Three people died when an NBC4 news helicopter crashed and burst into flames Tuesday night in Chatsworth, minutes after a nearby Metro bus collision that killed two others.
The aircraft went down about 7 p.m. between two commercial buildings in the 9100 block of Mason Avenue. Two other people from the helicopter were taken to a hospital.
KNBC identified the dead as reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw.
The station’s Chopper 4 had been covering the bus crash when contact was lost. Anchor Colleen Williams later confirmed the crash on air and briefly suspended live coverage.
The crash site was already crowded with police, firefighters and news crews responding to the bus wreck a few blocks away. Witnesses described a fireball and a loud explosion.
Live video from the helicopter captured its final moments: an aerial shot of the bus scene, the sound of the engine winding down, the camera tilting downward, and Moreno asking, “You can’t pull up?” before the feed cut out.
🇺🇸‼️ News helicopter crashes and falls on a pedestrian!
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) September 16, 2026
The NBC4 news helicopter crashed in Los Angeles, killing at least three while filming a news story.
It was reporting on a car accident in which two people were killed and six others injured Tuesday. An SUV slammed into a… pic.twitter.com/cUR99PWvaQ
Veteran news helicopter pilot Zoey Tur, who has flown the same type of aircraft, said onboard audio appears to capture the engine shutting down, followed by a low-rotor-RPM warning horn and slowing blade slap. Why the rotors stopped despite remaining fuel is unknown.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.