In Los Angeles The NewsChopper4 news helicopter, which was providing aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52, has crashed. The crash took place on the evening of 15 September in the Chatsworth area, whilst journalists were covering another fatal accident — a collision between an off-road vehicle and a city bus. The helicopter crashed at around 7.00 pm local time on a plot of land between two commercial buildings and burst into flames. Three people were killed and one other person was taken to hospital. Among the dead are two members of the NewsChopper4 crew.
Key points at a glance:
- A NewsChopper4 crashed whilst covering a road accident in Los Angeles.
- Three people died in the accident.
- Among the dead were two members of the helicopter’s crew.
- Another person has been admitted to hospital.
- The NTSB and the FAA are investigating the cause of the accident.
A helicopter crashed whilst covering a fatal road accident
The accident happened at 18:57 in the neighbourhood of 9100 North Mason Avenue in Chatsworth — a district in the north of Los Angeles.
At that point, several television helicopters were flying over the area, filming the aftermath of a major road accident that had occurred approximately two hours earlier. NBC4 confirmed that the aircraft involved in the crash was in fact NewsChopper4. It was operated by Angel City Air on behalf of NBC4 and Telemundo 52.
According to eyewitnesses, the helicopter was behaving unusually and swaying before it crashed. After hitting the ground, it turned into a fireball almost immediately.
Clips from NewsChopper4’s final broadcast are also circulating online. However, the footage itself does not reveal the technical cause of the crash — there are currently no official findings from the investigators as to exactly what happened to the helicopter whilst in the air.
A journalist and a pilot were killed
NBC4 has already identified two of the victims who were on board.
This is Eliana Moreno, a long-standing member of the NBC4 and Telemundo 52 aerial filming team, and a pilot George Marciniv. The company stated that they began working together on NewsChopper4 in 2023.
A third person died on the ground. According to preliminary reports from the Los Angeles Fire Department, the victim was in a car park next to a commercial building when the helicopter crashed. Another person was taken to hospital; details of their condition were not initially disclosed.
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 have expressed their condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who have died.
After the crash, the cars caught fire
The impact caused a major fire. The fire damaged four parked cars and two storage containers.
More than 50 firefighters were called in to deal with the aftermath. The helicopter itself was so badly damaged that the rescue workers could not even make out its registration number at first. The firefighters put out the fire, preventing it from spreading to neighbouring buildings.
Another fatal accident occurred prior to the disaster
NewsChopper4 was covering the scene of the road traffic accident at the junction of Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue.
There, an off-road vehicle crashed into a Metro bus with such force that part of the vehicle ended up inside the bus. According to the latest reports from NBC4, in this accident Three people were killed and a further six were hospitalised.
It was the aftermath of this road accident that television crews were covering when the second tragedy occurred — the crash of a news helicopter.
Consequently, two accidents in the same area of Los Angeles claimed the lives of at least six people.
The cause of the disaster is as yet unknown
As of the morning of 16 September, there is no official explanation for the crash of NewsChopper4.
The investigation will be carried out The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Aviation experts are to be sent to the scene to examine the wreckage, the helicopter’s technical condition, its maintenance history and any available flight records.
Therefore, reports of a possible engine failure or other technical fault remain mere speculation for the time being. NBC4 explicitly states that The cause of the disaster is currently unknown.
