NBC4 Reporter Eliana Moreno's Brother Shares Family Statement After Helicopter Crash — and an Alarming Sound Caught on Video Raises Questions

The devastating helicopter crash that claimed the lives of NBC4 reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, and a bystander has left families, colleagues, and viewers mourning. But as loved ones began speaking out, two details emerged that added a deeply personal dimension to the tragedy — and raised new questions about what happened in the sky.

The tragedy unfolded Tuesday, September 15, in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, while a news helicopter was providing aerial coverage of a deadly Metro bus collision. The aircraft, a Eurocopter AS 350 B2, was being operated by Angel City Air and was providing coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52.

Earlier that afternoon, emergency crews had responded to a fatal collision at the intersection of Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue. According to officials cited by FOX 11 Los Angeles, an eastbound Metro Line 166 bus was struck by an SUV traveling southbound on De Soto Avenue.

Six others were hospitalized, including SUV driver Bailee Rios, who was later arrested and booked on $2 million bail on murder charges in connection with the fatal impact. Roughly two hours later, as emergency crews and local news organizations remained in the area, the helicopter crashed about a block away near North Mason Avenue.

The impact killed Eliana, George, and 29-year-old Edy Fernando Gutiérrez Mejía, who was on the ground when the aircraft came down. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described the night as "a heartbreaking night for our city."

"We lost five Angelenos today," she said, while offering condolences to the families and friends of those killed in the two incidents.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom also expressed sympathy for the victims and their families. "Our hearts are with the victims and families of tonight's devastating Metro bus and helicopter crashes in Chatsworth, and with the entire NBC4 family," Gavin said.

According to FOX 11 Los Angeles, the aircraft suffered substantial damage, while federal officials noted that no flight data recorder had been located on board as the investigation continued.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, with the Federal Aviation Administration also involved. But even before investigators could determine what caused the crash, one piece of evidence had already begun attracting significant attention.

In the immediate aftermath, Eliana's brother, Johan Moreno, turned to social media to mourn his sister and address the wave of support surrounding the family.

Eliana's Brother Spoke Out as the Family Mourned

Johan's first public message focused on the immediate shock of losing his sister and the outpouring of support that followed. In the same post, he also addressed a separate concern, making it clear that Eliana's family and her fiancé were not seeking monetary donations at that time.

He specifically warned that any donation pages appearing online had not been authorized or endorsed by the family. Johan ended the message by thanking people for their condolences and understanding.

The message came as people continued sharing condolences for the reporter, who had become a familiar face to Southern California viewers. Johan later shared something more extensive — a full statement from Eliana's family.

Her Family Revealed the Dream She Had Carried Since Childhood

The statement painted a more personal picture of Eliana, explaining that her ambition to become a news reporter began when she was just 11 years old. Her family said she eventually made that childhood dream a reality through years of determination and hard work.

They also expressed gratitude to the viewers who had followed her career and welcomed her into their homes through their television screens. According to the family, that support meant more to Eliana than people might have realized.

Her loved ones said they found some comfort in knowing she died while pursuing the career she had dreamed about since childhood. They thanked everyone who had shown love and support following her death and said they were "infinitely proud" of her.

The family also asked that people continue to remember Eliana, George, Edy Gutierrez Mejia, and those who died in the earlier bus collision in their thoughts and prayers. Johan shared the message in a follow-up post on X, introducing it simply as the "Full statement from my family."

For those who knew Eliana primarily as the reporter appearing on their screens, the family's words offered a poignant reminder that journalism was not simply her profession — it was a dream she had carried since childhood.

The Crash Happened While Eliana Was Doing the Work She Loved

Eliana and George had been aboard NewsChopper4 while covering the aftermath of the earlier bus collision. NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 later issued a joint statement expressing their grief over 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," the stations said. "We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of those who lost their lives."

Eliana was born in Orange County and graduated from Chapman University in 2010 with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. She joined Angel City Air's helicopter team that same year and went on to work for several Southern California news outlets. Her career eventually brought her to NBC, where she became known to viewers as "Eli in the Heli."

She had spent years reporting from the sky, making the helicopter a familiar part of her professional life long before the September 15 flight.

The Final Moments Were Captured on Video

While the family was beginning to process the loss, investigators were examining something unusual: the helicopter's own live coverage had captured its final moments. A video stream from the aircraft appears to show the helicopter hovering while covering the bus crash before it suddenly begins losing altitude.

