Los Angeles – A news helicopter operated for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 crashed in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, on Tuesday evening, September 15, 2026, killing three people and leaving two others hospitalized. The helicopter was covering an earlier deadly collision involving a Metro bus and an SUV when it went down shortly before 7 p.m. local time.
The aircraft, known as NewsChopper4, was owned and operated by Angel City Air. It was a Eurocopter AS350 B2 carrying two people: aerial journalist and photojournalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. Both died in the crash. The third fatality was 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia, who was on the ground when the helicopter crashed.
How the helicopter crash happened
The helicopter came down in the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue, between commercial buildings in Chatsworth’s San Fernando Valley. The impact triggered a fire and damaged vehicles and storage containers in the area. More than 70 firefighters responded to the scene, according to reports from local authorities. Two additional people were transported to hospitals for treatment.
The crew had been providing aerial coverage of an earlier crash involving a Metro bus and an SUV. That collision, which occurred several hours before the helicopter accident, resulted in two deaths and multiple injuries. The two incidents occurred in the same Chatsworth community but are being investigated as separate events.
NTSB investigates cause
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has taken the lead in investigating the helicopter crash, with investigators examining the wreckage, maintenance records, weather conditions, pilot training and witness accounts.
Investigators have also identified the helicopter’s live news footage as an important source of evidence. NTSB investigator-in-charge Fabian Salazar said the recording captured sounds that appeared consistent with changes in engine speed, along with cockpit advisory tones. The agency plans to obtain a pristine copy for detailed sound analysis.
A witness told NBC Los Angeles that the helicopter appeared to sway before gradually losing altitude. Such observations are part of the investigation, while the NTSB has not established an official cause.
The agency expects a preliminary report within about 30 days. A final determination of the accident’s cause can take considerably longer as investigators analyze technical, operational and environmental evidence.
Moreno and Marciniw were remembered by colleagues as experienced members of Southern California’s aerial news operation. Their deaths have deeply affected the NBC4 and Telemundo 52 communities as the investigation continues.