NBC4 News Helicopter Crash in Los Angeles Kills Three While Covering Deadly Bus Collision

Three people were killed Tuesday evening, September 15, 2026, after a news helicopter providing aerial coverage for NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 crashed in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said 67 firefighters responded to the crash, which happened between two commercial buildings. Fire crews found an active fire from the downed aircraft that threatened nearby vehicles. The fire was extinguished before it spread to surrounding commercial structures, but four automobiles and two storage containers were damaged.

Three people were pronounced dead at the scene. One additional patient was taken to a hospital in unknown condition, according to LAFD.

NBC Los Angeles identified the helicopter as NewsChopper4, operated by Angel City Air. The station said the aircraft was providing aerial coverage of a fatal collision involving a Metro bus and a passenger vehicle less than a mile away.

NBC4 and Telemundo 52 identified two of those killed as journalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. NBC4 later reported that the third person killed on the ground was Edy Gutierrez Mejia, 29.

The earlier bus collision also turned deadly. LAFD said the bus crash injured eight people and left two dead. Together, the two incidents marked a tragic day in Chatsworth, with five confirmed deaths across the bus collision and helicopter crash.

Investigation Underway

The crash site remained secured after the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are leading the investigation into what caused the helicopter to go down.

Officials have not yet announced a final cause. Aviation crash investigations can take months or longer as investigators review aircraft wreckage, maintenance records, weather conditions, communications and witness accounts.

NBC4 anchors and reporters covered the tragedy while also mourning their colleagues, saying the station had lost contact with the helicopter crew before confirming that NewsChopper4 had crashed.

The incident has deeply affected the Southern California journalism community, where news helicopters are often used to cover breaking news, traffic emergencies, wildfires and public safety incidents.
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