A livestream from the NBC news helicopter captured the final moments before it crashed and burst into flames in Los Angeles. The video showed the aircraft violently shaking and falling from the sky on Tuesday. Three people died in the fiery crash, including the pilot and a reporter. The feed cut out just as the chopper hit the ground near some warehouses in Chatsworth.
A couple of seconds after the warning horn blared, the helicopter lost altitude. Veteran pilot George Marciniw heard the alarm as the engine slowed down. NBC4 aerial reporter Eliana Moreno shouted “Uh, oh” when she heard the noise. She later yelled “Pull” and asked “You can’t pull up?” before the shaking became violent.
Horrified witnesses on the ground saw the sudden drop in altitude. Zareh Sevanesian told NBC News, according to the New York Post, “I saw the helicopter – something didn’t look right.” He added, “And I told my wife, ‘That helicopter is not flying right.’” The crash caused a huge fire that sent residents fleeing for cover.
Moreno and Marciniw were killed along with a pedestrian on the ground. An explosion sent debris flying and nearby vehicles also caught fire. “It was one of the most violent fires I have ever seen,” Sevanesian described the scene. He recalled hearing three people nearby screaming uncontrollably from the shock.
BREAKING: TV news helicopter crashes during live shot of bus crash in Los Angeles.
The helicopter belongs to NBC Los Angeles (KNBC-TV). No word yet on casualties. pic.twitter.com/kXwgr5meOP
— BNO News (@BNONews) September 16, 2026
Telemundo confirmed the deaths and released a statement about the loss. The network said, “We are deeply saddened to share that a helicopter providing aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 was involved in a fatal accident…” They praised Moreno as a wonderful human being with impressive professionalism. In all of Los Angeles, she was deemed “the best airborne reporter” by the statement.
Moreno had worked for the station since she joined around 2018 or 2019. She was 38 years old and had been engaged for the past year. She often posted that being an aerial journalist was “the best job in the world.” Her colleagues remembered her as the New York Post of comfort who was always on top of everything.
The cause of the crash is currently being investigated by authorities. Veteran helicopter pilot Zoey Tur said the signs pointed toward an engine failure. The helicopter belonged to NBC Los Angeles and was covering a deadly bus crash nearby. The bus collision had happened just before the news crew went up to film the scene.
Moreno had logged many years of experience covering police pursuits and traffic events. A deadly crash in Windsor Hills earned her an award for aerial coverage in 2022. Broadcast journalism and political science degrees from Chapman University in 2010 marked her graduation. Her family and friends are now grieving her sudden and tragic loss.
The video evidence provides a clear timeline of the final seconds before impact. The low rotor RPM horn warned the crew before the feed went dark. Authorities will continue to review the footage and interview witnesses. The community in Los Angeles remains shocked by the loss of two trusted reporters.
