NBC Los Angeles Helicopter Crash Leaves Three Dead

NBC LA Helicopter Crash Kills 3

A helicopter operated by Angel City Air, which provides aerial news coverage for NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52, crashed in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles, killing three people. The helicopter, known as NewsChopper4, went down Tuesday evening near North Mason Avenue. Two people aboard the aircraft were killed, along with a person on the ground, according to authorities.

News Crew Members Identified

The two people aboard the helicopter were identified as aerial journalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. Moreno had worked in aerial journalism for years and was known for covering breaking news events across Southern California. Marciniw was an experienced pilot who had worked with the news helicopter operation since 2023. The two frequently worked together covering news from the air.

Helicopter Was Covering Breaking News

The crew had reportedly been covering another serious crash in the Chatsworth area when the helicopter went down. The earlier incident involved a Metro bus and an SUV and also resulted in deaths and injuries. The helicopter crashed between commercial buildings at a storage facility, where the impact also caused a fire and damaged vehicles and storage units. Emergency crews responded to the scene, with more than 70 firefighters involved in the response.

Investigation Into The Crash

The cause of the helicopter crash has not yet been determined. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. Witnesses reported seeing the helicopter lose altitude before crashing, but those observations alone do not establish what caused the aircraft to go down. Investigators will examine the helicopter, the crash site, flight information and other evidence as they work to determine what happened.

NBC Los Angeles Mourns Crew

NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 expressed condolences following the deaths of the two members of the news crew. The crash has also prompted an emotional response from colleagues who had worked alongside Moreno and Marciniw. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details about the crash are expected to emerge as authorities examine the circumstances surrounding the fatal flight.