Three Dead After NBC4 News Helicopter Crashes While Covering Fatal Los Angeles Bus Collision

LOS ANGELES — Three people were killed Tuesday evening after a news helicopter providing aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 crashed and burst into flames in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles.

The helicopter, known as NewsChopper4, went down shortly before 7 p.m. on September 15 in the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The aircraft had been covering another deadly crash involving an SUV and a Metro bus nearby.

The two people aboard the helicopter were identified as aerial reporter and photojournalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. Both worked for Angel City Air, the company that operated NewsChopper4 for NBC4 and Telemundo 52.

A third person who was on the ground was also killed in the crash. Two additional people were transported to a hospital, according to updated reports. Their conditions were not immediately released.

News Crew Was Covering Another Deadly Crash

The tragedy unfolded as television news crews were covering a major collision involving an SUV and a Metro bus in Chatsworth.

The bus collision occurred earlier Tuesday evening near Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue. Authorities initially reported at least two deaths and multiple injuries from that crash.

NewsChopper4 was among the aircraft dispatched to provide aerial coverage of the scene when it went down a short distance away.

Video from the area showed a massive plume of black smoke rising into the sky following the helicopter crash. The impact sparked a fire that damaged vehicles and storage containers near the crash site.

More than 70 firefighters responded to the helicopter crash, according to officials.

Veteran News Team Lost

Moreno was a familiar presence to Southern California viewers, providing aerial reporting for both NBC4 and Telemundo 52.

She had worked in aerial news coverage since 2010 after graduating from Chapman University with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science.

Marciniw was an experienced pilot and Southern California native. Moreno and Marciniw began flying together in 2023 and frequently worked as a team covering breaking news throughout the Los Angeles area.

NBC4 and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement following the crash, saying they were deeply saddened by the fatal accident and extending condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who died.

The tragedy was particularly difficult for NBC4 journalists who were covering the original bus collision. During the station’s live broadcast, anchors reported that they had lost contact with their helicopter crew before later confirming that NewsChopper4 had crashed.

Investigation Underway

The cause of the helicopter crash remains unknown.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the accident. Investigators are expected to examine the wreckage, the aircraft’s maintenance and flight history, communications and other evidence as they work to determine what caused the helicopter to go down.

The crash turned an already deadly evening in Chatsworth into an extraordinary tragedy, with lives lost in two separate incidents only blocks apart.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described the evening as heartbreaking and thanked the emergency personnel who responded to both scenes.

For Southern California’s journalism community, the deaths of Moreno and Marciniw also underscore the risks taken by aerial news crews who routinely fly above fires, police pursuits, traffic collisions and other breaking-news scenes to provide viewers with information from above.

As investigators begin the process of determining what went wrong, colleagues, viewers and loved ones are mourning Moreno, Marciniw and the person killed on the ground.

Information for this report was provided to Habari Entertainment by Citizen, with additional details confirmed through the Los Angeles Fire Department, NBC4 Los Angeles and other current reporting.