The aircraft was covering a deadly Metro bus collision in Chatsworth when it went down near commercial buildings Tuesday evening.
LOS ANGELES — Three people were killed Tuesday evening when a news helicopter providing aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 crashed in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles while covering another deadly crash nearby, authorities and the television stations said.
The helicopter went down at about 6:57 p.m. in the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue, between commercial buildings in the San Fernando Valley community. The aircraft struck an area with vehicles and storage containers and caught fire. The Los Angeles Fire Department said three people were pronounced dead at the scene. Federal investigators are examining what caused the aircraft to go down.
NBC Los Angeles identified the two people aboard NewsChopper4 as aerial journalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. Both worked for Angel City Air, which operated the helicopter while providing aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52. A third person who was on the ground was also killed. CBS Los Angeles later reported that the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified the ground victim as 29-year-old Edy Guitierrez Mejia.
The Fire Department’s written incident update said 56 firefighters responded to the crash and extinguished the fire before it spread into nearby structures. Four automobiles and two storage containers were damaged. The initial written update listed one person transported to a hospital in unknown condition, while later reports citing fire officials said two people were hospitalized. Details about their conditions and the circumstances of their injuries were not immediately released.
Witnesses told NBC Los Angeles that the helicopter appeared to move unusually before losing altitude. One witness said the aircraft seemed to sway before dropping toward a parking area at a storage business. The account describes what was seen from the ground but does not establish why the helicopter crashed. Investigators had not announced a cause as of Wednesday morning.
NewsChopper4 had been dispatched to cover a serious collision about two hours earlier involving a sport utility vehicle and a Los Angeles Metro bus. That crash was reported shortly after 5 p.m. near Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue in Chatsworth. Authorities said at least two people were killed and six others were injured. The SUV became partially lodged in the bus after the collision.
Los Angeles police said Wednesday that the SUV driver, who was among those injured, was expected to be arrested on suspicion of murder after being released from the hospital. Police told NBC Los Angeles that investigators suspected reckless driving, running a red light and possible driving under the influence. Those allegations relate to the earlier bus collision and remain under investigation. No connection has been reported between the cause of the bus crash and the later helicopter crash beyond the helicopter crew’s assignment to cover the scene.
NBC Los Angeles reported that NewsChopper4 launched from a nearby airport at about 5:20 p.m. The station lost contact with the aircraft shortly before 7 p.m. NBC4 later confirmed during its broadcast that the helicopter had crashed. NBC4 and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement expressing condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who died.
Moreno was a Southern California aerial journalist who had worked from news helicopters for years. NBC Los Angeles said she was born in Orange County, graduated from Chapman University in 2010 after studying broadcast journalism and political science, and joined the Angel City Air helicopter team later that year. She provided aerial reporting for multiple Southern California news organizations during her career.
Marciniw grew up in Southern California and graduated from Burbank High School in 1974, according to NBC Los Angeles. The station said Moreno and Marciniw began flying together in 2023. Their deaths prompted condolences across the Los Angeles television news community, where helicopter crews frequently work alongside competing stations while covering breaking news, wildfires, traffic incidents and police activity.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating the Sept. 15 crash of a Eurocopter AS 350 B2 helicopter in Chatsworth. NTSB investigators were expected at the scene Wednesday morning, and the Federal Aviation Administration is also involved. Authorities had not announced a cause, and investigators had not released findings on whether a mechanical problem, weather, pilot actions or another factor contributed to the crash.
The helicopter crash and the earlier bus collision left Chatsworth dealing with two deadly incidents within hours of each other. The investigation into the helicopter crash remains with federal aviation authorities, while Los Angeles police continue their investigation into the Metro bus collision.
Author note: Last updated September 16, 2026.