Robert Kovacik struggled to hold back his emotions while reporting from the scene where two longtime NBC4 colleagues had died just hours earlier.
The veteran Los Angeles anchor was photographed wiping away tears and sitting inside a police vehicle Tuesday, September 15, near the Chatsworth crash site, as per videos shared by The New York Post.
Reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw were killed when NewsChopper4 went down while covering a separate bus collision nearby, as confirmed by NBC News. A pedestrian on the ground also died. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was seen hugging Kovacik as fellow journalists, first responders, and city officials gathered at the scene.
What Did Robert Kovacik Say From the Crash Scene?
Kovacik, who won an Emmy for his news reporting in 2018, later appeared live on NBC4, speaking from just feet away from the wreckage.
“You think about it ladies, as we deal with this day of dueling tragedies here in Chatsworth, we were just getting ready to come on air for the NBC 4 news at 7:00 tonight and we were there,” he said, as quoted by The New York Post.
He reflected on the support surrounding the station during an unimaginable night.
“Colleen and Carolyn, we are surrounded by this community…members of the media and colleagues from across Southern California, as well as the LAFD and the LAPD and members of the city all coming together tonight.”
Kovacik’s eyes appeared glassy as he signed off. “In Chatsworth, I’m Robert Kovacik,” he said. “Let’s go back to you.”
When Did NBC4 Realize Its Helicopter Had Crashed?
In the first moments after the crash, Kovacik said the station did not yet know whose aircraft had gone down.
“I just saw a colleague of mine from ABC in tears and concern,” he said. “We don’t know where the chopper is from. We don’t know if it even is a chopper. We don’t know if it is a news chopper.”
NBC4 later confirmed that the aircraft was NewsChopper4. Moreno, 38, had worked as an aerial reporter and photojournalist for years. She and Marciniw had reportedly flown hundreds of hours together since 2023.
What Happened Before the NewsChopper4 Crash?
A livestream from the helicopter captured troubling moments before it went down.
According to Express U.S., Moreno could be heard telling the pilot to “pull” before asking, “What? You can’t pull up?”
The video then shook before the feed ended. Marciniw was an experienced pilot with decades of flying experience. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into what caused the crash.
Veteran pilot Zoey Tur has publicly suggested the available footage could point to an engine failure, but investigators have not announced an official cause.
How Is NBC4 Responding to the Loss?
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 released a joint statement after confirming the deaths.
“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. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of those who lost their lives.”
For Kovacik, who has worked at NBC since 2004, Tuesday night became far more than another breaking-news assignment. He was reporting from the scene of a tragedy involving colleagues he had worked beside for years.
