Los Angeles, California – A helicopter providing aerial news coverage for NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 crashed while covering a deadly bus collision Tuesday evening, killing an aerial photojournalist, the pilot and a person on the ground.
NBC Los Angeles identified the crew members killed as aerial photojournalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw, both employees of Angel City Air, which operated NewsChopper4 for the stations.
“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,” the stations said in a joint statement.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.”
The third person killed was identified Wednesday as 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia, who authorities said appeared to have been on the ground when the helicopter crashed.
The aircraft went down shortly before 7 p.m. in a parking lot near a self-storage facility in Chatsworth in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley.
Fire and police personnel who were already in the area responded to the crash and found the helicopter engulfed in flames, with the fire spreading to nearby parked vehicles.
Three people were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others were taken to a hospital, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Their conditions were not immediately available.
NBC Los Angeles anchors announced the deaths of their colleagues during the station’s live coverage Tuesday night.
“We knew it was a news chopper, we knew we’d lost contact with our people out there,” anchor Colleen Williams said before confirming that NewsChopper4 had crashed.
Lynette Romero, co-anchor of NBC Los Angeles’ morning newscast, said the station was “heartbroken” over the deaths of Moreno and Marciniw.
“They were both doing what they loved so much,” Romero said Wednesday on NBC’s “TODAY” show, adding that the two loved covering breaking news and working aboard NewsChopper4.
Moreno, an Orange County native, graduated from Chapman University with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science in 2010, according to NBC Los Angeles. She joined Angel City Air’s helicopter team that same year and worked with several Southern California news organizations.
Marciniw also grew up in Southern California and graduated from Burbank High School, the station said.
Witness Zareh Sevanesian told NBC that he noticed the helicopter swaying and gradually losing altitude before it crashed.
“I saw the helicopter — something didn’t look right,” Sevanesian said.
The helicopter had been among several aircraft covering an earlier collision involving a Los Angeles Metro bus and an SUV at Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue.
Two passengers aboard the bus were killed and others were injured in that crash.
Los Angeles police said 36-year-old Bailee Lynn Rios was driving an SUV southbound in the northbound lanes of De Soto Avenue when she allegedly ran a red light and struck the bus. She was arrested on suspicion of murder, according to police.
Authorities have not established a cause for the helicopter crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, with the Federal Aviation Administration also involved.
The NTSB identified the aircraft as a Eurocopter AS 350 B2. Investigators are examining video recorded from inside the helicopter shortly before it crashed, including sounds that may provide clues about what happened.
NTSB senior air safety investigator Fabian Salazar said investigators could hear sounds consistent with changes in engine speed as well as tones that may have been warnings or advisories to the pilot.
A preliminary report is expected within 30 days.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described the two crashes as “a heartbreaking night for our city,” noting that five people were killed between the bus collision and helicopter crash.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom also expressed condolences to the victims’ families and the NBC4 news team.
With statements from NBC and Telemundo
