Los Angeles Helicopter Crash Kills News Journalist and Pilot
Aerial journalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw were among three people killed when the NewsChopper4 helicopter crashed while covering a separate traffic collision in Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES, September 16, 2026: A television news helicopter crashed in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening while covering a deadly traffic collision, killing three people, including an aerial journalist and the aircraft’s pilot.
The helicopter, known as NewsChopper4, was operated by Angel City Air and was providing aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 when it went down shortly before 7 p.m. in the Chatsworth area of northern Los Angeles.
The two people aboard were identified as Eliana Moreno, an aerial journalist and photojournalist, and George Marciniw, the pilot. A third person on the ground was also killed. Two other people were taken to hospital following the crash.
The helicopter crashed between two commercial buildings on North Mason Avenue, triggering a fire that damaged nearby vehicles and storage containers. More than 70 firefighters responded to the scene.
Moreno was well known to viewers of NBC4 and Telemundo 52 for her aerial coverage of breaking news across Southern California, including wildfires and police pursuits. She and Marciniw had frequently worked together since 2023.
The pair had been covering an earlier Metro bus and vehicle collision in Chatsworth when their helicopter crashed. That separate collision had also resulted in deaths and injuries.
The cause of the helicopter crash remains unknown. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the incident.
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 expressed their condolences to the victims’ families, friends and colleagues following the tragedy.
