Full Breakdown
Tragic Crash of NBC Los Angeles News Helicopter in Chatsworth
By Drooid · · How we work
Crash Details
On Tuesday evening, just before 7 p.m., the NBC Los Angeles NewsChopper 4 went down in a parking lot near North Mason Avenue in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles. The aircraft, operated by Angel City Air, struck the ground between two commercial buildings, ignited, and caused a fire that damaged four cars and two storage containers. Three people were killed – pilot George Marciniw, aerial photojournalist Eliana Moreno, and a pedestrian on the ground – and a fourth person was taken to a hospital with an undisclosed condition.
Preceding Bus Collision
Earlier that day, an SUV collided with a Los Angeles Metro bus on Nordhoff Street, killing at least two people and injuring six. The bus crash prompted multiple news helicopters, including NewsChopper 4, to hover over the scene to provide aerial coverage. The helicopter crash occurred roughly 1.5 miles from the bus-collision site.
Casualties and Damage
- Fatalities: 3 (Marciniw, Moreno, one ground pedestrian)
- Injured: 1 hospitalized, condition not released
- Property damage: 4 automobiles and 2 storage containers burned before the fire was extinguished
- Emergency response: More than 50 firefighters attended the scene
Witness Accounts
Witness Zareh Sevanesian described seeing the helicopter “not flying right” before it descended and crashed.
Official Responses
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the night “heartbreaking” and expressed sympathy for the families of the five Angelenos who died that evening (the two bus-collision victims and the three helicopter victims).
The Los Angeles Fire Department indicated that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will investigate the crash, with investigators expected to arrive the following day.
Ongoing Investigation and Broader Context
The incident adds to a record of at least eight fatal news-helicopter crashes in the United States since 2000, which together have claimed 16 lives. Federal accident records cited by NPR highlight similar accidents in New Jersey (2023) and North Carolina (2022). The forthcoming NTSB and FAA investigation will determine the cause and may influence future safety protocols for aerial news gathering.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Some outlets reported that the third fatality was a pedestrian on the ground, while others could not confirm whether the remaining two victims were aboard the helicopter or also on the ground.
- The identity of the ground pedestrian has not been released.
- Initial statements varied on the number of patients assessed at the scene (four patients, three deceased, one transported).
Verbatim Quotes
- “We’re going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, to process and to regroup,” — Colleen Williams
- “From the helicopter itself, it's pretty well destroyed,” — Brandon Silverman, fire department captain
- “I saw the helicopter — something didn’t look right. And I told my wife, ‘That helicopter is not flying right.’” — Zareh Sevanesian, witness
- “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,” — Gov. Gavin Newsom, california governor