Photo: Jocelyn Augustino | Public domain | Wikimedia Commons
Three Killed In Los Angeles NBC4 News Helicopter Crash; NTSB, FAA Open Probe
Three people were killed when NBC4 Los Angeles's news helicopter crashed just before 7 p.m. Central on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles.[1]
NBC4 and local authorities confirmed two of the dead were reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw, and that a man on the ground also died.[1] The Los Angeles Fire Department said the aircraft went down between two commercial buildings at 9151 N. Mason Ave., burning at least four vehicles and two storage containers as more than 50 firefighters responded; one person was taken to a hospital.[2] The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) opened a formal investigation and sent personnel to the scene the following day.[1]
Earlier the same evening, an SUV struck a city bus about 1.5 miles away, killing at least two people and injuring six, and NBC4's crew had been covering that fatal bus collision when the chopper lost altitude and crashed.[1] Live video from the helicopter captured cockpit alarms and a brief exchange that included "uh oh" and "You can't pull up?", audio investigators and safety experts called critical evidence in reconstructing the final seconds.[1]
Initial coverage varied, with early reports offering conflicting casualty counts and limited details about who was aboard the aircraft.[3] Later reporting and station confirmations identified two NBC4 employees among the dead and highlighted cockpit audio that aviation experts described as having "all the earmarks" of a possible loss of engine power and dangerously low rotor RPM.[1]
The driver who struck the bus was later charged with murder, and a candlelight vigil on Thursday evening honored victims of both the bus collision and the helicopter crash.[4]
Show source details & analysis (11 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- The Los Angeles Fire Department said the helicopter crashed just before 7 p.m. Central on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, between two commercial buildings at 9151 N. Mason Ave. in the Chatsworth neighborhood.
- Three people were killed in the crash — including NBC4 reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw — and multiple other people were treated or transported to hospitals.
- The aircraft was NBC4 Los Angeles news helicopter covering an earlier SUV–city bus collision when it lost altitude and crashed while reporting Tuesday night.
- Fire from the crash burned at least four vehicles and two storage containers; more than 50 firefighters responded and the blaze was extinguished Tuesday evening.
- The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration opened a formal investigation and sent personnel to the scene on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
- Live video from the helicopter captured cockpit alarm sounds widely identified as a low rotor RPM warning and brief crew dialogue (including 'uh oh' and 'You can't pull up?'), which investigators and experts called critical evidence.
- Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said the alarm and flight profile had 'all the earmarks' of a potential loss of engine power and dangerously low main rotor RPM, suggesting the pilot attempted an autorotation.
- The earlier SUV–city bus collision about 1.5 miles away killed at least two people and injured six, and the driver charged with murder in that crash was later linked in reporting to the related response in the area; a candlelight vigil was held Thursday evening, September 17, 2026, in Chatsworth honoring victims of both incidents.
📰 Source Timeline (11)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
September 18, 2026
4:27 AM
Driver who slammed into LA bus before news helicopter crash is charged with murder
New information:
- Article reports that a candlelight vigil on Thursday evening, September 17, 2026, in the Chatsworth neighborhood honored victims of both the news helicopter crash and the earlier bus collision.
- It reiterates that the helicopter crash killed pilot George Marciniw, reporter Eliana Moreno, and a man on the ground, Edy Gutierrez Mejia, and burned at least four cars and two storage containers.
- National Transportation Safety Board investigator Fabian Salazar is quoted saying that the final seconds of broadcast video, including cockpit alarm sounds and crew dialogue, are "probably the most important evidence" identified so far.
- Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti interprets the audible alarm as suggesting potential loss of engine power and dangerously low main rotor RPM, offering a more specific hypothesis about the mechanical failure under investigation.
September 16, 2026
11:39 PM
Details on news helicopter crash in LA, killing 3
New information:
- CBS segment confirms that on Tuesday night, September 15, 2026, the NBC4 Los Angeles news helicopter went down while the onboard reporter was covering a fatal bus accident.
- The CBS report reiterates that two NBC LA employees were killed in the crash along with one person on the ground, aligning with previously reported casualty figures.
- The piece characterizes the earlier road incident as a 'fatal bus accident,' consistent with prior descriptions of an SUV-city bus collision.
4:54 PM
3 people killed in news helicopter crash while covering LA bus collision
New information:
- Article confirms the crash occurred Tuesday, September 15, 2026, in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles while the helicopter covered an SUV–city bus collision that killed at least two and injured six.
- Los Angeles Fire Department officials say three people were killed, including reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw aboard the helicopter and one person on the ground, and at least two others were transported to a hospital.
- Live video from the helicopter captured a cockpit alarm widely identified by an expert as a low rotor RPM warning, along with a brief exchange — including 'uh oh' and 'You can't pull up?' — before the feed cut out.
- Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti, formerly with NTSB and FAA, said the alarm and flight profile have "all the earmarks" of a potential loss of engine power and dangerous decrease in main rotor speed and described the pilot's apparent attempt at autorotation.
- The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration stated that personnel would arrive Wednesday, September 16, 2026, to start a formal investigation into the crash.
- NBC4 and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement expressing condolences, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom publicly acknowledged the crash and thanked emergency responders.
1:02 PM
At least 3 dead after news chopper crashes while covering bus accident, officials say
New information:
- CBS News video piece, published 8:02 a.m. Central on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, reiterates that at least three people were killed when a news helicopter crashed in Los Angeles while covering a fatal bus accident.
- The segment specifies that one of the dead is a local NBC journalist, aligning with later identification of NBC4 personnel but without providing additional names or operational details.
- Article confirms the helicopter was actively covering the earlier fatal bus crash at the time of the incident, reinforcing the link between the two events.
12:48 PM
Los Angeles reporter, pilot among 3 killed in helicopter crash
New information:
- CBS News aired a segment on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, confirming that three people, including an NBC4 Los Angeles reporter and the pilot, were killed when the news helicopter crashed in the San Fernando Valley.
- The CBS segment reiterates that an NBC4 reporter and pilot are among the dead but does not provide additional names or casualty details beyond earlier print and broadcast reporting.
- The article does not add new timing or cause details beyond that the crash involved a news helicopter covering a story in the San Fernando Valley area.
12:17 PM
NBC reporter, pilot among the victims identified in deadly Los Angeles helicopter crash
New information:
- NBC4 Los Angeles confirmed Wednesday that two of the victims were journalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw, both employees of Angel City Air who operated NBC4's NewsChopper4.
- NBC4 confirmed the helicopter belonged to the network and was covering a deadly bus crash in downtown Los Angeles when it lost altitude and crashed Tuesday night, September 15, 2026.
- NBC4 and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement expressing condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those killed.
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom released a public statement on X expressing sympathy for the victims and thanking first responders.
- The article reiterates that the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration will send investigators to the crash site on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, to probe the cause.
4:37 AM
Helicopter crashes and bursts into flames, killing at least 3 people near an LA bus collision
New information:
- Article confirms on-air that the crashed aircraft was NBC4 Los Angeles's news helicopter, with an anchor stating the station's chopper went down just before 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
- Los Angeles Fire Department said the helicopter crash occurred around 7 p.m. Tuesday near a one-story commercial building in Chatsworth as news crews were covering an earlier SUV-versus-city-bus crash.
- Officials said at least three people were killed in the helicopter crash, including at least one person who was outside in a parking lot next to the building; it remains unclear whether the other two victims were on the ground or inside the aircraft.
- The report links the helicopter crash to a separate incident about two hours earlier in which an SUV slammed into the middle of a city bus about 1.5 miles away, killing at least two people and injuring six others.
- Los Angeles Fire Department reiterated that more than 50 firefighters responded, at least four cars and two storage containers burned, and the helicopter was described as 'pretty well destroyed', requiring investigators to sort through the wreckage to determine how many people had been aboard.
4:06 AM
Helicopter crashes and kills at least 3 people near a bus crash in Los Angeles
New information:
- NPR reports the helicopter crashed Tuesday, September 15, 2026, into a parking lot near a deadly bus crash in Los Angeles' Chatsworth neighborhood.
- Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Branden Silverman said at least one person killed was outside in the parking lot and that officials are still trying to determine how many people were inside the helicopter.
- Silverman described the helicopter as 'pretty well destroyed' and said investigators will have to go through the rubble to determine how many victims were on board.
- NPR notes that the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will handle the crash investigation.
- The article reiterates that four vehicles and two storage containers in the parking area were damaged by fire, which was extinguished by Tuesday evening.
3:51 AM
3 dead, 1 hospitalized after news helicopter crashes in Los Angeles commercial area
New information:
- The Los Angeles Fire Department said the crash occurred just before 7 p.m. local time on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, between two commercial buildings at 9151 N. Mason Ave. in the Chatsworth neighborhood.
- LAFD Capt. Branden Silverman said four people were assessed at the scene; three were pronounced dead and a fourth person was transported to a local hospital in unknown condition.
- Silverman said one of the victims was a pedestrian in the parking lot, while authorities have not yet said whether the other victims were aboard the helicopter or on the ground.
- Fire from the crash damaged four vehicles and two storage containers but did not expose or ignite nearby buildings, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
- Silverman said the aircraft appeared to be a news helicopter, though officials have not confirmed which outlet owned or operated it or how many people had been on board.