Full Breakdown
Tragedy Over Chatsworth: News Helicopter Crash While Covering Bus Collision
By Drooid · · How we work
The Fatal Crash
On September 15, 2026, a Eurocopter AS-350 B2 operated by Angel City Air went down in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles while reporting on a violent collision between a Metro bus and an SUV. The crash killed NBC 4 and Telemundo 52 aerial reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, and 29-year-old pedestrian Edy Gutierrez Mejía. Two additional people were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. The helicopter struck the roof of a storage facility on the 9100 block of Mason Avenue and ignited a fire that damaged nearby vehicles.
History of Aerial News Reporting in Los Angeles
Los Angeles pioneered televised aerial news with the 1958 “Telecopter,” a helicopter retrofitted by KTLA chief engineer John Silva to transmit live footage. Crews such as Zoey Tur and Marika Gerrard later made helicopters a staple of West-coast news gathering.
Safety Record of News Helicopters
Federal accident records show at least eight fatal news-helicopter crashes in the United States since 2000, resulting in 16 deaths. The 2026 Chatsworth incident adds three more fatalities to that tally. Past accidents have prompted safety reforms, such as the 2007 Phoenix agreement for stations to share a single helicopter after a mid-air collision.
Investigation Findings So Far
NTSB investigator-in-charge Fabian Salazar began on-scene examination on September 16, 2026. Audio captured from the crew’s own camera shows the engine’s RPM dropping, followed by a warning horn. Jeff Guzzetti, a former NTSB and FAA investigator, identified the horn as the low-rotor-RPM alert that signals loss of rotor speed. Jack Cress, a former Marine Corps pilot, explained that the helicopter was hovering at low altitude—a position known as the “dead-man’s curve”—which leaves little margin for an emergency autorotation maneuver. While the aircraft’s fuel appeared present, investigators have not ruled out a mechanical malfunction that prevented fuel delivery to the engine.
Official Statements & Responses
NBC 4 and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement expressing deep sorrow for the families of the three victims. Angel City Air confirmed cooperation with the NTSB and FAA, declined to speculate on cause, and asked for privacy for grieving staff. Mayor Karen Bass called the night “heartbreaking” and pledged support for first responders and families. Governor Gavin Newsom thanked emergency crews and offered condolences on social media. NBC 4 anchor Colleen Williams announced the loss on air, noting the station would take time to process the tragedy.
On-the-Ground Accounts
Witness Zareh Sevanesian described the helicopter “swaying” before it began a steady descent, saying, “Something didn’t look right.” His observations align with the audio evidence of a sudden loss of rotor speed.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
No definitive cause has been released. Some experts, including Guzzetti, suggest the engine loss points to a mechanical issue rather than fuel exhaustion, while others note the presence of fuel in the wreckage. The NTSB has emphasized the need for a “pristine copy” of the cockpit recording to conduct a sound-spectrum analysis, indicating that the investigation remains open.
What’s Next
The NTSB plans to issue a preliminary report within 30 days, with a final report expected months later. Ongoing analysis of the cockpit video and wreckage, along with interviews of surviving crew members and witnesses, will determine whether mechanical failure, pilot error, or another factor caused the crash.