The Federal Aviation Administration said the helicopter crashed into a wooded area near the Flying W Airport in Medford hours before Montgomery Gentry was due to perform at a resort that is also housed at the airport. The airport announced the cancellation of the gig Friday afternoon.
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The band's website called Gentry's death "tragic" and said details of the crash are unknown.
Medford Township Police Chief Richard Meder told NJ.com that police got a call about a helicopter "that was distressed" around 1 p.m.
He said crews were able to remove the passenger from the wreckage, but he died on the way to a hospital. The pilot died at the scene and crews were working to remove his body, Meder said.
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It wasn't immediately clear whether Gentry was the pilot or the passenger.
Gentry was born on April 5, 1967, in Lexington, Kentucky, where he met bandmate Eddie Montgomery and formed a group based off their last names.
The duo had success on the country charts, scoring five No. 1 hits. The band was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2009.
IN MEMORIAM: Celebrities and notable figures who have recently passed away
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Jack Welch who transformed GE into a highly profitable multinational conglomerate died at the age of 84, the company confirmed on March 2, 2020.AP
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Actor Kirk Douglas is shown at a 2017 event in Los Angeles.AP
Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant smiles to the crowd during a ceremony before Bryant's last NBA basketball game, against the Utah Jazz, Wednesday, April 13, 2016.AP
Longtime PBS journalist Jim Lehrer, who anchored the network's flagship "NewsHour" for decades, died Jan. 23, 2020. He was 85.AP
This April 24, 2015 file photo shows Terry Jones at a special Tribeca Film Festival screening of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" in New York.AP
Rush announced on Jan. 10, 2020, that Neil Peart, the band's drummer and lyricist, had died after a three-and-a-half-year battle with brain cancer.Creative Content
Danny Aiello, whose long career included roles in "Fort Apache, the Bronx," "Moonstruck," "Once Upon a Time in America" and Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing," died Dec. 12, 2019.AP
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Juice WRLD, a rapper who launched his career on SoundCloud before rising to the top of the charts with the Sting-sampled hit "Lucid Dreams," died Dec. 8, 2019.AP
John Witherspoon, the actor-comedian who memorably played Ice Cube's father in the "Friday" films, died Oct. 29, 2019.AP
Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., speaks during a luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019. He passed away on October 17, 2019 at age 68.AP
Diahann Carroll, the Oscar-nominated actress and singer who won critical acclaim as the first black woman to star in a non-servant role in a TV series as "Julia," died Oct. 4.AP
Actress Valerie Harper laughs during an interview in New York, in Jan. 1987AP
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Actor Peter Fonda, known for "Easy Rider," passed away on Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, of respiratory failure due to lung cancer, his family said. He was 79.Creative Content
'Beloved' author Toni Morrison, shown here in 2007, has died, AP reports.none
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Family members announced July 7, 2019, that Broadway actor and "Annie" lyricist Martin Charnin had died.Creative Content
Actor Cameron Boyce, best known for his role as the teenage son of Cruella de Vil in the Disney Channel franchise "Descendants," died July 6, 2019. He was 20 years old.AP
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Author Judith Krantz poses in an undated file photo during an interview at her home in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles.AP
Gloria Vanderbilt, a fashion icon and socialite who was also the mother of Anderson Cooper, has died at age 95.none
Pat Bowlen, the owner of the Denver Broncos who was the first NFL owner to have his team win 300 games, died at age 75 on June 13, 2019.none
Edith González is see in an undated file photo.KABC
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Ashley Massaro, a WWE star who also competed on ''Survivor,'' has died at age 39.none
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Peggy Lipton, an actress known for her roles on 'The Mod Squad'' and ''Twin Peaks,'' died May 11, 2019, at age 72.none
Peter Mayhew, the actor who played Chewbacca in Star Wars for decades, died April 30, 2019, in his North Texas home, according to family members.AP
