Eliana Moreno, 2 Others Die in San Fernando Valley Crash [Los Angeles, CA]

Los Angeles, CA (September 16, 2026) — A news helicopter crashed Tuesday evening in Chatsworth while covering a deadly bus collision, killing Eliana Moreno and two other people and injuring at least two others.

The Eurocopter AS350 operated by Angel City Air was carrying NBC4 and Telemundo 52’s aerial news team when it went down near commercial buildings in the San Fernando Valley. Pilot George Marciniw and aerial photojournalist-reporter Moreno died in the crash. Edy Gutierrez Mejia, a pedestrian in a nearby parking lot, also died.

The helicopter caught fire after hitting the ground, damaging four vehicles and two storage containers. More than 70 firefighters responded and extinguished the flames. At least two injured people went to a hospital, though officials did not immediately release their conditions.

The crew had been covering an earlier SUV-bus collision in Chatsworth that killed two people and injured six others. Authorities arrested the SUV driver on suspicion of murder.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, with the Federal Aviation Administration assisting. Officials have not determined what caused the helicopter to crash.

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Sweet Lawyers extends our deepest condolences and sympathies to the families, friends, and colleagues of George Marciniw, Eliana Moreno, and Edy Gutierrez Mejia. Our hearts are with you through these trying times.

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