3 Dead in NBC Los Angeles News Helicopter Crash in Chatsworth While Covering Fatal Metro Bus Collision
3 Dead in NBC Los Angeles News Helicopter Crash in Chatsworth While Covering Fatal Metro Bus Collision
On the evening of September 15, 2026, a tragic sequence of events unfolded in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, culminating in the crash of a news helicopter that claimed three lives. The aircraft, known as NewsChopper4 and operated by Angel City Air while providing aerial coverage for NBC Los Angeles (NBC4) and its Spanish-language sister station Telemundo 52, went down shortly before 7 p.m. in a parking lot near a self-storage facility in the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue. The crash killed aerial photojournalist and reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, and one person on the ground later identified as 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia. Two other people were taken to the hospital.
The helicopter had been dispatched to cover an earlier deadly collision involving a Los Angeles Metro bus. That incident occurred around 5:03 p.m. at the intersection of Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue, when a passenger vehicle—a 2004 Ford Expedition driven by 36-year-old Bailee Lynn Rios of Simi Valley—struck a Metro Line 166 bus. Authorities reported that the SUV was traveling the wrong way in the northbound lanes of De Soto Avenue, ran a red light, and collided violently with the eastbound bus. The impact lodged part of the SUV into the side of the bus, killing two bus passengers identified as 46-year-old Daniel Castillo and 31-year-old Gage Weida. Six others were injured and transported to hospitals. Rios was later arrested on suspicion of murder, with reports citing possible reckless driving and DUI factors; she was held on high bail.
Multiple news helicopters were in the air covering the bus crash scene. NewsChopper4, a Eurocopter AS 350 B2, launched from a nearby airport around 5:20 p.m. and provided live aerial views. Contact was lost just before 7 p.m. Witnesses described the helicopter swaying or behaving unusually before gradually losing altitude. One witness, Zareh Sevanesian, who was driving nearby with his wife, said he noticed something wrong: the aircraft was getting lower and lower. He pulled over as fire erupted. Sevanesian described one of the most violent fires he had ever seen and found a person down near the wreckage along with others in distress. Firefighters arrived to find the helicopter engulfed in flames that had spread to nearby parked vehicles. The intense blaze was extinguished after significant effort by Los Angeles Fire Department personnel who were already in the area responding to the bus incident.
Los Angeles Fire Department officials confirmed three people dead at the scene and two others hospitalized (conditions not immediately detailed). One of the fatalities was a pedestrian on the ground; the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later identified that individual as Edy Gutierrez Mejia, 29, who was reportedly visiting from Guatemala. The aircraft crashed between commercial buildings, creating a chaotic and hazardous scene with thick black smoke visible for miles.
NBC Los Angeles anchors delivered the devastating news live on air. Longtime anchor Colleen Williams, her voice emotional, confirmed that NewsChopper4 had gone down: “We knew it was a news chopper, 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 just before 7 o’clock tonight in Chatsworth.” Co-anchor Lynette Romero later expressed heartbreak on the TODAY show, noting that Moreno and Marciniw were “doing what they loved so much” and found comfort in knowing how happy they were in their work covering breaking news from the air. The stations issued a joint statement of deep sadness and condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of those who lost their lives.
Profiles of the Victims
Eliana Moreno was a seasoned aerial photojournalist and reporter familiar to viewers of both NBC4 and Telemundo 52. Born in Orange County, she graduated from Chapman University in 2010 with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. She joined Angel City Air’s helicopter team the same year and built a career reporting from the skies over Southern California for multiple outlets. Known on social media as “Eli in the heli,” she covered countless police pursuits, wildfires, traffic incidents, and other breaking news. Colleagues described her as passionate and dedicated; she had expressed that aerial journalism was “the best job in the world.” Moreno, in her late 30s, was engaged to be married. She was a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, which issued a statement mourning her death.
George Marciniw, the pilot, was a veteran Southern California flyer with deep roots in the region. He graduated from Burbank High School in 1974 and had more than 30 years of flight experience, with reports indicating thousands of flight hours (some accounts citing around 14,000). In addition to piloting news helicopters, he worked as a flight instructor. Marciniw and Moreno had been flying together since 2023. He was well-respected in the industry and lived in the Burbank area. Colleagues and those who knew him highlighted his professionalism and experience in the demanding environment of live aerial news coverage.
The third victim, Edy Gutierrez Mejia, was on the ground in the parking lot area when the helicopter crashed. Limited public details were available beyond his age and the fact that he was visiting from Guatemala. His death underscored the random tragedy that can extend beyond those aboard an aircraft in an urban crash.
