NBC News Helicopter Crashes in Los Angeles, Killing Three
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES — WEB DESK: A television news helicopter crashed in Los Angeles while covering an earlier deadly traffic collision, killing three people, including the pilot, a photojournalist and a person on the ground, authorities and broadcasters said.
The helicopter went down shortly before 7pm on Tuesday in the Chatsworth neighbourhood of Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. NBC4 Los Angeles identified the aircraft as NewsChopper 4, which was providing aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52.
The two people aboard the helicopter were identified as pilot George Marciniw and photojournalist Eliana Moreno. Both worked for helicopter operator Angel City Air, according to NBC News. A third person was killed on the ground.
The Los Angeles Fire Department later said two additional people were taken to hospital. Their conditions were not immediately disclosed.
Helicopter Was Covering Deadly Bus Collision
The news helicopter had been dispatched to cover another fatal incident in Chatsworth earlier Tuesday.
That collision involved a passenger vehicle and a Los Angeles Metro bus and had already killed at least two people when news crews arrived to cover the scene. Several television helicopters were reportedly operating in the area.
The NewsChopper 4 aircraft subsequently crashed a short distance away.
Firefighters responded to the helicopter crash near the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue, where the aircraft came down between commercial buildings and caught fire.
The fire damaged four vehicles and two storage containers before emergency crews extinguished it. More than 70 firefighters responded to the scene.
NBC4 Announces Loss During Live Broadcast
NBC4 confirmed the tragedy during its live coverage after the station lost contact with its helicopter crew.
Anchor Colleen Williams told viewers that the station had received confirmation that NewsChopper 4 had gone down shortly before 7pm in Chatsworth.
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 subsequently issued a joint statement expressing condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those killed.
The loss of Marciniw and Moreno was particularly significant for the local news organisations because both were involved directly in aerial newsgathering.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described the night as heartbreaking for the city, while California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed condolences to those affected by both the helicopter and Metro bus crashes.
Cause of Crash Under Investigation
Authorities had not determined the cause of the helicopter crash as of Wednesday.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the accident.
No verified evidence currently establishes whether the crash resulted from a mechanical problem, weather conditions, pilot error, another aircraft or any other factor.
That distinction is important for breaking-news coverage: speculation circulating before the completion of the federal investigation should not be reported as the cause.
The tragedy resulted in fatalities from two separate incidents in the same Los Angeles neighbourhood within hours — first the Metro bus collision and then the helicopter crash involving journalists sent to cover it.
The investigation into NewsChopper 4 is continuing, and federal authorities are expected to examine the aircraft, flight data, communications, maintenance records and other evidence before determining a probable cause.
