INVESTIGATORS HAVE ARRIVED IN NEW JERSEY WORKING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CAUSED CHOPPER SIX TO CRASH ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. TWO OF OUR COLLEAGUES LOST THEIR LIVES. PILOT MONROE SMITH AND PHOTOGRAPHER CHRISTOPHER DOUGHERTY TODAY, WE CONTINUE TO MOURN THEIR PASSING WHILE REMEMBERING WHAT MADE THEM EACH SO SPECIAL. IT IS THURSDAY AFTERNOON. >> I'M SARAH BLOOMQUIST AND I'M RICK WILLIAMS. >> BRIAN IS OFF IN THE BIG STORY ON ACTION NEWS AT FOUR. IS THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE CRASH OF CHOPPER SIX, A TEAM FROM THE NTSB WILL SPEND THE NEXT FEW DAYS CAREFULLY COMBING THROUGH THE EVIDENCE AND SEARCHING FOR ANY CLUES AS TO WHAT WENT WRONG. >> ACTION NEWS REPORTER MAGGIE KENT IS STANDING BY AT NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA AIRPORT WITH MORE ON HOW THE VICTIMS ARE BEING REMEMBERED. BUT LET'S BEGIN WITH TRISH HARTMAN. LIVE NEAR THE CRASH SITE WITH MORE ON WHAT EXACTLY INVESTIGATORS WILL BE LOOKING FOR. TRISH WELL, SARAH, RICK, THIS IS THE FIRST DAY THAT INVESTORS, GATORS AND TECHNICAL SPECIALISTS FROM THE NTSB WERE HERE AT THE CRASH SITE WHERE THEY HAVE WRAPPED FOR THE DAY AND THEY WILL BE BACK ON SCENE TOMORROW. >> AND AS WE CONTINUE TO MOURN THE LOSS OF OUR COLLEAGUES, AUTHORITIES ARE BEGINNING A MULTI DAY INVESTIGATION HERE AT THE SCENE IN INVESTIGATORS WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD ARRIVED IN CHEMUNG TOWNSHIP THIS MORNING READY TO BEGIN LOOKING INTO WHAT CAUSED CHOPPER SIX TO CRASH. >> WE HAVE A DEBRIS FIELD FROM THE HELICOPTER THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS LONG. >> AMONG THOSE WORKING AT THE SCENE AND ENGINE SPECIALIST AND A HELICOPTER SPECIALIST, THIS MORNING, THE INVESTIGATOR IN CHARGE TOLD US WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR. IT WAS A CLEAR, COLD NIGHT. >> PRELIMINARY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL DATA SHOWS THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS SITTING THERE AND IT WAS ON COURSE WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. >> CHOPPER SIX WAS ON ITS WAY BACK FROM AN ASSIGNMENT IN GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP TUESDAY EVENING, WHEN IT CRASHED IN A REMOTE AREA OF WHARTON STATE FOREST IN BURLINGTON COUNTY. AROUND 8 P.M. PILOT MONROE SMITH AND PHOTOGRAPHER CHRIS DOUGHERTY WERE KILLED. THE FAA WAS ON SCENE HOURS AFTER THE CRASH, SURVEYING AND SECURING THE SCENE . THE NTSB IS LEADING THE INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT HAPPENED. WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE STRUCTURE OF THE HELICOPTER TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT NOTHING FELL OFF THE HELICOPTER, THAT THE HELICOPTER STRUCTURE WAS INTACT PRIOR TO THE IMPACT. >> WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE ROTOR SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE MAIN ROTOR AND THE TAIL ROTOR, IN ADDITION TO LOOKING AT THE AIRCRAFT AND TALKING TO WITNESSES, THEY'LL LOOK AT OTHER FACTORS THAT COULD HAVE PLAYED A ROLE. WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE PILOT ON BOARD. WE'LL ALSO BE LOOKING AT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO SEE IF THEY MAY HAVE AFFECTED THE AIRCRAFT. WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE MAINTENANCE HISTORY OF THE AIRCRAFT NOW. >> THEY'LL ALSO BE LOOKING AT FLIGHT RECORDS. WE KNOW CHOPPER SIX MADE