Context of News Helicopter Operations and the Investigation
News helicopters play a critical role in local television journalism, especially in a sprawling metropolis like Los Angeles. They provide real-time aerial perspectives on traffic, pursuits, fires, accidents, and other breaking events that ground crews cannot easily access. Angel City Air operates as a full-service aerial production company supporting multiple stations, including providing aircraft for NBC4/Telemundo 52 and others such as KTLA’s Sky5 in some capacities. These operations involve skilled pilots and journalists working in close coordination, often hovering or circling for extended periods over congested urban areas.
Flying news helicopters carries inherent risks: mechanical issues, weather, pilot workload during live broadcasts, airspace congestion with multiple aircraft, and the need for rapid responses. Historical incidents in the industry have highlighted the importance of rigorous maintenance, training, and safety protocols. In this case, some early commentary from aviation observers, including veteran pilot Zoey Tur reviewing available audio, pointed to possible signs of engine failure or low rotor RPM warnings, though official causes remained under investigation and such assessments are preliminary.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the September 15 crash of the Eurocopter AS 350 B2. Investigators arrived on scene the following morning. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also involved, focusing on regulatory and related aspects. A final report from the NTSB can take months or even years as experts examine wreckage, flight data (if available), maintenance records, weather, pilot qualifications, and any audio or video evidence from the aircraft or ground. Preliminary findings were not immediately released beyond confirmation of the investigation.
Community and Official Response
The dual tragedies—five lives lost in total across the bus collision and helicopter crash—prompted widespread grief. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called it “a heartbreaking night for our city,” praising first responders and expressing condolences for all victims and their families. California Governor Gavin Newsom offered similar statements of support for the victims’ families and the NBC4 family while thanking emergency personnel. The tight-knit local news community felt the loss acutely; colleagues continued covering the story even while mourning their own. Emotional on-air moments and tributes reflected the personal bonds formed in high-pressure newsrooms and aerial teams.
First responders from the Los Angeles Fire Department and police demonstrated rapid response capabilities, already staged near the bus crash when the helicopter went down. Their efforts contained the fire and managed the complex multi-incident scene. The proximity of the two events—less than a quarter-mile or so apart—added to the intensity for crews and the public.
Broader Implications for Safety and Journalism
This incident raises ongoing questions about the safety of aerial news gathering in dense urban environments. Helicopters offer unique value for informing the public during emergencies, but each flight involves calculated risks. Advances in technology, including better aircraft systems, improved training for autorotation and emergency procedures, real-time monitoring, and coordination among media aircraft, continue to evolve. Regulatory oversight by the FAA and investigative rigor by the NTSB aim to identify preventable factors and drive improvements across the industry.
For the families of Moreno, Marciniw, Gutierrez Mejia, Castillo, and Weida, the losses are profound and personal. Moreno and Marciniw died while performing the work they loved—bringing critical visual information to viewers during a developing emergency. Their contributions to Southern California journalism, spanning years of coverage from above freeways, wildfires, and crime scenes, left a lasting mark on audiences who relied on those aerial perspectives.
As the NTSB investigation proceeds, more technical details about the sequence of events, any mechanical issues, pilot actions, or other contributing factors are expected to emerge. In the meantime, the focus remains on supporting the affected families, acknowledging the dedication of first responders, and reflecting on the human cost of delivering the news from the skies. The events of that Tuesday evening in Chatsworth serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of life amid the routine intensity of urban emergency response and live journalism.
The combination of a serious traffic fatality followed so closely by an aviation accident created a night of compounded sorrow for Los Angeles. Community members, colleagues, and officials continue to process the losses while the formal inquiries seek answers that may help prevent similar tragedies in the future. Aerial journalism remains an essential, if hazardous, component of modern local news, and the legacy of those who practice it is measured both in the stories they told and in the courage required to tell them from above.
FAQs
1. Who were the victims of the helicopter crash?
Eliana Moreno (aerial journalist for NBC4/Telemundo 52), pilot George Marciniw, and ground victim Edy Gutierrez Mejia, 29.
2. What was the helicopter covering at the time of the crash?
It was providing aerial coverage of a fatal collision between a Metro bus and an SUV that killed two people earlier that evening.
3. What type of helicopter was involved?
A Eurocopter AS 350 B2 operated by Angel City Air as NewsChopper4.
4. Who is investigating the crash?
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation, with involvement from the FAA.
5. Were there other injuries?
Yes, two other people were hospitalized following the helicopter crash; conditions were not immediately detailed.
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