USA · updated 3h ago · 3 min read
NBC4 Los Angeles Helicopter Crash Kills At Least Three Near Chatsworth Bus Crash
NBC4 NewsChopper4 crashed in Chatsworth while covering a nearby fatal Metro bus crash. Three people were killed in the crash, with one additional person hospitalized.
How many people were killed in the helicopter crash.
11 of 12 outlets skipped it: FAA records identified it as a Eurocopter AS350 B2 (2004).
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Some reports use “at least” while others state a specific death count.
Helicopter crash near bus
A local NBC news helicopter crashed in a Los Angeles neighborhood on Tuesday and burst into flames while reporters were covering a nearby crash involving an SUV and a city bus, killing at least three people, officials said.
“killing at least three people while reporters were covering the nearby crash of an SUV and a city bus”
The helicopter went down just before 7 p.m. in the Chatsworth neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley near a storage building, according to Colleen Williams, an NBC4 Los Angeles anchor, who confirmed the station’s chopper went down during a live broadcast.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said the helicopter crashed near the 9100 block of Mason Avenue between two commercial buildings around 7 p.m., and firefighters said it was fully engulfed in flames when they arrived.
Officials said the crash damaged four vehicles and two storage containers, and Capt. Branden Silverman said at least one person killed was outside in the parking lot next to the commercial building.
The helicopter crash occurred less than a mile from the bus collision site, where an SUV slammed into the middle of a city bus, killing at least two people and injuring six others, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
NBC4 anchor and LAFD
During emotional live coverage, NBC4 anchor Colleen Williams said, "We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, process it," as the station’s helicopter went down just before 7 p.m.
The Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Branden Silverman told the BBC that "We do have one confirmed patient that seemed to be outside of the helicopter when it crashed," and said that person was declared deceased on scene.B
Officials said it was unclear whether the other two people killed were on the ground or inside the aircraft, and they said it was not immediately known how many people were aboard the helicopter.
NBC4 confirmed on air shortly before 9 p.m. that the aircraft that crashed was the station’s helicopter, and the victims were not identified pending next of kin.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration said they will investigate the cause of the helicopter crash, with the NTSB to lead the investigation, according to the BBC.B
Investigation and aftermath
Gov. Gavin Newsom thanked emergency crews responding to both crashes and said in a post on X that "our hearts are with the victims and families."
“"our hearts are with the victims and families."”
The Los Angeles Police Department Central Division posted on X that it extended "thoughts and prayers to the family, friends and colleagues of KNBC 4, Los Angeles," as officials said it was not yet known how many people were onboard.
Firefighters said the blaze was extinguished, and the fire department said the helicopter crash fire affected four vehicles and two storage containers.
Aviacionline reported that the NTSB and the FAA took over the investigation and that the tail number could not be read due to the state of the wreckage, though it is presumed to be the AS350B2 with registration N358TV.
In the same area, the earlier bus collision left at least two dead and six others injured, and the helicopter crash added at least three more deaths as investigators worked to determine how many victims were on board.