A helicopter affiliated with NBC Los Angeles crashed while it was covering a fatal bus collision Tuesday evening, killing the photojournalist and pilot on board and one person on the ground, the station and officials said.
The aircraft crashed in a parking lot at or near a self-storage facility in the community of Chatsworth, which is in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department and news video on the ground from NBC Los Angeles.
The helicopter was operated by Angel City Air and affiliated with the station, which broadcast that it had lost contact with those on board.
“We knew it was a news chopper, we knew we’d lost contact with our people out there, and we’ve just received the confirmation that, in fact, NewsChopper 4 went down just before 7 o’clock tonight in Chatsworth,” anchor Colleen Williams said.
“We’re going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, to process and to regroup,” Williams added, her voice becoming emotional.
Angel City Air, which describes itself as “a full-service aerial production company,” did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.
Three people were dead at the scene, and two others were taken to the hospital, Fire Battalion Chief Rico A. Gross said at a late-night news conference. Their conditions were unavailable.
One of the deceased appeared to be a pedestrian on the ground when the crash happened, Fire Capt. Branden Silverman said earlier.
The victims aboard the helicopter were identified by NBC Los Angeles as Angel City Air employees Eliana Moreno, an aerial photojournalist familiar to viewers of the station and its Spanish-language sister station, Telemundo 52, and pilot George Marciniw.
Moreno was born in Orange County, south of L.A., and graduated from its Chapman University with a degree in broadcast journalism and political science in 2010, NBC Los Angeles reported. She joined Angel City Air’s helicopter team the same year and has reported for multiple Southern California news outlets.
Marciniw also grew up in Southern California, where he graduated from Burbank High School, according to the station.
NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement expressing condolences.
“We are deeply saddened to share that a helicopter providing aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 was involved in a fatal accident in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening,” the stations said. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.”
The helicopter crash occurred after two people were killed and others were injured in a crash between a Los Angeles Metro bus and a passenger vehicle on Nordhoff Street, according to the fire department.
It said that the bus crash happened at 5:03 p.m. and that firefighters worked to free the trapped people and assess the bus passengers.
The helicopter was one of multiple aircraft covering the crash, NBC Los Angeles reported earlier.
Fire and police personnel were nearby, Silverman said. They rushed to the crash, reported shortly before 7 p.m., and found the helicopter engulfed in flames, which had spread to nearby parked vehicles, he added.
Witness Zareh Sevanesian was driving nearby with wife Allyona when he saw the chopper’s unusual descent.
“As we were driving I looked over to my left,” he said. “I saw the helicopter — something didn’t look right. And I told my wife, ‘That helicopter is not flying right.’”
Sevanesian said he saw the helicopter gradually losing altitude. Then, he said, he pulled over near the crash as fire roared.
“It was one of the most violent fires I had ever seen,” Sevanesian recalled.
He said he soon found a person down near the wreckage and three others “screaming uncontrollably.”
“It was very terrifying and sad for everyone,” Allyona said.
The fire department said the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will be involved in the investigation.
Speaking near the scene Tuesday night, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said it was “a heartbreaking night for our city.” She praised first responders for their quick reaction and expressed grief over those who were killed in the bus collision and the aircraft crash.
“We lost five Angelenos today,” she said, “and my heart certainly goes out to the family and friends of all of those that we lost.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom also thanked first responders and offered condolences in a statement on X.
“Our hearts are with the victims and families of tonight’s devastating Metro bus and helicopter crashes in Chatsworth, and with the entire NBC4 family,” he said.
