On Tuesday evening in Los Angeles, a local news helicopter crashed in the Chatsworth area of the San Fernando Valley, killing two people on board—TV reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw—and one person on the ground. The helicopter was reporting for NBC4 while covering another fatal crash involving a bus and an SUV that occurred earlier at around 5pm, which had already killed two people and injured multiple others.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
More details are emerging after a local news helicopter crashed in a Los Angeles neighborhood on Tuesday evening, killing two people on board and one person on the ground.
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helicopter → emerge → ground
Eliana Moreno, an aerial photojournalist, and pilot George Marciniw were identified as two of the victims.
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Moreno → identify → victims
Authorities said the helicopter crashed in the Chatsworth area, in the San Fernando Valley, at around 7pm local time, while it was covering another deadly crash involving a bus and an SUV.
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it → say → bus
The bus crash occurred at around 5pm local time, killing two people and sending multiple others to a hospital.
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crash → occur → hospital
The helicopter came down around two hours later, killing three people, officials said, and multiple people were also brought to a hospital.
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people → come → hospital
The helicopter was reporting for NBC4, the local NBC affiliate, the station announced on Tuesday evening.
During a later broadcast, Coleen Williams, an NBC4 Los Angeles news anchor, confirmed live on-air that two of the station’s colleagues were aboard the helicopter and were killed in the crash.
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two → report → crash
Williams identified them as Moreno and Marciniw.
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Williams → identify → Moreno
The third person killed was a pedestrian near the crash site, fire officials said, and their identity is unknown.
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identity → kill → site
“We’re coming on the air with heavy hearts tonight because we lost valued friends and colleagues just before 7 pm,” Williams said.
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Williams → come → pm
“News Chopper 4 crashed in Chatsworth while on assignment tonight.
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Chopper → crash → assignment
Both people on board and a third person on the ground were killed.
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people → kill → ground
Our crew was there covering a deadly crash involving a bus and an SUV just a couple of blocks away.”
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crew → cover → blocks
The anchors said that Moreno was born and raised in Orange county and graduated from Chapman University with a degree in broadcast journalism and political science.
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Moreno → say → journalism
Marciniw grew up in southern California and graduated from Burbank high school in 1974.
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Marciniw → grow → 1974
The two began flying together in 2023.
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two → begin → 2023
The station’s first story of the evening was “supposed to be with News Chopper 4” but that “all of a sudden, we lost contact with the chopper”, the anchors said.
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anchors → suppose → chopper
NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement expressing condolences:
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NBC → issue → condolences
“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.
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helicopter → sadden → evening
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.”
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who → extend → lives
At a news conference Tuesday night, Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, said that it was a “very, very, very tragic day” for the city.
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it → say → city
“We lost five Angelenos today,” Bass said.
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Bass → lose → Angelenos
“And my heart certainly go out to the family and friends of all of those that we lost.
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we → go → that
This is a heartbreaking night for our city and my thoughts and prayers are first and foremost with the families and loved ones that we lost today.
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we → love → that
Our hearts are with those impacted by the bus collision and the helicopter crash, and with the entire community who lost members of their team while they were doing their job.”
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they → impact → job
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration said it will be investigating the helicopter crash.
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it → say → crash
Gavin Newsom, California’s governor, released a statement on Tuesday night on the incident, saying that “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”.
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hearts → release → family
“Thank you to the first responders working tirelessly tonight,” he added.
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he → thank → responders
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