Three killed in Los Angeles news helicopter crash

A Los Angeles news helicopter crashed while covering a deadly traffic collision Tuesday evening, killing an aerial journalist, a pilot and a pedestrian on the ground in the Chatsworth area of the San Fernando Valley, officials said.

The helicopter went down just before 7 p.m. local time while reporting on a separate crash involving a bus and an SUV a few blocks away. That earlier collision happened around 5 p.m., killed two people and sent multiple others to a hospital, The Guardian reported, citing authorities.

The helicopter was operated by Angel City Air and was providing aerial coverage for NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52. NBC Los Angeles identified the two people on board as Eliana Moreno, an aerial photojournalist familiar to viewers of both stations, and pilot George Marciniw. Fire officials said a pedestrian near the crash site also died, but authorities had not released that person’s identity.

Zareh Sevanesian, who witnessed the crash, told NBC’s “TODAY” show the helicopter was swaying before it began losing altitude. “It was just getting lower and lower and lower and lower,” he said.

NBC4 anchor Colleen Williams delivered the news on air Tuesday night, visibly emotional as she spoke to viewers.

“We are coming on the air with heavy hearts tonight because we lost valued friends and colleagues… while on assignment tonight,” Williams said. “We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, process it.”

In a later broadcast, Williams said News Chopper 4 had been covering the deadly bus and SUV crash nearby when it went down. The station’s anchors said the evening’s first story was “supposed to be with News Chopper 4” but that “all of a sudden, we lost contact with the chopper.”

Moreno, who was in her late 30s, was born in Orange County and graduated from Chapman University in 2010 with a degree in broadcast journalism and political science, NBC Los Angeles reported. She joined Angel City Air’s helicopter team that same year and had reported for multiple Southern California news outlets. She also reported in Spanish.

On Instagram, Moreno used the name “Eli in the heli” and often posted from the news helicopter. In one caption, she wrote, “I have the best job in the world.” She also shared photos of her chickens and dogs and a video of her engagement to Robert Barrientos in 2025. After running a half-marathon with him in May, she wrote, “I surpassed everything I thought I could ever do so let’s see what I do next!”

Marciniw grew up in Southern California and graduated from Burbank High School in 1974, according to NBC Los Angeles. He is believed to have had more than 30 years of flight experience. On Instagram, he often posted sunsets and scenic images from what he called a “news cruise,” frequently crediting Moreno for photos taken from the air.

The two began flying together in 2023.

Lynette Romero, co-anchor of NBC Los Angeles’ morning newscast, said Wednesday on “TODAY” that the station was “heartbroken” and thinking of the families of Moreno and Marciniw. “They were both doing what they loved so much, and for me, that’s comfort in knowing how happy they were,” Romero said. “They loved breaking news, and they loved being in News Chopper 4.”

NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement saying they were “deeply saddened” by the fatal accident and extended “heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called it a “very, very, very tragic day” for the city. “We lost five Angelenos today,” Bass said Tuesday night, referring to the deaths in the bus collision and the helicopter crash. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said, “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.”

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the cause of the helicopter crash.