A news assignment turned tragic in Los Angeles after an NBC news helicopter crashed while covering a deadly road accident, killing three people and injuring two others.
The NewsChopper 4 helicopter went down shortly before 7 pm on Tuesday in Chatsworth, a neighbourhood in the San Fernando Valley. The aircraft was operated by Angel City Air and was being used by NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52.
The helicopter had been sent to cover a serious collision involving a Los Angeles Metro bus and a passenger vehicle. Several emergency crews were already working at the scene when the helicopter crashed nearby.
The aircraft came down near a commercial and storage facility and quickly caught fire. Flames spread to four cars and two storage containers in the area, prompting a major response from the Los Angeles Fire Department.
More than 70 firefighters were involved in the operation. Crews managed to bring the fire under control and prevent it from spreading to nearby buildings.
Five people were assessed at the scene after the helicopter crash. Three were pronounced dead, while two others were taken to hospital. Their condition was not immediately known.
Two of those killed were inside the helicopter. Another victim was found outside the aircraft.
The victims included veteran reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw, both employees of Angel City Air. Their deaths sent shock waves through the Los Angeles media community, where news helicopter crews regularly provide live coverage of major breaking events.
The helicopter was covering another serious accident when it crashed.
A Los Angeles Metro bus and an SUV had collided in the Chatsworth area earlier on Tuesday. The road accident had already resulted in multiple deaths and injuries, drawing police, firefighters, paramedics and several news organisations to the area.
News helicopters were flying over the scene as television crews followed developments from the air. The NBC helicopter was among the aircraft covering the incident.
The crash happened around 1.6 kilometres from the original collision site. The aircraft came down between commercial properties near Mason Avenue before bursting into flames.
The sudden loss of contact with the helicopter shocked the NBC4 newsroom. The station was initially trying to establish what had happened to its crew while continuing to cover the developing story.
NBC4 later confirmed the crash during its live coverage. Journalists at the station continued reporting from the scene even as they learned that their colleagues were among those who had died.
The incident has deeply affected the local media industry, with journalists and broadcasters across Los Angeles expressing condolences to the victims’ families and colleagues.
Emergency teams reached the crash site quickly and worked through the burning wreckage. Police secured the area while firefighters dealt with the flames and paramedics treated the injured.
Authorities have not yet determined what caused the helicopter to crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the incident. Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft wreckage, flight records, communications, weather conditions and other evidence as they try to establish what happened in the final moments before the crash.
Officials have not suggested a possible cause, and no conclusion has been reached.
The investigation could take time, particularly as authorities work to reconstruct the helicopter’s movements and determine whether any mechanical, operational or environmental factors played a role.
The crash has also drawn attention to the risks faced by television news crews working from the air. News helicopters are widely used across Los Angeles to cover traffic accidents, wildfires, police operations and other breaking stories.
Such aircraft allow broadcasters to provide live pictures from locations that can be difficult to reach quickly from the ground. Crews often work under pressure while flying over busy roads, emergency scenes and densely populated areas.
The tragedy was particularly painful because the crew had been carrying out a routine journalistic assignment when their own helicopter became the centre of a breaking news story.
The Chatsworth community was already dealing with the deaths and injuries from the earlier road collision. The helicopter crash added another tragedy to an already devastating evening.
Los Angeles officials expressed condolences to the victims and praised firefighters, paramedics and police officers who responded to both incidents.
The focus now remains on the families of those who died and the people recovering in hospital.
As the investigation continues, authorities will work to establish exactly what happened before the helicopter went down. The findings of the NTSB and FAA are expected to provide a clearer picture of the circumstances surrounding the Los Angeles helicopter crash.