Scott Walker, an experimental musician with The Walker Brothers known for hits like The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore, has died at age 76.none
Dick Dale, known as "The King of the Surf Guitar," has died at age 81. His former bassist Sam Bolle said Dale passed away Saturday night, March 16, 2019.AP
Professional boxer Freeda Foreman, shown here in 2000, died March 9, 2019 at age 42. She is survived by her father, iconic boxer George Foreman.none
Christopher Alan Pallies, better known by his wrestling name King Kong Bundy, died March 4, 2019, at age 61.none
Actor Luke Perry, known for shows like 'Beverly Hills, 90210' and 'Riverdale,' passed away just days after suffering a massive stroke. He was 52.none
Keith Flint, known as the lead singer of dance-electronic band The Prodigy, has been found dead at his home at age 49.none
Karl Lagerfeld, a Chanel fashion icon, has died.none
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Former U.S. Rep. John Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress in American history, died Feb. 7, 2019, at age 92.none
Kristoff St. John, who played Neil Winters on ''The Young and the Restless,'' has died at age 52.none
Singer James Ingram seen at a benefit gala on Dec. 12, 2013 on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles.AP
Carol Channing is shown in 1967 (left) and 2007 (right). The Broadway legend passed away on Jan. 15, 2019 at age 97, her publicist said.none
Daryl Dragon, of the married musical duo Captain & Tennille, died Jan. 2, 2019 at age 76.AP
Bob Einstein, a comedy writer known for ''Curb Your Enthusiasm" and his spoof daredevil character Super Dave Osborne, has died at age 76.AP
''Mean'' Gene Okerlund, a WWE Hall of Famer who became one of the most recognizable voices in pro wrestling, died at age 76, WWE confirmed.none
Penny Marshall, a director known for films like ''Big'' and ''A League of Their Own,'' died on Dec. 17, 2018. She was 75.AP
Singer Nancy Wilson - pictured at a Grammy Foundation event in Los Angeles on July 28, 2007 - has died at age 81.AP
Actress/director Sondra Locke died Nov. 3, 2018, at age 74. The Oscar-nominated actress was best known for her films with Clint Eastwood, with whom she had a 13-year relationship.none
Luis Valbuena, a former MLB player who competed for 11 seasons, died in a car crash in Venezuela at age 33.none
Jose Castillo, a former MLB player who played from 2004 and 2008, died in a car crash in Venezuela at age 37.none
Frontman Pete Shelley of the British punk band Buzzcocks performs at Plaza Condesa in the 6th edition of the Marvin Festival, in Mexico City. Shelley died at the age of 63.none
Former President George H.W. Bush died on Nov. 30, 2018. He was 94, making him the country's longest living president.none
Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of ''Spongebob Squarepants'' has died at age 57, Nickelodeon confirmed.AP
This image released by Harpo Inc. shows media mogul Oprah Winfrey, right, with her mother Vernita Lee. Lee died on Thanksgiving 2018 at age 83.AP
Oscar-winning Italian filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci died on Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 at age 77.none
Kim Porter, a model known for her longtime relationship with Sean P. Diddy Combs, died Nov. 15 at age 47.none
Roy Clark, a country star known for headlining the TV show ''Hee Haw,'' died on Nov. 15 at age 85.none
Comic book legend Stan Lee has died at age 95.none
San Francisco Giants legend and hall of famer Willie McCovey passed away Oct. 31, the team announced. McCovey battled ongoing health issues, according to the team. He was 80.AP
Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger, one of the FBI's most wanted criminals for 16 years until his 2011 arrest, died at age 89 in prison, the Department of Justice confirmed.none
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Veteran actor Scott Wilson dies at 76 years old. Nydia Han reports during Action News at 6 a.m. on October 7, 2018.none
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Sen. John McCain, who represented Arizona in the Senate since being elected in 1986 and was also the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, died Saturday at the age of 81.AP
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Aretha Franklin, the ''Queen of Soul,'' has died at age 76.none
Actress Charlotte Rae, who played the housemother on "The Facts of Life," died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018 at age 92.none
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Tab Hunter arrives at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2013, in Beverly Hills, Calif.AP
