Three people died when NBC4/Telemundo 52’s NewsChopper4 crashed in Chatsworth while covering a deadly bus collision, and federal investigators now say onboard video will be central to what happened.
Story Snapshot
- NBC4/Telemundo 52 confirmed their helicopter crashed and that the crash was fatal
- Crash happened near a separate deadly SUV-bus collision in Chatsworth
- Officials reported three deaths, including one person on the ground
- Federal investigators are leading the probe and flagged onboard video as key
What Officials Confirmed About the Crash
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 said their news helicopter went down Tuesday evening in Chatsworth and that the crash was fatal. An NBC4 anchor told viewers the station confirmed the aircraft was NewsChopper4 and that it crashed just before 7 p.m. local time. The helicopter had been providing aerial coverage of a separate deadly crash between an SUV and a bus when it went down near that scene. Early reports from authorities stated three people died in the incident.
Reporters on scene said the crash site was close to the bus collision area, which was already drawing a large emergency response. Federal officials said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) took charge of the investigation, which is standard for fatal aviation accidents. Investigators identified the helicopter model as a Eurocopter AS 350 B2, a widely used single-engine aircraft in news and utility roles.
Who Was Killed and How the Station Responded
News outlets identified the victims as NBC4 reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, and Edy Gutierrez Mejia, who was on the ground. NBC4 aired tributes during live coverage and acknowledged the station was reporting on its own loss while trying to give viewers verified facts. Station leaders asked the public for patience during the federal probe. They stressed that loved ones and colleagues needed time and space to grieve while officials gathered evidence.
Local and national coverage noted the unusual strain of a newsroom covering a tragedy involving its own team. Crews described a busy and complex emergency zone, with responders already staged for the bus crash adding a second mission at the helicopter site. Authorities did not release a cause. Reporters explained that would come later, after investigators reviewed video, maintenance records, flight data sources, and witness accounts.
How the Investigation Will Move Forward
The NTSB said the onboard video from the helicopter before impact is the most important evidence to analyze. Investigators will study the footage to map the final flight path, cockpit alerts, crew actions, and aircraft state. They will also examine the wreckage, weather, air traffic control communications, and any tracking data to build a timeline. The FAA will support fact-gathering while the NTSB leads and issues public updates.
🚨BREAKING DEADLY HELICOPTER CRASH: KNBC and KVEA aerial reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw died when the NBC NewsChopper4 helicopter crashed while working on coverage of a metro bus crash in Chatsworth. A pedestrian was also killed in this crash. So terribly sad &… pic.twitter.com/6yHKiXcXf7
— Phoenix Rising Justice (@phoenixrjustice) September 16, 2026
Federal investigators typically release a preliminary report about a month after an accident that summarizes on-scene facts but does not assign cause. A final report with analysis and a probable cause comes later. Officials did not give a timeline for findings in this case. For now, they have underscored that video evidence and standard investigative steps will drive answers on what failed, when, and why.
Sources:
townhall.com, kesq.com, aljazeera.com, avweb.com, aerotime.aero, abc7.com
