A television news helicopter providing coverage for NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 crashed in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, September 15, killing three people. The crash happened near an earlier traffic accident involving an SUV and a Metro bus, which had already left at least two people dead and several others injured. Emergency responders were already at the scene of the bus crash when the helicopter went down in an industrial area. The helicopter went down shortly before 7 p.m. in the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue.
The helicopter struck two storage containers and the resulting fire damaged four nearby vehicles. A total of 67 firefighters responded to the crash site and brought the fire under control, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed that at least three people died in the crash, with one of them being on the ground outside the aircraft.
Another person was taken to the hospital with injuries, though officials did not release details about the extent of those injuries. The FAA said two people were aboard the helicopter. Fire department officials said the helicopter was pretty well destroyed by the crash and fire. The FAA identified the aircraft as a Eurocopter AS350, while the NTSB described it as an AS 350 B2.
The helicopter was operated by Angel City Air, and the victims aboard were identified as journalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. Moreno joined the Angel City Air helicopter team in 2010, and Marciniw began flying with her in 2023. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash.
The cause of the crash has not yet been confirmed, and investigators are reviewing wreckage, maintenance records, weather, pilot training, video and audio. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed sorrow over the incident, calling it a painful loss for the city. NBC Los Angeles was among several news outlets covering the earlier bus crash when the helicopter went down. NTSB investigator Fabian Salazar said the live recording captured changes in engine speed and warning tones, but investigators have not announced a cause. The NTSB said a preliminary report is expected within about 30 days, while a final report could take months or years.
The scene of the crash was secured, with dozens of police cars and ambulances arriving at the location. The earlier bus accident had drawn a large emergency response, with people trapped inside the vehicle needing rescue. The crash occurred in the San Fernando Valley, near the scene of an earlier collision involving an SUV and a Metro bus. Police said the SUV had been traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of De Soto Avenue and ran a red light before striking the bus. The SUV driver, 36-year-old Bailee Lynn Rios, was arrested on suspicion of murder after the bus crash. The two people killed in the bus crash were identified as Daniel Castillo, 46, and Gage Weida, 31.
Photos and videos from the scene showed the helicopter’s wreckage and black smoke rising from the crash site. NBC4 anchor Colleen Williams reported live that two people had died in the helicopter crash during her broadcast. The incident was part of a day filled with tragic events, as emergency crews dealt with two separate major incidents in the same area.
The crash site was located between commercial buildings and involved damage to four vehicles and two storage containers. Authorities said Moreno and Marciniw were aboard the helicopter, while 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia was on the ground when the aircraft crashed. The investigation into what caused the crash will take time, as officials examine all available evidence.
This is not the first helicopter crash involving a news outlet since 2000, with similar incidents occurring in other states. The Associated Press found at least eight fatal news-helicopter crashes in the United States since 2000, killing 16 people. Los Angeles has a long history of airborne television reporting, dating to KTLA engineer John Silva’s use of a helicopter for live news coverage in 1958. The crash has prompted concern over safety for news crews covering emergency events from the air.
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