TWO OTHER FLIGHTS THAT DAY. A PRELIMINARY REPORT SHOULD BE DONE IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS. WE'RE TOLD A FINAL REPORT FROM THE NTSB COULD TAKE 1 TO 2 YEARS TO COMPLETE. REPORTING LIVE IN SHAMONG TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY, TRISH HARTMAN, CHANNEL SIX, ACTION NEWS RICK. >> ALL RIGHT, TRISH, THANK YOU. AND WE'RE HEARING MORE TODAY FROM THOSE WHO KNEW MONROE AND CHRIS BOTH ON AND OFF THE JOB. ACTION NEWS REPORTER MAGGIE KENT JOINS US LIVE NOW FROM NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA WITH MORE ON HOW THEY'RE BEING REMEMBERED THIS AFTERNOON. MAGGIE WELL, RICK, WE ARE HEARING SO MANY BEAUTIFUL STORIES ABOUT THE LIGHT THAT MONROE AND CHRIS CARRIED WITH THEM AND SHARED WITH OTHERS. >> AND TONIGHT WE WANT TO SHARE SOME OF THEIR LIFE WITH YOU. MONROE SMITH WAS A NATIVE SON OF PHILADELPHIA. THE PILOT ON BOARD CHOPPER SIX WHEN IT CRASHED. HE WAS AN ARMY PILOT, A DAD, AND HAD A QUIET COOL ABOUT HIM. >> AS YOU CAN TELL, I'M AN OLD GUY. WHEN I STARTED PLAYING, I HAD HAIR LIKE YOURS. >> MONROE SPENT HIS TIME VOLUNTEERING TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE INTERESTED IN AVIATION, AND JUST THIS SUMMER, PARTICIPATING IN THE AVIATION CAREER ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM. >> EVERYBODY AROUND THE AIRPORT, YOU KNOW, RESPECTED, LOVED HIM. >> CAPTAIN VICTOR CASTRO FLIES FOR AMERICAN AIRLINES. HE HELPS HEAD THE ACE PROGRAM, WHERE MONROE LED BY EXAMPLE. >> YOU COULD SEE THAT IT MAKES SUCH A STRONG INFLUENCE ON THEM IN A POSITIVE WAY. AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON RIGHT NOW IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO HONOR HIS MEMORY, UH, SO THAT HE CAN WE CAN SEE SOME OF THE SUCCESSES THAT HE WAS SO FOND OF PROMOTING IN THE COMMUNITY. >> CHRIS DAUGHERTY WAS THE PHOTOGRAPHER ON BOARD CHOPPER SIX WHEN IT CRASHED. HE LEAVES BEHIND A WIFE AND TWO DAUGHTERS. AND SO MANY FRIENDS WHO WILL MISS HIS LAUGHTER AND HIS MUSIC. CHRIS HAD A LOVE FOR SONG AND WOULD SHARE HIS TALENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. HE WAS KNOWN TO PLAY GUITAR IN THE OFFICE FROM TIME TO TIME, WAITING ON THE NEXT ASSIGNMENT. HE POSTED THIS ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SONG TO HIS FACEBOOK PAGE LAST WEEK. SILENCE SMILE. MATTHEW KRESKI PLAYED OPEN MIC NIGHTS WITH CHRIS IN GLENSIDE AND HE WAS ALWAYS JUST WRITING MUSIC. >> HE WAS LIKE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T DO THAT. AND SO HE HAD ENOUGH NERVE TO GET UP AND PLAY HIS ORIGINAL SONGS IN FRONT OF PEOPLE, WHICH I, I TOTALLY RESPECT. >> AND THERE WERE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL STORIES HERE AT NORTHEAST AIRPORT FROM PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE WHO WOULD SAY MONROE AND CHRIS ALWAYS TOOK THE TIME TO JUST STAND AROUND TO HAVE A CHAT, TO SHARE A LAUGH WITH ONE ANOTHER. AND SO MANY PEOPLE HERE AFFECTED BY THEM. WE WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THE CONDOLENCES THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH ACTION NEWS, BUT WE ALSO ALSO JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP THEIR FAMILIES IN YOUR THOUGHTS AS WELL. WE'RE LIVE HERE AT NORTHEAST AIRPORT. MAGGIE KENT, CHANNEL SIX, ACTION NEWS, SARAH. >> OKAY, MAGGIE. THANK YOU. DOWNLOAD THE 6 ABC APP TO SEE MORE COVERAGE OF THE CHOPPER SIX CRASH. >> WE WILL CONTINUE TO POST THE LATEST UPDATES ON THE INVESTIGATION
