter Chopper 6
The pilot's flight experience, flight track data and air traffic control communications will be part of the investigation.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) began their investigation Thursday into the crash of Chopper 6, which took the lives of two members of the Action News team.
The helicopter crashed in a densely wooded area of Washington Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, just after 8 p.m. Tuesday.
The pilot was 67-year-old Monroe Smith of Glenside, Pa. and the photographer was 45-year-old Christopher Dougherty of Oreland, Pa. Both men were killed.
The NTSB investigator-in-charge, Todd Gunther, gave an update Thursday morning as the investigation entered a second day.
The helicopter took off from the Northeast Philadelphia Airport, its home base, before 7:30 p.m. and the crew flew to an assignment in Galloway Township, New Jersey. The crew were on their way back to base when the aircraft crashed.
"It was a clear, cold night," Gunther said during the Thursday morning press conference.
Flight tracker data shows that, around 8 p.m., the helicopter had a dip in altitude while returning to Philadelphia. Three minutes later, the chopper's altitude dropped again.
"Preliminary air traffic control data shows the aircraft was sitting there and was on course at the time when the accident occurred," Gunther said. "Tree strike images show it was in a descending pattern, in other words, it was descending when it impacted the trees."
The crash site was located shortly after midnight Wednesday. The New Jersey State Park Police secured the scene but said due to the rough terrain, the investigation couldn't begin until after daybreak.
"The challenges we're facing, it's relatively level land, however, there are a lot of trees in the area," Gunther said, also noting the temperature conditions over the past few days. "As you know, it's been cold."
A helicopter from a fellow Philadelphia television station captured video of the wreckage. Scattered debris, with some pieces on fire or smoking, could be seen as authorities searched with flashlights in the darkness.
RELATED:Pilot, photographer killed after Action News' Chopper 6 crashes in a wooded area of New Jersey
Personnel from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) arrived at the crash site at 3:15 a.m. Wednesday and have since surveyed the area.
The NTSB told Action News that investigators began the process of documenting the scene and examining the helicopter on Thursday morning. Investigators are expected to be on scene for roughly the next three days to look at the "man, machine and environmental interface," as well as looking at anything that may have either affected the accident flight or may have been causal.
Gunther said eight people are working on the accident, including an engine specialist and an airframe -- or helicopter -- specialist. They are also being assisted by local, state, county and federal authorities.
The NTSB investigation will involve three components: the pilot, the aircraft, and the operating environment.
"Anything that documents the condition of the helicopter. That includes maintenance records, that includes flight logs, that includes pilot training records - even down to the minutia of the last time the aircraft was fueled, and who fueled it," said former Navy pilot and aviation attorney John Gagliano.
"The first thing we'll be doing is a site walk-through and basically what we'll be doing is determining that everything from the helicopter is on-site -- all the major components," Gunther explained.
Gunther said the debris field from the helicopter crash is approximately 100 yards long.
He explained that they will be looking at the structure of the helicopter and whether the aircraft was fully intact or if anything had fallen off before the impact.
Investigators will also examine the rotor system, including the main and tail rotors. They will also look at the drive system, including the transmission and drive shafts, as well as the flight control systems, which control the helicopter in both pitch, roll and yaw.
"What that means is the nose of the helicopter going up and down in pitch, the helicopter rolling left and right, and yaw is the helicopter turning left and right," Gunther said.
Additionally, investigators will be looking at the physiology of Monroe, who was the pilot. They will also be looking into weather conditions, the maintenance history of the aircraft and records involving the aircraft's flights on Tuesday day, as well as previous flights.
"At this time, we understand there were two previous flights by the helicopter on that day," Gunther said.
At the end of the three days, investigators will move the wreckage to a secure location where they can lay the debris out in scale to examine it more in-depth.
Gunther added that they will also be looking for "non-volatile memory" to see if there is anything they can garner off the electronics from the aircraft.
Gagliano says, unlike commercial airliners, helicopters don't have so-called "black boxes," though many do have data memory cards. It is unclear if Chopper 6, an American Eurocopter AS-350A-STAR, did.
The NTSB said that's precisely what they will be looking at. They sent a list of the many different aspects of this crash they will investigate, including:
- Flight track data
- Air traffic control communications
- Maintenance records
- Weather conditions
- The pilot's license and flight experience
- A 72-hour background check of the pilot
- Witness statements
- Potential information from electronic devices
- Any available surveillance video, including doorbell cameras
Gunther also said NTSB is interviewing witnesses.
"During the on-scene phase of the investigative process, the NTSB does not determine or speculate about the cause of the accident," said spokesperson Jennifer Gabris.
"Anything we go ahead and report is factual in nature," Gunther said.
Gunther explained that after the team leaves the scene in approximately 10 days, they will produce a preliminary report, which will include the facts, conditions and circumstances as they know them.
Roughly 18 months after the preliminary report is completed, the NTSB will produce what they call a "factual report," which will be composed of documents that support the investigation, including photos, witness statements and any types of tests or research that may have been done.
Another 30 to 60 days after that, the safety board, which is comprised of five members appointed by President Biden, will release a statement of probable cause.
A complete investigation will likely take over a year, according to Gagliano.
Gunther noted that at any time during the investigation, they can release recommendations if they find anything of concern that would impact the traveling public, aerospace industry or other industries.
Gagliano says NTSB records show this model of helicopter has been involved in 57 fatal crashes since 1988.
There was a crash of this model helicopter over the East River in New York in 2018 and it was caused by, according to the NTSB, single-engine failure and a bad placement of a fuel shut-off lever.
The NSTB, which is leading the investigation, is tasked by Congress to investigate every civil aircraft accident in the U.S. and its territories overseas. They also have responsibilities under the International Civil Aviation Organization for U.S.-manufactured products in the aerospace industry.
