Three people died when an NBC4 news helicopter crashed and burst into flames in Chatsworth on Tuesday evening, September 15, 2026. The aircraft went down near a separate, fatal collision involving a Metro bus and an SUV that had occurred about two hours earlier.
A routine evening of breaking-news coverage in the San Fernando Valley turned into a double catastrophe on Tuesday night. As emergency crews and reporters swarmed the 9100 block of Mason Avenue in Chatsworth to investigate a deadly bus collision, a television news helicopter came down between commercial buildings, erupting into a destructive fire.
The Fatal Crash on Mason Avenue in Chatsworth
The aircraft, identified by NBC Los Angeles as a news helicopter, went down just before 7 p.m. in a driveway between two warehouses, smashing into a pair of truck cargo containers. The impact and subsequent fire destroyed the helicopter and damaged four nearby vehicles and two storage containers, though neither of the surrounding commercial warehouse buildings was struck.
More than 70 firefighters responded to the scene, quickly extinguishing the flames. Los Angeles Fire Department public information officer Brandon Silverman confirmed that one person on the ground was found outside the aircraft and declared dead at the scene. Two other victims were pronounced dead at the spot of the crash, while two additional people were transported to a hospital.
“We do have one confirmed patient that seemed to be outside of the helicopter when it crashed. That person was declared deceased on scene. … At this point, we have not confirmed how many victims, or how many people, were inside the helicopter.”
LAFD Captain Branden Silverman, via CBS News
Gross later noted the severity of the wreckage made initial assessments difficult. From the helicopter itself, it’s pretty well destroyed, so we are going to have to go through the rubble and see how many victims there were on board, as well as identify the helicopter,
Silverman added during early briefings on the disaster.
Victims Identified as NBC4 Reporter Eliana Moreno and Pilot George Marciniw
As the night progressed, NBC4 announced at the top of its 11 p.m. broadcast that reporter Eliana Moreno and news pilot George Marciniw were killed in the crash. The station confirmed the aircraft provided aerial coverage for both NBC4 and Telemundo 52.
Colleagues and public figures shared tributes highlighting the professional lives of the fallen crew members. Moreno was born and raised in Orange County and graduated from Chapman University in 2010 with a degree in broadcast journalism and political science. She joined the helicopter team in 2010. Marciniw grew up in Southern California, graduated from Burbank High School in 1974, and began flying with Moreno in 2023.
“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. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.”
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 Los Angeles, via ABC7 Los Angeles
During live broadcasts earlier in the evening, NBC4 anchor Colleen Williams became visibly emotional as she informed viewers that the station had lost contact with its crew before confirming the tragedy.
The Prior Metro Bus Collision on Nordhoff Street
The helicopter crash unfolded less than a mile from an earlier, severe traffic accident that had drawn emergency responders and multiple news crews to the neighborhood. Just after 5 p.m. in the 20900 block of Nordhoff Street near De Soto Avenue, an SUV smashed into the side of a Metro Line 166 bus traveling eastbound.
The impact left the vehicle lodged directly into the middle of the bus, trapping passengers who required extrication by firefighters. That collision killed three people and injured at least six others, creating an active emergency zone that dominated the area before the second disaster occurred.
Elected Officials Respond and Federal Investigators Step In
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called it a very, very tragic day in Los Angeles
during her remarks to reporters.
“We lost five Angelenos today, and my hearts certainly go out to the families and friends to all of those that we lost. … This is a heartbreaking night for our city, and my thoughts and prayers are with first and foremost with the families and loved ones that we lost today.”
Mayor Karen Bass, via CBS News
California Gov. Gavin Newsom also shared a statement on social media praising the emergency personnel who worked through the night on both scenes. 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,
Newsom said.
Federal oversight agencies have initiated inquiries into the aviation disaster. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration announced they would send investigators to examine the site and determine the cause of the crash.
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