NBC4 Reporter Eliana Moreno and Pilot George Marciniw Were Among Those Killed in the Fatal Chatsworth Helicopter Crash — Officials Are Seeking Answers

A routine night of aerial news coverage turned into a devastating scene in Chatsworth, leaving two members of a Los Angeles television helicopter crew among the dead. But as the identities of those aboard emerge, questions about what happened in the sky are only beginning.

NBC4's NewsChopper4, operated by Angel City Air, crashed Tuesday evening in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles while crews were already responding to another deadly accident nearby.

The helicopter had been hovering near Nordhoff Street as it provided aerial coverage of a separate Metro bus collision when it suddenly lost altitude and plunged into a parking lot around 7 p.m.

A News Helicopter Was Covering Another Deadly Crash

The earlier crash happened shortly after 5 p.m. near Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue, where an SUV slammed into the side of a Metro bus. According to ABC7's report on the bus collision, the violent wreck initially left two people dead and six others injured, with a third victim later pronounced dead.

Witness Gay Ryan described the SUV as traveling at what appeared to be freeway speed before striking the bus. "Everybody stopped, waiting for our light to turn green, and off to our left, this SUV comes by, freeway speeds, super fast, not braking, crashed straight into the bus, loudest sound you could imagine," Ryan said.

The helicopter crash occurred roughly two hours later, close enough to the first accident that emergency crews were still dealing with its aftermath.

The Helicopter Went Down in a Parking Lot

The NewsChopper4 aircraft came down on the 9100 block of Mason Avenue, between commercial buildings near the earlier crash scene. The impact sparked a major fire, with the helicopter and several nearby vehicles engulfed in flames. At least four cars and two storage containers on the ground also burned, according to NPR's account of the crash.

Firefighters arriving at the scene faced a badly destroyed aircraft. "From the helicopter itself, it's pretty well destroyed," LAFD public information officer Brandon Silverman said, according to NBC Los Angeles' report.

Silverman said crews had to work through the wreckage to determine how many people had been aboard and identify the aircraft. The destruction was so extensive that responders initially said they could not even see the helicopter’s tail.

Witnesses also described the moments immediately before the crash. One woman told NBC Los Angeles that her husband, who works in law enforcement, noticed something unusual about the helicopter shortly before it went down.

"He said the helicopter is looking strange. We noticed that it was swaying. Five seconds later… we saw large smoke."

Another witness later described the moment she saw the plume of smoke as "absolutely horrifying" in an interview with FOX 11 Los Angeles. "My husband did, but he did say that it was swaying. He goes, 'Look at the helicopter. It's swaying.' And then immediately after, it was the cloud of smoke."

As the scale of the tragedy became clearer, NBC4 and Telemundo 52 identified the two people aboard the helicopter as reporter and aerial photojournalist Eliana "Eli" Moreno and pilot George Marciniw.

Eliana "Eli" Moreno Was One of the Two People Aboard

The New York Post's report identifying the victims described Moreno as a veteran aerial reporter who was known on Instagram as "Eli in the Heli." Moreno had spent years covering Southern California from the air, reporting on police pursuits, brush fires, traffic and major events.

While in the air, Moreno took on multiple responsibilities, working as a photographer, reporter and editor. NPR reported that Moreno was born in Orange County and joined the Angel City Air helicopter team in 2010, the same year she graduated from Chapman University.

She began flying with Marciniw in 2023.

Five Details Show Another Side of Moreno

Away from the helicopter and newsroom, Moreno's social media posts offered glimpses into a much more personal side of her life:

1. She Was Engaged

Moreno's Facebook page lists her as engaged to Robert Barrientos, giving another glimpse into the life she was building away from television.

2. She Spoke Three Languages

Her Facebook profile also listed English, Spanish, and Français among her languages. The detail adds another dimension to a journalist whose professional life often placed her in front of Southern California audiences.

3. She Had Chickens on a Farm

In a March 2025 Instagram post, Moreno shared that she had gotten up at sunrise to tend to her chickens. She joked about being "Eggs-hausted" after the early morning chore but was excited to discover seven eggs in the coop.

The post was accompanied by hashtags including #chickenfarming, #eggs, #chickencoop, #hen and #ranch, showing a side of her life far removed from the rush of breaking news.

4. She Loved Dogs

A June 2024 Instagram post showed Moreno enjoying a visit to a Dodgers event at Dodger Stadium with dogs. She wrote, "Our first time at #pupsatthepark at @dodgerstadium was amazing! We walked on the field, made it on the Jumbotron, and caught a ⚾️! Can't wait for next year!"