The footage then captures a noticeable change in the aircraft's sound. An alarm horn can be heard blaring as the helicopter appears to descend rapidly. That sound has since become one of the most closely examined pieces of evidence in the investigation.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Jack Cress, a former U.S. Marine Corps helicopter pilot and helicopter accident investigation instructor at USC's Aviation Safety and Security Program, said the alarm could be triggered by a potential engine failure resulting in low rotor rotation or by a problem involving the helicopter's hydraulic system.

The distinction is important because the alarm itself does not establish what caused the crash. Instead, investigators and aviation experts are using the sound, along with the visual footage and wreckage, to understand what may have happened in those final seconds.

Experts Heard Something Winding Down

Jeff Guzzetti, a former NTSB and FAA investigator and an instructor in USC's Aviation Safety and Security Program, also examined the recording. He said the horn appeared to be a low-rotor-RPM alarm and that the audio seemed to point toward a mechanical problem shortly before the crash.

"You can hear something mechanical that is winding down in the background," he said. "It does seem like something mechanical suddenly happened to the helicopter while it was in stable flight." The helicopter's apparent low-altitude position could also have made the situation particularly difficult if the aircraft suddenly lost rotor speed.

Jack explained that helicopter pilots can use a maneuver known as autorotation after a sudden loss of engine power or rotor RPM. The maneuver relies on the helicopter descending and moving laterally or forward so that airflow through the rotor system helps maintain rotation and allows the pilot to control the landing.

But the altitude and airspeed visible in the footage could have limited the options available. "He's in the worst part of the height-velocity curve," Jack said. "That is a dangerous place to be." Helicopter pilots are trained to avoid those conditions because limited altitude and forward momentum can leave little room to respond to engine trouble.

At the same time, Jack noted that hovering and maintaining low altitude are common practices for news helicopters and police aircraft, making the circumstances particularly relevant to the investigation.

The NTSB Is Paying Close Attention to the Recording

Federal investigators have also focused heavily on the audio. Senior Air Safety Investigator Fabian Salazar said the NTSB was sending the recording to a laboratory for further examination of its audio.

"That video is probably the most important evidence that we have discovered so far. In that recording, we are clearly hearing sounds that are consistent with the engine changing its speed, and we're also hearing tones that are being generated that are likely advisories to the pilot," Fabian said during a press conference on Wednesday.

The recording appears to capture the engine or motor winding down before the warning horn sounds. Eliana then appears to respond quietly, "uh oh." The camera angle begins to descend as the aircraft loses altitude, and Eliana can then be heard asking, "You can’t pull up?"

The video cuts out shortly afterward. The recording does not by itself prove what caused the crash, and investigators have not publicly established a final cause. Still, the sequence of the apparent engine-speed change, warning sound, Eliana's reaction, and the aircraft's descent has made the footage an unusually important part of the investigation.

A Veteran Helicopter Pilot Also Has a Theory About What Happened

Another aviation voice has also weighed in on the recording. Veteran helicopter pilot and former news reporter Zoey Tur said the audio appeared to contain signs consistent with an engine failure.

"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 [sic]," Tur wrote on X.

Tur's comments remain a preliminary assessment rather than an official finding. The NTSB investigation is continuing, and federal investigators are examining the aircraft and the evidence surrounding the flight before reaching conclusions about what happened.

A Witness Had Noticed the Helicopter Wasn't Flying Normally

As we previously reported, the video was not the only indication that something appeared unusual in the moments before the crash. Zareh Sevanesian was driving nearby with his wife, Allyona, when he noticed the helicopter.

"As we were driving, I looked over to my left," he recalled. "I saw the helicopter — something didn't look right. And I told my wife, 'That helicopter is not flying right.'" Zareh said the aircraft appeared to sway before gradually dropping lower. "It was just getting lower and lower and lower and lower," he said.

After the crash, he pulled over and saw flames at the scene. "It was one of the most violent fires I had ever seen," Sevanesian recalled. He also described seeing a person near the wreckage and people screaming. "It was very terrifying and sad for everyone," Allyona said.

Fire Capt. Branden Silverman said first responders found the aircraft engulfed in flames, with the fire spreading to nearby vehicles.

Fire Battalion Chief Rico A. Gross said three people were dead at the scene, while two others were transported to a hospital. One of those killed was the pedestrian on the ground.

As people revisited Eliana's life after her death, an otherwise ordinary social media exchange from just days earlier took on a different meaning.

Eliana's Final Public Post Came Days Earlier

On September 11, four days before the crash, Eliana responded to a post on X. "Thank you, Danny! It's okay…I blame it on jet lag. 😅," she wrote.

At the time, it was simply a lighthearted exchange. By September 15, she was aboard NewsChopper4 on what became her final assignment.

