Los Angeles news helicopter crash: What we know about victims, investigation
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Fatal Helicopter Crash in Chatsworth Kills Three
Provpnadvice.com – The Los Angeles news helicopter crash in Chatsworth killed a reporter, a pilot and a man on the ground Tuesday evening as the aircraft covered a separate fatal traffic collision involving an SUV and a Metro bus.
Just before 7 p.m., the helicopter crashed near 9151 N. Mason Ave. between commercial buildings. The aircraft had been broadcasting aerial images of the earlier collision, which killed two Metro bus passengers.
Reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw died aboard the helicopter. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the third victim as Edy Gutierrez Mejia, 29, who was in a business parking lot near the crash scene.
What Viewers Saw Before the Crash
The aircraft was providing aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 when its live camera image appeared to drop. A warning sound could be heard as the situation deteriorated.
“You can’t pull up?” Moreno asks Marciniw.
The video became unstable before the feed ended. After impact, a fire spread to nearby vehicles and storage containers, producing flames and smoke across the commercial area.
First responders were already dealing with the bus collision when the Los Angeles news helicopter crash created a second emergency nearby.
Federal Investigation Underway
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the Sept. 15 crash of a Eurocopter AS 350 B2 helicopter. No preliminary cause had been announced by Wednesday morning.
Fabian Salazar, the investigator in charge, said NTSB personnel would remain at the site for much of the day to document evidence and interview witnesses. Anyone with relevant information or observations of the aircraft may contact the agency at witness@ntsb.gov.
One witness, Allyona Sevanesian, said her husband saw the helicopter moving unusually before it went down.
“I didn’t see it, but my husband did. He did say that it was swaying,” Sevanesian said. “And then immediately after, it was the cloud of smoke.”
An initial factual report is expected within 30 days. A final determination of the cause could take up to 18 months as investigators review wreckage, weather and flight conditions, maintenance history, operating records and witness accounts.
Moreno and Marciniw Remembered
Moreno and Marciniw worked for Angel City Air, which also owns and operates KTLA’s Sky5 helicopter. Both were Southern California natives and had flown together since 2023.
Marciniw graduated from Burbank High School in 1974. Moreno graduated from Chapman University in 2010 with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science.
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 expressed condolences after the fatal accident.
“We are deeply saddened to share that a helicopter providing aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 was involved in a fatal accident in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.”
The losses were felt across Southern California’s journalism community, where air crews regularly report on traffic, fires and rapidly evolving public-safety events.
Two Tragedies on the Same Night
Mayor Karen Bass called the day exceptionally painful for Los Angeles, citing deaths in both the Metro bus collision and the helicopter crash.
“It was a very, very, very tragic day in Los Angeles,” Bass said. “Our hearts are with those impacted by the bus collision and the helicopter crash, and with the entire community who lost members of their team while they were doing their job.”
Although the aircraft was covering the traffic collision when it went down, the aviation investigation is separate from the inquiry into the bus crash.
Chatsworth FAQ
Where did the helicopter crash?
The crash occurred near 9151 N. Mason Ave. in Chatsworth, between commercial buildings and near the earlier traffic-collision scene.
Who is investigating the Los Angeles news helicopter crash?
The NTSB is leading the aviation investigation. Witnesses with relevant information may contact the agency at witness@ntsb.gov.
When will investigators identify a cause?
A preliminary factual report is expected within 30 days, while a final cause determination may take as long as 18 months.
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