Summary
- Eliana Moreno was killed in the NewsChopper4 crash in Chatsworth.
- Pilot George Marciniw and a 29-year-old man on the ground were also killed.
- The helicopter was covering a separate fatal Metro bus collision.
- The cause remains under investigation by the NTSB.
Journalist and photojournalist Eliana Moreno was killed alongside pilot George Marciniw when the NewsChopper4 news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, while they were covering another fatal traffic collision.
The crash happened shortly before 7 p.m. local time on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. NewsChopper4, a Eurocopter AS350 owned and operated by Angel City Air, was providing news coverage for NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52.
Moreno and Marciniw were killed in the crash, along with 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia, who was on the ground. Two other people were taken to hospital, according to local authorities.
Eliana Moreno behind the camera and microphone
Moreno was a familiar voice in Southern California helicopter-based news coverage. Working as both a journalist and photojournalist, she covered police pursuits, wildfires, breaking news and aerial views of the region for NBC4 and Telemundo 52.
She was from Orange County and graduated from Chapman University in 2010, where she studied broadcast journalism and political science. She joined Angel City Air’s helicopter team that same year and continued working for Southern California news outlets.
On social media she was known as “Eli in the heli”, a name closely associated with her work on NewsChopper4 and the way she delivered images and information from the air.
NewsChopper4 was covering another fatal crash
The helicopter had launched to cover a collision involving an SUV and a Metro bus in Chatsworth. That crash had already killed two people and injured several others.
Moreno and Marciniw were over the area when the helicopter’s signal was lost shortly before 7 p.m. NewsChopper4 crashed in a business parking lot near the traffic collision scene.
Marciniw was an experienced pilot and flight instructor with a long career in Southern California aviation. According to NBC Los Angeles, the two had logged hundreds of hours flying together since 2023.
Investigation into the cause
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident and has confirmed that the aircraft was a Eurocopter AS350 B2.
Investigators are examining, among other evidence, video and audio from the live broadcast before the crash, as well as the wreckage, maintenance records, weather conditions and information relating to the pilot. No official conclusion has yet been announced about what caused the helicopter to go down.
What we think
Eliana Moreno’s death is a reminder that photojournalism and breaking-news coverage are not always carried out from a safe distance. In the case of NewsChopper4, image-making and reporting took place in a demanding aviation environment where flight safety was inseparable from the work itself.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Eliana Moreno?
She was a journalist and photojournalist who worked on helicopter-based news assignments for NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52.
When did the crash happen?
On the evening of September 15, 2026, shortly before 7 p.m. local time, in Chatsworth, Los Angeles.
Who was killed?
Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw and 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia, who was on the ground.
Has the cause been announced?
No. The NTSB is still investigating the accident and no final conclusion has been announced.
