NBC4 News Helicopter Crashes in Los Angeles, Killing Reporter and Pilot

An NBC4 Los Angeles news helicopter crashed in the Chatsworth neighborhood Tuesday evening while providing aerial coverage of a deadly bus collision, killing a reporter, a pilot, and one person on the ground and injuring a fourth.

The Crash

The helicopter, designated NewsChopper4 and operated by Angel City Air on behalf of NBC4 and its sister station Telemundo 52, went down just before 7 p.m. on the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue in the San Fernando Valley. The aircraft came down between two commercial buildings, striking parked cars and storage containers before catching fire. More than 50 firefighters responded and extinguished the blaze before it could spread to nearby structures.

Witnesses who had been watching live coverage of the bus crash reported that the broadcast captured an alert-like sound aboard the helicopter before the camera began to descend and the transmission cut out.

Victims Identified

NBC4 and Telemundo 52 confirmed that reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw were aboard NewsChopper4 at the time of the crash. Both were killed. A third person on the ground at the crash site also died; their identity had not been publicly released as of Tuesday night. A fourth individual was transported to a local hospital.

NBC4 and Telemundo 52 released a joint statement saying they were “deeply saddened” by the loss and extended “heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues” of those killed.

What the Crew Was Covering

NewsChopper4 had been airborne with several other news helicopters reporting on a collision between an SUV and a Metro bus that occurred earlier that evening in the same Chatsworth area. That crash killed at least two people and injured six others. The helicopter crews were providing live aerial footage of the scene when NewsChopper4 went down.

Investigation Underway

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have opened investigations into the crash. The cause remains unknown. The NTSB typically takes several months to complete a full accident report, though preliminary findings are usually released within days. Prior incidents have prompted broader aviation concerns about communication and coordination among multiple aircraft covering the same event.

A Recurring Danger

News helicopter crashes are rare but not unprecedented. At least eight fatal news helicopter accidents have occurred in the United States since 2000, killing 16 people. A helicopter collision in Southern California had previously claimed three lives, and a separate helicopter tour crash in Hawaii also killed multiple passengers. Earlier this year, five Marines died when a military helicopter went down in snowy California mountains.

Broadcasting organizations have long debated the risks involved in sending crews aloft during breaking news events, particularly when multiple aircraft are working in proximity over the same scene.

NBC4's Coverage and Community Response

NBC4 Los Angeles is one of the city’s primary television news stations and relies heavily on aerial coverage to report on the region’s frequent traffic incidents, brush fires, and breaking news. Moreno was described by colleagues as a beloved member of the newsroom who regularly provided live aerial reports for both NBC4 and Telemundo 52 audiences.

Tributes from journalists and local officials began circulating Tuesday night. The station is expected to provide further information about memorials and the ongoing investigation in the coming days.

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