NBC4 Reporter Eliana Moreno and Pilot George Marciniw Named as Victims of Los Angeles Helicopter Crash

A routine night of aerial news coverage ended in tragedy Tuesday when an NBC4 helicopter crashed in Chatsworth, killing reporter Eliana "Eli" Moreno, pilot George Marciniw and a person on the ground.

As the identities of the two crew members emerged, Moreno's years spent covering Los Angeles from the sky made the loss especially poignant.

The NewsChopper4 helicopter was in the air Tuesday evening providing coverage of a separate deadly Metro bus collision near Nordhoff Street when it suddenly lost altitude and crashed in Chatsworth. According to the New York Post, the helicopter had been hovering near Nordhoff Street while covering the earlier accident before plunging to the ground.

A News Helicopter Goes Down While Covering Another Crash

The crash happened around 7 p.m. near the 9100 block of Mason Avenue, close to commercial buildings and the scene of the earlier collision. The impact triggered a massive fire, engulfing the wreckage and setting several nearby vehicles ablaze as firefighters rushed to the scene.

At least four cars and two storage containers also caught fire, according to an NPR report. The destruction was so severe that firefighters initially struggled to determine how many people had been aboard the aircraft.

"From the helicopter itself, it's pretty well destroyed," LAFD public information officer Brandon Silverman said, according to NBC Los Angeles.

The Station Realized It Had Lost Contact With Its Own Crew

NBC4 was covering the unfolding disaster when the station learned that the helicopter involved was its own. Longtime NBC4 anchor Colleen Williams became emotional during the live coverage as the station struggled to reach its crew.

"We have lost contact with our people," Williams said through tears, according to the New York Post. NBC4 later confirmed that the helicopter was NewsChopper4, operated by Angel City Air. NBC4 and Telemundo 52 released a joint statement late Tuesday:

"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 that three people were killed. One of those victims was believed to have been a pedestrian who was outside the helicopter when it crashed.

Eliana 'Eli' Moreno Was a Familiar Face in the Sky

The two people aboard were identified as NBC4 and Telemundo 52 aerial reporter and photojournalist Eliana "Eli" Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. Moreno was a veteran aerial journalist who had spent years covering Los Angeles from above. Online, she was known by the fitting nickname "Eli in the Heli."

She had been flying in news helicopters since 2010, covering police pursuits, brush fires, traffic, and major events throughout Southern California. Moreno began her career in the air shortly after graduating from Chapman University in 2010 with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science.

She later worked at KCAL 9 and KCBS 2 before joining NBC and flying aboard NewsChopper4 around 2018 or 2019. While airborne, Moreno did far more than report what she saw. She worked as the photographer, reporter, and editor, handling several parts of the aerial news operation herself.

She had been flying with Marciniw since 2023.

Marciniw Had Logged More Than 14,000 Hours

Marciniw was no newcomer to the skies, either. The veteran pilot had logged more than 14,000 hours in the helicopter, according to the New York Post, making his extensive experience one of the striking details to emerge as investigators begin piecing together what happened.

Marciniw had also worked in several areas of helicopter aviation, including aerial filming, flight instruction, surveillance, ferrying, and helicopter management.

A person who knew both Marciniw and Moreno reflected on his decades-long relationship with the pilot in an interview following the crash.

"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."

The conversation about retirement had taken place only days before the fatal flight.

Witnesses Noticed Something Was Wrong

As emergency crews worked through the wreckage, witnesses began describing what they had seen in 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.

"He said the helicopter is looking strange. We noticed that it was swaying. Five seconds later… we saw large smoke." Another witness recalled the sight 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." The witness described what followed as "absolutely horrifying."

Meanwhile, real-time data referenced in a Facebook video indicated that the helicopter plunged roughly 1,000 feet in three seconds after experiencing what was described as a serious malfunction.

At the time, Moreno had reportedly been reporting live from the helicopter only minutes before the crash.

Then Attention Turned to What Moreno Had Left Behind

As the news of Moreno's death spread, tributes began appearing across social media. One person wrote, "Rest peacefully, angel. Can’t believe this is real." Another commenter said, "Crazy we all figured it out on social media before the news could confirm. How horrific. Prayers to her family. She was doing what she loved. 🙏🏻"

A third person wrote, "Rip. I always appreciated your team's excellent news coverage. I can't believe this just happened so suddenly. 🕊️" Another commenter said, "My heart is shattered. God bless you, sweet Eliana. 💔🙏🕊️🤍" One person wrote, "This was her last post. I’m heartbroken 💔🕊️🙏"

Others took a darker view of the risks involved in aerial journalism. One commenter said, "Was bound to happen. If you get on a helicopter, you have to accept the fact that you’re gambling with your life. Rip"

Another commenter suggested the crash could reignite debate over aerial news coverage, writing, "Very sad. I think this will be the turning point on use of helicopters. Drones have come of age."

Moreno's Final Post Now Carries a Different Weight

Moreno's last Instagram post was dated July 31, 2026, more than six weeks before the crash. In the post, Moreno discussed the kind of stories she and her colleagues typically covered from the helicopter, describing the aircraft as a vital tool for breaking news.

"We are a breaking news helicopter for the most part. So most of the stories that we're going to cover are going to be breaking news. It's going to be a fire, a pursuit for sure, shootings, stabbings. Those are kind of our most common stories."

"Brush fires, though, are huge for us. It's really one of the best stories to cover from the helicopter because the helicopter is able to show, here's where the fire started, here's where it's going. These are the homes that are threatened [...] It just goes to show the power that we have from being the eye in the sky."

Moreno's words about the role of the helicopter have since drawn renewed attention from people reacting to her death. The post now stands as the final public reflection she shared about the work that had defined much of her career.

Tributes Pour in for the Victims

The reaction continued as colleagues, viewers, and people who knew Moreno remembered her work. One tribute shared after the crash said, "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."

The message reflected the impression Moreno had made during years of covering some of Los Angeles' biggest breaking-news stories from the air.

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.

Attention has also turned toward what may have happened during the final moments of the flight.

A Veteran Helicopter Pilot Offers a Preliminary Theory

Veteran helicopter pilot and former news reporter Zoey Tur, who spent years covering Los Angeles from the air, reviewed audio associated with the crash and offered a preliminary assessment. Tur said the recording appeared to contain sounds 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 after the crash.

Tur's comments remain a preliminary assessment, not an official finding. The veteran pilot has deep experience with aerial news coverage in Los Angeles, having worked alongside then-spouse Marika Gerrard to capture major breaking-news moments from the sky.

Their aerial team documented the first live broadcast of a high-speed police pursuit, the 1992 beating of Reginald Denny during the Los Angeles riots, and O.J. Simpson's infamous 1994 slow-speed Bronco chase. Tur later received multiple Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards for journalism and aerial reporting.

Investigators Now Have to Determine What Happened

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash, while the Federal Aviation Administration is examining regulatory and licensing issues. An NTSB investigator was expected at the scene Wednesday morning as officials began gathering evidence and working to establish the circumstances surrounding the flight.

The FAA's review includes the paperwork, licensing, and regulatory requirements connected to the operation. For now, Tur's engine-failure assessment remains separate from the official investigation. The NTSB's findings will ultimately be needed to establish what caused the helicopter to lose altitude and crash.

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