Three people have died after an NBC4 news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, while crews were covering a fatal collision involving a city bus nearby.
The aircraft went down shortly before 7pm on Tuesday, 15 September, between two commercial buildings on North Mason Avenue in the San Fernando Valley. It caught fire on impact, damaging four vehicles and two storage containers.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said more than 50 firefighters attended the scene. Three people were pronounced dead, while a fourth was taken to hospital in an unknown condition. At least one of those killed was a pedestrian on the ground.
NBC4 later confirmed that the helicopter was NewsChopper4, operated by Angel City Air and used to provide aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52.
The two people aboard the helicopter who died were identified as aerial reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. Both worked for Angel City Air, with Moreno a familiar presence on NBC4 and Telemundo 52 broadcasts.
Witnesses described seeing the helicopter sway before it fell to the ground and erupted into flames. One witness told local media that the aircraft appeared to be “looking strange” before a large cloud of smoke rose from the crash site.
Investigation into Chatsworth helicopter crash
The cause of the Chatsworth helicopter crash remains unclear. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are expected to investigate.
Several news helicopters had been in the area reporting on an earlier collision involving an SUV and a Metro bus. That crash, about a mile and a half away, also left several people dead and others injured.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she was “absolutely devastated” by the loss of life in the two incidents and offered her condolences to the victims’ families.
In a joint statement, NBC4 and Telemundo 52 said they were deeply saddened that the helicopter providing aerial news coverage had been involved in a fatal accident, extending their condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who died.
