LOS ANGELES — A television news helicopter operated by NBC4 crashed and exploded in flames Tuesday evening in the Chatsworth neighborhood, killing three people, including two members of the station’s aerial crew, authorities and the station said.
Scene and immediate response
The crash occurred around 7 p.m. between two commercial buildings on the 9100 block of Mason Avenue, the Los Angeles Fire Department said. Firefighters arriving at the scene reported the helicopter was fully engulfed in flames and a thick plume of black smoke was visible from a distance. The fire was extinguished quickly, officials said.
NBC4 later confirmed that the aircraft was one of the station’s helicopters and that two of the deceased were its employees. The Los Angeles Fire Department said a pedestrian on the ground was also killed.
Identified victims and station response
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement expressing condolences to the families, friends and coworkers of those who lost their lives. On air, longtime NBC4 anchor Colleen Williams paused her broadcast to reflect on the loss.
"We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, to process and to regroup," Colleen Williams said during the live broadcast.
The station later identified the two employees as reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. Moreno, from Orange County, was a Chapman University graduate with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science and had flown in news helicopters since 2010. Marciniw, a 1974 graduate of Burbank High School, had been flying with Moreno since 2023, according to the station.
Casualties and injuries
In addition to the three deaths at the scene, officials reported two people were taken to hospitals: one suffered an apparent panic attack and another was hospitalized in unknown condition. Fire officials said the crash damaged four vehicles and two storage containers at the site.
| Item | Known detail |
|---|---|
| Fatalities at scene | 3 (including reporter and pilot from NBC4 and a pedestrian) |
| Hospitalized | 2 people (one with apparent panic attack; one unknown condition) |
| Property damage | 4 vehicles and 2 storage containers |
Ongoing investigation
Authorities have not released a cause for the crash. Local fire and law enforcement agencies, and likely federal aviation investigators, are expected to examine the wreckage, maintenance records and flight information to determine what led to the accident. No preliminary findings have been made public.
Community impact and reaction
The crash has prompted an outpouring of grief and shock across the newsroom and the community. NBC4 said it was "deeply saddened" and extended condolences to the victims’ families. Witness accounts from the scene described thick smoke and chaotic scenes as emergency crews arrived.
This incident raises broader questions about helicopter operations over urban areas, safety protocols for aerial newsgathering and the risks faced by journalists who cover breaking news from the air. It also underscores the human cost when aviation accidents occur in populated neighborhoods.
What we know so far
- The crash happened around 7 p.m. on the 9100 block of Mason Avenue in Chatsworth.
- The aircraft was confirmed by NBC4 to be one of the station’s news helicopters.
- Two station employees, reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw, were killed, along with a pedestrian on the ground.
- Two additional people were hospitalized; several vehicles and storage containers were damaged by the fire.
- No cause for the crash has been announced; investigations are under way.
Officials and the station have not yet released details on memorial arrangements or on whether the helicopter was under routine operation for a news assignment at the time of the crash. WE NEWS will continue to monitor updates from the Los Angeles Fire Department, law enforcement and NBC4 as new information becomes available.
Kevin Nakamura is the state correspondent for WE NEWS covering Southern California and regional developments.
