A news helicopter covering a deadly bus collision in Los Angeles crashed on Tuesday evening, September 15, 2026, killing three people.
The helicopter was operated for NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52. It went down in the Chatsworth area of the San Fernando Valley shortly before 7 p.m., according to Los Angeles authorities.
Two people aboard the helicopter were identified as journalist and photojournalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. A third victim, 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia, was killed on the ground.
The crash has prompted an investigation by federal aviation authorities as colleagues and members of the Los Angeles news community mourn the victims.
What happened to the NBC4 news helicopter?
The helicopter was providing aerial coverage of a serious bus and SUV collision in Chatsworth when it crashed between commercial buildings in the area.
The aircraft went down near the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue. Firefighters arrived to find the helicopter badly damaged and engulfed in flames.
More than 70 firefighters responded to the scene, according to reports. The resulting fire also damaged several vehicles and storage containers.
The cause of the helicopter crash has not yet been established. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the incident.
Who were Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw?
Eliana Moreno was a journalist and aerial photojournalist who worked with the NBC4 news operation. She had been involved in news helicopter work for many years and was covering the breaking story when the crash occurred.
George Marciniw was the pilot flying the helicopter. NBC4 identified both Moreno and Marciniw as employees of helicopter operator Angel City Air.
The two were working together as part of the aerial news crew when the aircraft went down.
Their deaths have prompted tributes from colleagues and other journalists across Los Angeles.
A third person was killed on the ground
The crash also claimed the life of a person who was not aboard the helicopter.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified the victim as Edy Gutierrez Mejia, 29.
Authorities have not indicated that he was connected to the news operation.
The helicopter crash therefore resulted in three deaths in total.
NBC4 anchors confirmed the tragedy live on air
The incident became especially difficult for NBC4 because the station was covering the developing crash while its own helicopter crew was missing.
NBC4 anchor Colleen Williams eventually confirmed during the live broadcast that NewsChopper4 had gone down.
Williams and fellow anchor Carolyn Johnson later confirmed that Moreno and Marciniw were among those killed.
The emotional announcement brought the reality of the crash directly into the newsroom. The station temporarily stepped away from its live coverage as journalists processed the loss of their colleagues.
The Los Angeles Times reported that NBC4 journalists had initially been trying to establish what had happened after losing contact with the helicopter.
The helicopter was covering another deadly crash
The news helicopter had been sent to cover a separate traffic collision in Chatsworth.
Earlier that evening, a Metro bus and another vehicle had collided in the area, resulting in deaths and injuries.
The helicopter was providing aerial images of that incident when it crashed nearby. This created a devastating sequence of events, with news crews initially responding to one major accident before the helicopter itself became part of the breaking news story.
What caused the helicopter crash?
The cause remains under investigation.
Authorities have not announced a definitive explanation for why the helicopter went down.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are examining the circumstances surrounding the crash.
What happens next?
Investigators are expected to examine the helicopter wreckage, available video, and other evidence as they work to determine what happened during the aircraft’s final moments.
The investigation could take time before officials establish an official cause. Meanwhile, NBC4 and Telemundo 52 have paid tribute to the colleagues they lost while covering the news.
The tragedy has also drawn attention to the risks faced by journalists and pilots who work in news helicopters to provide aerial coverage of breaking events.
The latest on the Los Angeles helicopter crash
As of September 17, 2026, three people have been confirmed dead following the helicopter crash in Chatsworth.
They are:
- Eliana Moreno — journalist and photojournalist
- George Marciniw — pilot
- Edy Gutierrez Mejia, 29 — person on the ground
The official cause of the crash has not been determined.
The NTSB and FAA investigation remains ongoing, and further details are expected as investigators examine the evidence.
This story will be updated as authorities release new confirmed information.