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NTSB Cites Video in Fatal NBC4 Helicopter Crash

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 2:58 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

NBC4 Helicopter Crash

A NBC4 news helicopter crashed in Los Angeles, killing reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, and pedestrian Edy Gutierrez Mejia.
The crash occurred around 7 p.m. on Sept. 15, 2026, near Mason Avenue in Chatsworth.
NTSB investigators cited onboard video and audio showing engine speed changes and a low-rotor-RPM warning.
Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said the sounds suggest possible loss of engine power and rotor slowdown.

Summary

Rios Arrested Murder

Police arrested Bailee Lynn Rios on murder charges after she drove her SUV wrong-way into a bus.
Rios’ Ford Expedition ran a red light on Nordhoff Street, colliding with the bus at 5:03 p.m.
The crash killed two passengers and injured six, prompting news helicopters to converge on the scene.
Angel City Air’s helicopter was owned by Tiny Bubbles Aviation, a Welk Aviation division at Whiteman Airport.

History

Historical Context

On September 15 2026, an NBC 4 news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, killing three crew members. The accident showed low-rotor-RPM warnings similar to power-loss crashes of Bell 206B news helicopters in the late 1970s, such as a 1979 Virginia incident. The similarity has prompted U.S. regulators to re-evaluate safety standards for news-gathering helicopters.

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NBC4 Helicopter Crash

A NBC4 news helicopter crashed in Los Angeles, killing reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, and pedestrian Edy Gutierrez Mejia.
The crash occurred around 7 p.m. on Sept. 15, 2026, near Mason Avenue in Chatsworth.
NTSB investigators cited onboard video and audio showing engine speed changes and a low-rotor-RPM warning.
Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said the sounds suggest possible loss of engine power and rotor slowdown.

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