The NBC4 Los Angeles family is mourning two of its own after a news helicopter crashed while covering a breaking story Tuesday night, killing both crew members and a person on the ground.
The New York Post reported that Veteran aerial reporter Eliana “Eli” Moreno and pilot George Marciniw were aboard NewsChopper4 when it went down near Nordhoff Street in Chatsworth on Tuesday, September 15. The Los Angeles Fire Department said three people died in the crash, including a pedestrian who was outside the helicopter, as per ABC News.
NBC Family Mourns Devastating Loss After Fatal Helicopter Crash
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 confirmed the devastating loss in a joint statement.
Getty“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.”
Who Were Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw?
Moreno was a longtime aerial photojournalist and reporter known online as “Eli in the Heli.”
According to NBC affiliate WDSU, she began flying in news helicopters in 2010 after graduating from Chapman University with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science.
According to her LinkedIn profile, her career included work with KCAL 9 and KCBS 2 before she joined NBC and began flying aboard NewsChopper4.
From the air, Moreno worked as a photographer, reporter, and editor while covering police pursuits, wildfires, traffic, and major events across Los Angeles.
Marciniw was an experienced helicopter pilot who had logged more than 14,000 flight hours.
What Happened Before the NBC4 Helicopter Crash?
NewsChopper4 had been covering a separate deadly Metro bus collision nearby when the helicopter suddenly began losing altitude.
BBC reported that a livestream from the aircraft captured its final moments. A warning horn sounded as the helicopter shook and descended.
“Uh, oh,” Moreno said as the alarm sounded.
Moments later, she could be heard saying, “Pull. You can’t pull up?” The feed then ended. NBC4 anchor Colleen Williams became emotional while reporting on the unfolding emergency.
“We have lost contact with our people,” she said through tears.
What Did Witnesses See at the Crash Site?
The impact sparked an intense fire that engulfed the wreckage and set four nearby vehicles ablaze. Witness Zareh Sevanesian told NBC News that he noticed the helicopter appeared to be in trouble before it went down.
“I saw the helicopter – something didn’t look right,” he said. “And I told my wife, ‘That helicopter is not flying right.’”
Sevanesian described the aftermath as “one of the most violent fires I have ever seen.”
What Caused the NewsChopper4 Crash?
The cause remains under investigation. Veteran helicopter pilot Zoey Tur told the New York Post that signs from the available footage appeared consistent with an engine failure, but authorities have not announced an official cause.
As investigators work to determine what happened, tributes have poured in for Moreno and Marciniw.
For NBC4, the tragedy turned an ordinary night of breaking-news coverage into an unimaginable loss for colleagues who had spent years working alongside Moreno and Marciniw.
