International Media Reports
Los Angeles: A news helicopter used by NBC4 and Telemundo 52 crashed and burst into flames in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, killing three people, including an aerial reporter and the aircraft’s pilot.
The helicopter went down in the Chatsworth neighbourhood of the San Fernando Valley shortly before 7pm while the crew was covering an earlier deadly collision involving an SUV and a Los Angeles city bus.
NBC4 later identified the two people aboard the helicopter who died as aerial reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. Both were employees of Angel City Air, the company operating the helicopter. A third person on the ground was also killed. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The cause of the crash remains unknown. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the incident.
Helicopter Crashed While Covering Bus Collision
The helicopter, known as NewsChopper4, was providing aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 when it crashed near a commercial storage facility on North Mason Avenue in Chatsworth.
Several television news helicopters were in the area covering a separate accident involving an SUV and a Metro bus.
That earlier collision had already left at least two people dead and six others injured.
The helicopter subsequently crashed a short distance away in a parking area between commercial buildings. The aircraft caught fire after hitting the ground, damaging several vehicles and storage containers.
More than 70 firefighters responded to the scene and quickly brought the fire under control.
NBC Anchors Announce Tragedy Live
The crash was particularly shocking for NBC4 because the station was broadcasting live when the news reached its newsroom.
Anchor Colleen Williams confirmed that two people had been killed after the station’s helicopter went down.
She struggled to continue speaking as the gravity of the situation became clear to the newsroom.
The station later interrupted its coverage as colleagues attempted to process the loss of their fellow journalists.
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 subsequently issued a joint statement expressing their condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who died.
Reporter Eliana Moreno Among Victims
Eliana Moreno was a familiar face and voice to viewers of NBC4 and Telemundo 52, particularly through the station’s aerial coverage of breaking news across Southern California.
According to NBC4, Moreno joined the Angel City Air helicopter team in 2010 after earning a degree in broadcast journalism and political science from Chapman University.
She had previously worked with several Southern California media organisations and regularly reported from the air on breaking news, including wildfires, police pursuits and other major incidents.
Moreno and Marciniw had worked together since 2023 and had completed hundreds of hours of flights together, according to NBC4.
Her colleagues described her as an important part of the station’s aerial reporting team.
Veteran Pilot George Marciniw Also Killed
Pilot George Marciniw was also killed in the crash.
Marciniw grew up in Southern California and graduated from Burbank High School in 1974. He was an experienced pilot and had also worked as a flight instructor.
One of his colleagues, Esteban Jimenez, told NBC4 that he had known Marciniw since the 1990s and that Marciniw had previously been his instructor.
Jimenez said he had spoken with Marciniw only days before the crash.
The two had discussed aviation and retirement, according to the interview broadcast by NBC4.
Witnesses Saw Helicopter Lose Altitude
Witnesses near the crash site described seeing the helicopter behaving unusually shortly before it went down.
One witness told NBC4 that the aircraft appeared to be swaying before gradually losing altitude.
The helicopter eventually disappeared from view behind buildings before a large cloud of smoke and flames became visible.
The aircraft was heavily damaged in the crash, making it difficult for emergency crews to immediately determine the number of people aboard.
Fire officials said the helicopter itself was largely destroyed.
Two other people were transported to hospital following the incident, although their conditions were not immediately released.
Third Person Killed on Ground
Authorities said a third person was killed on the ground near the crash site.
The identity of that person had not been released in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
The helicopter came down in a commercial area, and the resulting fire damaged four vehicles and two storage containers.
Police established a large perimeter around the crash site while firefighters and emergency crews worked in the area.
The scene remained active as investigators and emergency personnel examined the wreckage.
Investigation Underway
The NTSB and FAA are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Investigators are expected to examine the helicopter’s maintenance records, flight history, weather conditions, communications and other available evidence.
Officials have not announced a cause, and investigators have not indicated that mechanical failure, weather or any other specific factor was responsible.
The investigation is expected to take time as authorities collect evidence and examine the wreckage.
A Double Tragedy in Chatsworth
The helicopter crash came only hours after another deadly accident in the same area.
An SUV collided with a Metro bus, killing at least two people and injuring six others.
News crews had gathered around the scene to report on that collision when the NewsChopper4 helicopter went down nearby.
The two separate incidents turned an ordinary evening of breaking-news coverage into a major emergency response involving firefighters, police officers, paramedics and journalists.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed condolences to the victims and their families, while California Governor Gavin Newsom also acknowledged the tragedy and thanked emergency responders.
NBC and Telemundo Mourn Colleagues
The deaths have deeply affected the NBC4 and Telemundo 52 newsrooms.
The two stations said they were deeply saddened by the fatal accident and extended condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who died.
For Southern California viewers, Moreno and Marciniw were familiar figures who regularly appeared in breaking-news coverage from above the region.
Their deaths have also highlighted the risks faced by journalists and pilots who provide aerial coverage of emergencies and major breaking-news events.
As investigators begin examining what happened, the focus will remain on determining why the helicopter crashed and whether any warning signs were present before the fatal accident.
For now, authorities have confirmed three deaths, while the investigation into the cause of the crash continues.
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