Tragedy has struck Los Angeles after a news helicopter crashed and burst into flames in the suburban community of Chatsworth, leaving three people dead and others injured.
The helicopter went down shortly before 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15, between two commercial buildings near Mason Avenue in the San Fernando Valley. The aircraft was providing aerial news coverage of a separate deadly traffic accident involving a Metro bus nearby.
Los Angeles fire officials confirmed that three people were pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said two of the victims were aboard the helicopter, while a third person was on the ground when the aircraft crashed. Other individuals were taken to hospital following the incident.
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 later confirmed that the aircraft was one of their news helicopters operated by Angel City Air.
Among those killed were veteran aerial reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. Moreno had spent years reporting news from above Southern California, while Marciniw was an experienced helicopter pilot. The identity of the person killed on the ground was not immediately released publicly.
Emergency crews rushed to the crash site after the helicopter erupted into flames. The fire damaged several vehicles and storage containers, with more than 70 firefighters responding to control the blaze and secure the area.
Three people have died after a helicopter crashed in suburban Los Angeles, fire authorities in the city have said. Read more: https://t.co/xSDJquM9rK pic.twitter.com/upVkWmIbVT
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) September 16, 2026
The helicopter had been covering another tragedy just blocks away, where an SUV collided with a public bus earlier in the day, causing multiple deaths and injuries.
The cause of the helicopter crash remains unknown.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating to determine what caused the aircraft to suddenly go down.
The devastating incident has sent shockwaves through the Los Angeles news community as colleagues, officials and residents mourn the lives lost in what became a tragic day for the city.