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Richard Benjamin Harrison, who was known as ''The Old Man'' on the show ''Pawn Stars,'' died June 25, 2018.none
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Koko, known as the gorilla who mastered sign language, died in her sleep at age 46, the Gorilla Foundation said in a statement on June 21.none
Wrestler Leon White, known as Vader, died on June 18, from heart complications, according to his son. In this 1995 photo he is seen filming a scene for "Boy Meets World."none
Rapper XXXTentacion, also known as Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy was shot and killed in Florida on Monday. He was just 20 years old.none
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Culinary icon Anthony Bourdain was found dead of an apparent suicide, CNN reported on June 8, 2018. He was 61.none
Jerry Maren, the last surviving munchkin from the classic 1939 film 'The Wizard of Oz' and the one who famously welcomed Dorothy to Munchkin Land, died May 24 at age 99.Creative Content
Fashion designer Kate Spade was found dead in her New York apartment in an apparent suicide on June 5, 2018.AP
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Novelist Philip Roth, best known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning ''American Pastoral,'' died May 22, 2018 at age 85.none
Robert Indiana, the pop artist who is best known for his 1960s ''LOVE'' series sculptures, died May 19, 2018 at age 89.none
American author and journalist Tom Wolfe, Jr. has died at age 87. He was known for ''The Right Stuff'' and ''Bonfire of the Vanities.''none
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DJ and producer Avicii has died at age 28, his publicist confirmed.none
Former first lady Barbara Bush passed away on April 17, 2018. She was 92.none
Carl Kasell, longtime NPR broadcaster known for ''Morning Edition'' and ''Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me!'' died at age 84 on April 17, 2018.none
Actor Harry Anderson (pictured in 1990) was found dead on April 16, 2018 at age 65. He was best known for the comedy series ''Night Court.''none
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Yvonne Staples of the family gospel group Staples Singers died at age 80.none
Winnie Mandela, an anti-apartheid activist who was married to the late South African President Nelson Mandela, has died.none
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Toys "R" us founder Charles Lazarus poses for a photograph in 1990.none
Frank Avruch, a TV personality known for playing Bozo the Clown, died at 89 at his Boston home from heart disease.none
File: Queen Latifah, left, and her mother Rita Owens attend VH1's ''Dear Mama'' Mother's Day Special taping at St. Bartholomew's Church in New Yorknone
British physicist Stephen Hawking attends the 2010 World Science Festival opening night gala performance at Alice Tully Hall on Wednesday, June 2, 2010 in New York. (AP Photo/Evan)none
Rapper Craig Mack (shown above in 2004) died March 12, 2018 at age 46. The rapper was best known for his platinum 1994 hit ''Flava in Ya Ear.''none
Evangelist Billy Graham has died at age 99, ABC News confirmed.none
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John Mahoney, known for his role as Martin Crane on “Frasier,” died on Feb. 5, 2018, at the age of 77.none
Dennis Edwards attends the 26th Annual Heroes and Legends Awards held at The Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015, in Beverly Hills.AP
Former 'Glee' star Mark Salling, who had been awaiting sentencing on child porn charges, died in Los Angeles area, his attorney confirmed to the Associated Press.none
Naomi Parker Fraley (shown left in 1942) was believed to be the inspiration for the Rosie the Riveter campaign. She died Jan. 20, 2018 at age 96.none
Edwin Hawkins, the gospel singer best known for ''Oh Happy Day,'' died Jan. 15, 2018 from pancreatic cancer. He was 74.none
Dolores O'Riordan, the frontwoman of Irish softrock group Cranberries, died Monday, Jan. 15, 2018 at age 46. The cause of death wasn't immediately available.none
Keith Jackson arrives at 66th Annual DGA Awards Dinner at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014, in Los Angeles, Calif.AP
Photo of MOTORHEAD; 'Fast' Eddie Clarke performing on stage at the Electric CircusCreative Content
Jerry Van Dyke appears on 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' Dec. 1, 1964.none
NASA astronaut John Young flew twice to the Moon, walked on its surface and flew the agency's first Space Shuttle mission. NASA announced his death at the age of 87 on Jan. 6.none
Mystery writer Sue Grafton, known for her series in which each book title begins with a letter from the alphabet, died on December 28, 2017.AP