Monroe Smith, 67, of Glenside and Christopher Dougherty, 45, of Oreland, died in a Tuesday night helicopter crash in Washington Township, New Jersey.

The 6ABC crew members were on their way back from an assignment at the Jersey shore, 6ABC reported. Action News confirmed that Smith was the pilot, Dougherty the photographer. The chopper took off from the Northeast Philadelphia Airport before 7:30pm.

Flight tracker data shows the helicopter’s altitude dropping while returning to Philadelphia. Chopper 6 was last airborne over Wharton State Forest before it crashed in a remote section of the woods.

“They are described as the best guys that you would want to know, on the job for decades,” Reporter Maggie Kent, a colleague, said. “They are highly skilled in what they do. They loved their craft.”

“The crew members have a long history with our station and have been working as part of the Action News team for years,” 6ABC wrote.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration arrived at the crash site at 3:15am Wednesday and took control of the scene. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation.

For 6ABC’s video coverage, you can watch below:

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Photo: 6ABC