She Had a Life Far Beyond the News Helicopter

Eliana's social media presence also offered glimpses into interests that had little to do with breaking news. Her Facebook page listed her as engaged to Robert Barrientos. The profile also listed English, Spanish, and Français among her languages.

In a March 2025 Instagram post, Eliana shared that she had risen at sunrise to tend to her chickens. She joked that she was "Eggs-hausted" after the early morning chore while celebrating the discovery of seven eggs in the coop.

She also shared her love of dogs. In a June 2024 Instagram post from Dodger Stadium, 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!"

The post included hashtags referencing Yorkies, Yorkshire terriers, poodles, boxers, and rescued dogs. Those snapshots showed another side of a woman whose professional identity was so closely connected to the skies above Los Angeles.

George Had Spent Decades in Aviation

George was also a veteran of the Los Angeles aviation community. He had accumulated more than 14,000 hours of helicopter flight time. His Facebook profile described experience in aerial filming, flight instruction, surveillance, ferrying, helicopter management, and other helicopter services in Burbank.

Eliana and George had also been flying together since 2023. For fellow pilots who knew George, the loss was particularly difficult to process.

And one of his longtime friends would later reveal a detail about their final days together that gave the tragedy another unexpected layer.

George's Friend Had Spoken to Him About Retirement

Esteban Jimenez, a fellow helicopter pilot, was at the crash scene after the aircraft went down. Esteban had known George since the 1990s and described him as more than a professional acquaintance. "I knew him since the 90s. He was my instructor at one time; he was my eyes and ears here in L.A.," Esteban said.

The two had remained connected through their shared aviation careers. "He let me know what was going on with everything," Esteban recalled. But what Esteban revealed about their final conversation made the timing particularly poignant.

Their Last Conversation Was About What Came Next

Esteban said he had spoken with George on Sunday, just two days before the fatal crash. "I just spoke to him on Sunday," he said. The conversation had centered on their shared industry and the possibility of eventually stepping away from it. "We were talking about the aviation business and retiring […] I just cannot believe this," Esteban said.

The conversation had seemed ordinary at the time. After George's death, however, those words became one of the final memories his longtime friend had of him.

The crash also claimed the life of a third person on the ground — and the pilot's own story has since taken on heartbreaking significance.

The Third Victim Had Only Just Arrived in Los Angeles

The life of a 29-year-old Edy Fernando Gutiérrez Mejía was also claimed in the crash. Edy was a Guatemalan visitor who had arrived in Los Angeles only hours before the helicopter came down.

Edy had traveled to Los Angeles for work and was reportedly arranging shipments of clothing, cars, and spare parts to Guatemala. Two other Guatemalan citizens traveling with him — his cousin and a friend — were injured in the crash and received medical treatment. For Edy's family in Guatemala, the circumstances were almost impossible to comprehend.

Aura Estrada, identified as the aunt of Edy's partner, described the family as "in disbelief," adding, "Seeing him in the morning and then at night, the news that he was dead."

His Loved Ones Remembered a Man Who Loved to Make People Laugh

Relatives described Edy as "very playful, he liked to tell jokes and make people laugh." He was also involved in activities in his hometown and reportedly helped with fairs and other community events.

His family said he would help set up stages and assist with sound checks. Karla Padilla, who identified herself as Edy's cousin, remembered him as "full of life, with a great desire to live." She also described the pain of losing him so far from home as "a sudden death in another country, which is the most painful thing."

His Family Is Raising Money to Bring Him Home

Edy's relatives later created a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the costs of returning his body to Guatemala. The family's original message was written in Spanish and described the financial burden created by the sudden death.

The fundraiser said the family faced expenses involving funeral services, viewing arrangements, burial or cremation, transportation, unexpected costs, and support for Edy's parents. The campaign set a $4,500 goal and had raised $675 at the time of this report.

The family also asked people who could not contribute financially to share the fundraiser. For them, the effort was about bringing Edy home after a trip that had ended in tragedy only hours after he arrived.

Investigators Still Have More Questions Than Answers

The NTSB continues to examine what happened aboard the helicopter. The agency is studying the live recording, including the changes in engine speed and warning tones, while investigators work to establish what those sounds mean in the broader context of the flight.

Fabian said the investigators would determine whether the evidence pointed to any safety issue requiring action.

"If we discover a problem that needs to be addressed immediately, they're right there discovering it with us in real time. Now, if the NTSB chooses to make a safety suggestion for small change or a safety recommendation for big change, we will take that recommendation to the most appropriate authority."

For now, the warning horn, the apparent change in engine speed, and Eliana's final words remain pieces of an investigation that has not yet produced a definitive