LOS ANGELES, CA — Three people were killed and two others were hurt when a television news helicopter crashed in a Los Angeles suburb and burst into flames, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The aircraft went down while flying over the scene of a fatal bus crash in Chatsworth.
Fire officials said the helicopter came down between two buildings on the 9000 block of Mason Avenue around 7 p.m. Crews found the aircraft fully involved when they arrived, and the fire was later extinguished. In addition to the deaths and injuries, four vehicles and two storage containers were damaged in the blaze.
Crash scene centered on Mason Avenue in Chatsworth
The helicopter struck in the Chatsworth neighborhood, an area in the northwest San Fernando Valley. The crash happened close to an earlier bus collision that had already drawn emergency response to the area, adding to the scale of the night’s emergency operations.
Los Angeles Fire Department officials said the aircraft went down on the 9000 block of Mason Avenue. When firefighters arrived, they found the helicopter ablaze and fully involved. The department later said the fire had been put out, but not before it damaged nearby property and caused multiple casualties.
The impact was not limited to the aircraft itself. Four vehicles and two storage containers were damaged, showing how quickly the fire spread after the crash. Authorities have not said what caused the helicopter to go down.
NBC4 confirms the helicopter was one of its news aircraft
NBC LA reported that the helicopter belonged to its news operation and that contact had been lost with the crew before the crash. The station later confirmed on air that the aircraft involved was its helicopter. NBC4 and Telemundo 52 also posted a statement saying they were deeply saddened by the fatal accident.
The statement said the helicopter had been providing aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 when the crash happened. The station expressed condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who died. The loss hit the newsroom directly because the aircraft was part of its regular reporting fleet.
Two of the dead were aboard the helicopter and one was on the ground
NBC LA reported that two of the people who died were aboard the helicopter, while the third person killed was on the ground. The station identified the victims on the aircraft as Angel City Air employees Eliana Moreno and pilot George Mariniw.
The station said Moreno was a familiar voice to viewers during aerial coverage for NBC LA and Telemundo. One injured person was taken to a local hospital in unknown condition, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Officials said a total of two people were injured in the crash.
Authorities have not publicly detailed the condition of the second injured person. The sequence of events suggests the helicopter struck near occupied ground areas, then ignited, creating danger for both those in the aircraft and people nearby.
Emergency responders moved quickly as the fire burned out
Fire crews reached the scene as the helicopter was still burning, and officials described the aircraft as fully involved. The blaze was eventually brought under control, but not before it caused severe damage and left three people dead at the scene.
The Los Angeles Fire Department’s account shows the crash turned into both an aviation emergency and a structure-and-vehicle fire. Nearby buildings, cars and storage containers were exposed to the flames, while responders worked to secure the area around Mason Avenue.
Even after the fire was out, the crash site remained a major investigation scene. Officials did not immediately say whether any mechanical problem, pilot issue or other factor may have played a role.
State leaders and the station express condolences after the fatal wreck
Gov. Gavin Newsom reacted to the deaths with a statement saying his heart was with the victims and families affected by what he called the devastating Metro bus and helicopter crashes in Chatsworth. He also extended sympathy to the NBC4 family.
The station’s own statement emphasized the human toll of the accident and the closeness of the loss for staff and colleagues. With two employees aboard the helicopter, the crash became a workplace tragedy as well as a broader public emergency.
Investigators are expected to sort out how the aircraft came down and why it ignited so intensely after impact. For now, officials have confirmed the deaths, the injuries and the damage, while the full cause remains under review.
