Tragedy in LA: NBC News Chopper Crash Kills 3, Including Pilot & Photojournalist

A devastating incident unfolded in Los Angeles as an NBC News helicopter, NewsChopper 4, crashed while covering the aftermath of a bus accident in Chatsworth, claiming the lives of three individuals. The tragic accident occurred on Tuesday evening, sending shockwaves through the community and the news industry.

Two of the victims have been identified as veteran pilot George Marciniw and aerial photojournalist Eliana Moreno.

Both were familiar faces to viewers of NBC4 and its Spanish-language sister station, Telemundo 52, and hailed from Southern California.

The identity of the third person, who was reportedly on the ground in a parking lot near the commercial buildings where the aircraft crashed, has not yet been released.

The helicopter was in the San Fernando Valley's Chatsworth neighborhood, filming the wreckage of a city bus collision with an SUV that had earlier resulted in two deaths and six injuries. Live video transmissions were being sent back to the station when the chopper suddenly encountered difficulties.

Eyewitness Zareh Sevanesian described seeing the helicopter's "erratic descent," noting that "something didn't look right" before it crashed between two commercial buildings.

Veteran chopper pilot and former Emmy-winning news reporter Zoey Tur, known for filming the O.J. Simpson Bronco chase, analyzed footage, suggesting an engine failure was the cause. Tur pointed out audible cues like a "low rotor RPM annunciator horn going off" and the engine revving down, indicating a slow response to entering an auto-rotation by the pilot in command.

First responders rushed to the scene at Lurline Avenue and Nordhoff Street at approximately 6:58 p.m. Footage showed at least four vehicles and two shipping containers engulfed in flames, requiring 70 firefighters to extinguish the blaze. Three people were pronounced dead at the crash site, and another individual was transported to a local hospital, though their condition remains unknown.

NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement expressing deep sorrow and extending heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of those who lost their lives. The emotional impact was evident when NBC4 anchors reported live on air that their own helicopter, NewsChopper 4, was involved, with anchor Colleen Williams stating,

We knew we’d lost contact with our people out there, and we’ve just received the confirmation that, in fact, NewsChopper 4 went down.

This incident painfully underscores the inherent dangers faced by aerial news crews working to bring critical information to the public, transforming the reporters into the subject of the news.

#LAhelicopterCrash #NewsChopper4 #AviationSafety