NBC News Helicopter Crashes In Chatsworth, Los Angeles, Killing At Least Three

Chatsworth helicopter crash

A local NBC news helicopter crashed in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday night, burst into flames, and killed at least three people while reporters were covering a nearby crash involving an SUV and a city bus.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Capt. Branden Silverman said the helicopter crashed near a storage building in Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley, and it was unclear whether the other two killed were on the ground or inside the aircraft.

NBC4 Los Angeles anchor Colleen Williams confirmed during a live broadcast that the station's chopper went down just before 7 p.m., and the crash occurred about a mile and a half (1.6 kilometers) from the bus collision.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said the earlier bus crash left at least two people dead and six others injured, and officials said at least four cars and two storage containers on the ground burned after the helicopter caught fire.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration said they will be investigating the cause of the helicopter crash and would be sending one of its investigators on Wednesday.

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Identities and official reactions

ABC News reported that the helicopter crash happened between two commercial buildings in the Chatworth district in the northwest part of the city, and it said the fire department reported “three of them were confirmed dead at the scene.” NBC4 and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement saying they were “deeply saddened” by the helicopter’s “fatal accident,” and they extended condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of those who lost their lives. ABC News’ account identified two of the people killed as reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw, and it said the helicopter was providing coverage for the local affiliates of NBC and Telemundo.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the situation “a heartbreaking night for our city,” and she later said, “I’m absolutely devastated by the loss of life in Chatsworth tonight.” California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement, “our hearts are with the victims and families of tonight’s devastating Metro bus and helicopter crashes in Chatsworth,” as the NTSB and FAA handled the investigation.

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Investigation and what’s at risk

The Los Angeles Fire Department said the fire caused by the helicopter’s impact between two commercial buildings in Chatsworth had already been completely extinguished after a 56-firefighter deployment, and it reported damage to four vehicles and two containers.

ABC News reported that the NTSB and FAA would handle the investigation, and it quoted the FAA saying, “A Eurocopter AS350 crashed in Chatsworth, California, around 8 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Sept. 15.”

ABC News also said the FAA statement indicated “Two people were on board,” while other coverage described uncertainty about how many victims were inside the helicopter and whether others were on the ground.

In the immediate aftermath, LAFD spokesperson Capt. Branden Silverman said, “We will need to review the wreckage to determine how many victims were on board and to identify the aircraft; we could not even see the tail,” as officials sorted through rubble.

The crash’s proximity to the earlier bus collision in Chatsworth, along with the reported deaths and injuries from both incidents, left families and colleagues of the victims facing ongoing investigation and identification efforts under the NTSB and FAA.

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