Story perspectives

NTSB and FAA Investigate Fatal NBC4 Chopper Crash

By Drooid · Sep 16, 2026, 10:13 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

NBC4 NewsChopper4 crashed in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, killing journalist Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw and pedestrian Edy Gutierrez Mejia.
The Eurocopter AS350 crashed before 7 p.m. on Sept. 15, 2026 while covering a Metro bus-SUV collision that killed at least two people.
Two bystanders were hospitalized with injuries and fire damaged four cars and two storage containers.
The NTSB and FAA will investigate; Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom thanked first responders.

History

Historical Context

On September 15 2026 a KNBC/KVEA Angel City Air Eurocopter AS350 crashed in Chatsworth, killing three—pilot George Marciniw, reporter Eliana Moreno and pedestrian Edy Gutierrez Mejia—and injuring two others. The accident follows a string of news-helicopter disasters—such as the 2007 Phoenix mid-air collision and the 2004 Nagano power-line strike—that have spurred ongoing FAA and NTSB review of low-altitude urban flight safety.

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Story summary

NBC4 NewsChopper4 crashed in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, killing journalist Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw and pedestrian Edy Gutierrez Mejia.
The Eurocopter AS350 crashed before 7 p.m. on Sept. 15, 2026 while covering a Metro bus-SUV collision that killed at least two people.
Two bystanders were hospitalized with injuries and fire damaged four cars and two storage containers.
The NTSB and FAA will investigate; Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom thanked first responders.

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