Her hashtags included #yorkie, #yorkshireterrier, #poodle, #boxerdog and #adoptdontshop, along with references to rescued dogs.

5. She Had Spent Years Reporting From the Sky

Perhaps the most striking detail about Moreno's professional life was how long she had been doing the job that ultimately brought her into the fatal crash. She began flying in news helicopters in 2010, shortly after graduating from Chapman University with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science.

Her career included work at KCAL 9 and KCBS 2 before she joined NBC and began flying aboard NewsChopper4 around 2018 or 2019. That experience made her a familiar presence to viewers of NBC4 and Telemundo 52 and earned her the playful "Eli in the Heli" identity online.

Marciniw Had More Than 14,000 Hours in the Helicopter

Marciniw was also an experienced member of the Angel City Air team. The New York Post reported that the pilot had logged more than 14,000 hours in the helicopter, underscoring the amount of flying experience he had accumulated.

NPR reported that Marciniw grew up in Southern California and graduated from Burbank High School in 1974. His Facebook page identifies him as a helicopter pilot involved in aerial filming, flight instruction, surveillance, ferrying, helicopter management, and helicopter flight services in Burbank.

The profile also identifies Burbank High School among his background details. Moreno and Marciniw had been flying together since 2023, according to reports.

NBC4 Mourns the Loss of Its Crew

The crash was unfolding as NBC4 was covering the disaster itself, creating an especially painful moment for the station. Longtime NBC4 anchor Colleen Williams struggled through the live coverage after the station lost contact with its helicopter crew. "We have lost contact with our people," Williams said on air, according to the New York Post's initial report.

The helicopter was later confirmed to be the station's NewsChopper4. NBC4 and Telemundo 52 released a joint statement expressing their grief:

"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."

The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed three people were killed in the helicopter crash, including the two people aboard and a person who was on the ground.

Tributes Began Arriving as the Details Emerged

Tributes to the victims quickly appeared online as news of the crash spread. One message remembered Moreno with a deeply personal tribute, "May God have mercy on your beautiful soul, Eliana, and may choirs of angels welcome you into the Kingdom of Heaven. May your light shine on forever."

Los Angeles officials also acknowledged the loss. Mayor Karen Bass visited the Chatsworth scene and posted that she was receiving updates from LAFD and public safety officials while thanking first responders.

Bass also described the combined bus and helicopter crashes as a devastating loss for Los Angeles. In an interview, she also said, "This is a very, very tragic day in Los Angeles. We lost five Angelenos today, and my heart certainly goes out to the family and friends of all of those that we lost."

"This is a heartbreaking night for our city, and my thoughts and prayers are first and foremost with the families and loved ones of those we lost today."

"Our hearts are with those impacted by the bus collision and the helicopter crash and with the entire community who lost members of their team while they were doing their job."

California Gov. Gavin Newsom similarly expressed sympathy for the victims and their families, as well as the NBC4 community. LAPD Central Division also extended its thoughts and prayers to the victim's family, friends and colleagues.

A person who knew both Moreno and Marciniw was also interviewed and reflected on his longtime relationship with the pilot.

"I knew him since the '90s. He was my instructor at one time. He was my eyes and ears here in LA. He let me know what’s going on with everything. I just talked to him on Sunday — we were talking about aviation business and retiring [...] I just cannot believe this."

A Veteran Helicopter Pilot Has a Theory About What Happened

Veteran helicopter pilot and former news reporter Zoey Tur has offered a preliminary assessment based on audio from the crash. Tur, who made a name covering breaking news from the skies over Los Angeles, said the recording appeared to capture signs consistent with an engine failure shortly before the helicopter went down.

"If you listen, you could hear the low rotor RPM annunciator horn going off. You could also hear the engine rev down. This was an engine failure, and slow response into entering an auto-rotation by PiC. No survivors," Tur posted on X after the crash.

However, Tur's assessment is not an official determination of the crash's cause. Federal investigators are now examining the wreckage and circumstances surrounding the flight.

Two Investigations Could Help Explain What Happened

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash and is expected to examine the aircraft, wreckage and circumstances surrounding the flight.

The NTSB told KTLA that an investigator was expected to arrive at the scene Wednesday morning and that the agency was continuing to gather information, according to KTLA's report.

At the same time, the Federal Aviation Administration is conducting a separate review. The FAA's focus includes the paperwork, licensing, and compliance requirements surrounding the flight to determine whether proper aviation rules were followed.

That creates two parallel investigative threads: the NTSB is working to determine what went wrong with the flight itself, while the FAA is checking whether the operation and those involved complied with the applicable flying and licensing rules. For now, neither investigation has established a cause.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of everyone affected by both tragedies.