NBC news helicopter crashes in Los Angeles, killing three including reporter and pilot

A news helicopter operated by Angel City Air crashed in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles on September 15 at approximately 7 p.m., killing three people. The aircraft, designated NewsChopper4, was providing aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 when it crashed between two commercial buildings in the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue. The crash occurred less than a mile from the scene of a separate Metro bus collision that emergency crews were responding to at the time.

The three fatalities included reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, and a pedestrian struck by the aircraft. A fourth person in the vicinity suffered an apparent panic attack and was transported to a local hospital. Marciniw and Moreno had flown together since 2023. Moreno, a 2010 graduate of Chapman University with a degree in broadcast journalism and political science, had been with Angel City Air since September 2010. Marciniw was a 1974 graduate of Burbank High School and grew up in Southern California.

Firefighters arrived to find the helicopter fully engulfed in flames. The crash damaged four vehicles and two storage containers in the area. A total of 56 firefighters responded to the incident, and the fire was completely extinguished without spreading to nearby structures. Witnesses described the helicopter erupting in a fireball upon impact and noted unusual swaying motion before the crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration announced they will investigate the incident. The cause of the crash remains unknown, and authorities have not determined the total number of people aboard the helicopter. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom issued statements expressing condolences to the families and thanking first responders. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath noted "serious questions about what happened tonight" while emphasizing that immediate focus should remain on supporting those affected and first responders.