NewsChopper4 Crash in Los Angeles Kills Reporter, Pilot and Ground Victim

A tragic helicopter crash in Los Angeles has claimed the lives of three people, including a veteran aerial reporter and a longtime pilot, after NBC4’s NewsChopper4 went down while covering a nearby traffic collision.

The helicopter crashed shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 15, in Chatsworth, a community in the San Fernando Valley. The aircraft went down between commercial buildings and burst into flames, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The helicopter was NewsChopper4, operated by Angel City Air and used by NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 for aerial news coverage.

The two people aboard were identified as Eliana “Eli” Moreno, an experienced aerial reporter and photographer, and George Marciniw, the helicopter’s pilot. Both were employees of Angel City Air. NBC4 said Moreno had been a familiar presence during the station’s aerial coverage, while reports noted that she and Marciniw had been flying together since 2023.

A third person on the ground was also killed in the crash. Two additional people were taken to hospitals following the incident, although their conditions were not immediately released. The crash also caused a fire that damaged several vehicles and storage containers near the impact site.

The helicopter had been dispatched to cover an earlier collision involving an SUV and a Metro bus nearby. That crash had already left at least two people dead and six others injured, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Several news helicopters were in the area covering the incident when NewsChopper4 went down.

The tragedy unfolded during a live news operation, and NBC4 anchors later confirmed on air that they had lost two of their colleagues. The station and Telemundo 52 expressed their condolences to the families, friends and coworkers of those who died.

The cause of the helicopter crash has not been determined. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident, with investigators expected to examine the aircraft, the crash site and other available evidence.

For the Los Angeles news community, the loss is especially painful. Moreno had spent years reporting from the skies over Southern California, bringing viewers a perspective that helped document fires, crashes and other major events across the region.

What began as another assignment to cover breaking news ended in a devastating loss for Moreno’s family, Marciniw’s loved ones and the colleagues who worked alongside them.

The investigation continues as authorities work to determine what caused NewsChopper4 to fall from the sky that September evening.

Source: NY post