NBC4 Helicopter Crash in L.A. Leaves at Least Three People Dead — Explained
At least three people are dead after local news station NBC4’s helicopter crashed in Los Angeles Tuesday night, according to fire officials.
The helicopter was flying over the scene of a nearby deadly Metro bus collision in the Chatsworth neighborhood when it crashed and burst into flames just before 7 p.m. PT. Several other vehicles that the chopper crashed next to also caught fire, authorities said.
According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, three people were confirmed deceased at the scene after the helicopter crash in the 9100 block of Mason Ave. Another person was transported to a local hospital after suffering an apparent panic attack.
Two of the victims who died were aboard the helicopter and the third victim was a pedestrian on the ground, local news reports and the LAFD confirmed. The victims aboard the helicopter were identified as reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw, both employees of Angel City Air, which operates the NewsChopper4 helicopter used by NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo.
Moreno and Marciniw, often called “the eyes and ears in the sky,” were both Southern California natives and had been covering local news for the local NBC station and Telemundo 52 via helicopter since 2023, including the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires.
NBC4 LA and Telemundo said in part in a statement, “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.”
The LAFD added in its own statement, “The fire has been completely extinguished. No exposure to any structures. Four automobiles and two storage containers have been damaged by the fire.”
Brandon Silverman, the LAFD public information officer, said the helicopter was “pretty well destroyed.” He added, according to reports, “So we are going to have to go through the rubble and see how many victims there were on board, as well as identify the helicopter; we couldn’t even see a tail.”
Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will be handling the investigation. NTSB investigators are expected to arrive on the scene Wednesday morning.
Moments before the NBC4 chopper crashed, it was flying above the scene of a bus collision in the area, which left two dead. Six other people were also transported to local hospitals from that incident.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass shared in a statement on X later Tuesday, “I’m absolutely devastated by the loss of life in Chatsworth tonight. My heart is with the families and loved ones of those we lost in the tragic bus collision and helicopter crash.”
“Our hearts are with the victims and families of tonight’s devastating Metro bus and helicopter crashes in Chatsworth, and with the entire NBC4 family,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom also wrote in a statement. “Thank you to the first responders working tirelessly tonight.”
More to come.
Sept. 16, 6:56 a.m. This story has been updated with more information about the Angel City Air employees who died and NBC4 LA and Telemundo’s statement.
