Three Killed As News Helicopter Crashes While Covering Deadly Los Angeles Bus Collision

Three people have been killed after NBC Los Angeles’ NewsChopper4 helicopter crashed and burst into flames while travelling to cover a deadly bus collision in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles. A fourth person was injured, while firefighters quickly extinguished the flames and secured the wreckage. The earlier bus crash had already killed two people, making the helicopter disaster a second tragedy in the same area that evening. The US National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the cause of the helicopter crash.

Three people have been killed after a television news helicopter crashed and burst into flames while covering a separate deadly road accident in Los Angeles.
The helicopter, identified as NBC Los Angeles’ NewsChopper4, went down shortly before 7pm on Tuesday in the Chatsworth neighbourhood of the San Fernando Valley.
A fourth person was taken to hospital following the crash, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The helicopter crashed between two commercial buildings on North Mason Avenue, about 1.6 kilometres from the scene of the earlier collision it had been covering.

NEWS HELICOPTER CRASHES DURING COVERAGE

NewsChopper4 was being used to provide aerial coverage of a serious collision involving a Los Angeles Metro bus and another vehicle.
NBC Los Angeles confirmed that the helicopter belonged to its news operation. Several television helicopters had been in the area covering the earlier accident.
The helicopter went down in a commercial area and caught fire immediately after the crash.
The LAFD said one of the people killed was found in a nearby parking lot. Authorities initially had difficulty determining how many people had been aboard the aircraft because of the extent of the wreckage.

TWO PEOPLE KILLED IN EARLIER BUS CRASH

The helicopter had been sent to cover an earlier collision involving a Metro bus and another vehicle.
That accident occurred shortly after 5pm near the intersection of Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue in Chatsworth.
Two people were killed and at least six others were taken to hospital following the collision, according to NBC Los Angeles.
The helicopter crashed roughly a mile away while news crews were covering the incident.
The two separate accidents therefore turned an already deadly evening into an even larger emergency for the Chatsworth community.

FIREFIGHTERS BATTLE FLAMES

Dozens of firefighters rushed to the helicopter crash site after the aircraft burst into flames.
Firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading further among nearby commercial properties.
The crash damaged four vehicles and two storage containers, according to authorities.
Aerial images from the scene showed pieces of the helicopter, including parts of the tail and rotor, scattered among vehicles and storage containers.

NBC SAYS CREW MEMBERS WERE ON BOARD

NBC Los Angeles later confirmed that the helicopter was providing aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52.
Local NBC reporting identified reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw among those killed.
The helicopter was operated by Angel City Air, which provides aerial news-gathering services for the television stations.
The stations expressed condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who died.

CAUSE OF CRASH REMAINS UNKNOWN

Investigators have not yet established what caused the helicopter to crash.
The US National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have launched investigations into the incident.
Authorities will examine the helicopter, its flight path, communications, weather conditions and other evidence as they work to determine what happened before the aircraft went down.
No official cause has been announced.

HELICOPTERS COMMONLY USED FOR LOS ANGELES NEWS

News helicopters are frequently used by Los Angeles television stations because of the city's size, heavy traffic and sprawling road network.
They allow broadcasters to provide live aerial images of major traffic accidents, police operations, fires and other emergencies.
The Chatsworth crash highlights the risks faced by crews working in the air while attempting to provide real-time coverage of breaking events.

A TRAGIC NIGHT IN CHATSWORTH

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described the events as a heartbreaking night for the city.
The community was already dealing with the deaths and injuries from the earlier bus collision when the helicopter crashed nearby.
Emergency workers therefore had to respond to two serious incidents in the same area within a short period.
As investigators begin examining the helicopter wreckage, the families of those killed are left mourning the loss of three people in an incident that began as an attempt to report on another tragedy.
The investigation will now focus on determining why the NewsChopper4 aircraft went down and whether any mechanical, operational or other factors contributed to the crash.