Three dead after media helicopter crashes in Los Angeles
A broadcast helicopter crashed in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles on September 15, 2026, leaving three people dead and one person hospitalized with injuries. The aircraft went down in a parking lot just before 7:00 p.m. local time during coverage of a collision involving two buses in the San Fernando Valley.
Victims identified in the fatal crash
BREAKING: An NBC Los Angeles news helicopter crashed during live coverage of a deadly bus crash. The condition of those onboard is unknown. pic.twitter.com/cXMmubKrgq
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) September 16, 2026
The fatal victims include aerial photojournalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw on board the aircraft, along with an unidentified individual who was on the ground at the time of the impact.
Damage reported at the ground site
The impact triggered an explosion and a blaze in the commercial lot. Flames quickly spread through the area. The fire damaged four vehicles and two storage containers positioned near the crash site before emergency crews contained the situation.
- Two occupants died inside the aircraft
- One person on the ground died from the incident
- One injured victim was transported to a local hospital
- Four vehicles and two storage containers sustained damage from the fire
Live broadcast interruption during emergency coverage
News anchor Colleen Williams addressed viewers on the air after station producers suddenly lost contact with the airborne crew during the live broadcast over Chatsworth. “We knew that it was a news helicopter, we knew that we had lost contact with our crew, and we just got confirmation that the helicopter went down just before 7:00 p.m.,” Williams announced to viewers.
Federal authorities open investigation into the incident
Federal investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration launched an official inquiry to determine the operational and mechanical circumstances that caused the aircraft to crash into the parking lot in the San Fernando Valley.
