A routine evening assignment in Los Angeles became a heartbreaking tragedy on September 15, 2026, when an NBC Los Angeles news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth while covering an earlier Metro bus collision. The aircraft, operated by Angel City Air, was carrying aerial photojournalist Eliana “Eli” Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. Both were killed, along with a person who was on the ground when the helicopter came down. Emergency crews, already responding to the earlier accident nearby, quickly reached the crash site, where the aircraft had caught fire. NBC4 and Telemundo 52 later confirmed the deaths of their colleagues, describing Moreno and Marciniw as deeply valued members of their aerial news team. Moreno had worked in helicopter journalism since 2010, while Marciniw had accumulated more than 14,000 flight hours, according to reports. Their deaths have left colleagues, friends, and viewers mourning two professionals who spent years documenting breaking news from above.

Attention has since turned to footage apparently recorded during the helicopter’s final moments. The video initially shows the aircraft providing an aerial view of the earlier collision before its movement changes and it begins descending. A voice heard in the recording appears to ask, “What? You can’t pull up?” before the footage ends. The audio has prompted discussion about what may have happened, but the recording alone does not establish the cause of the crash. Veteran helicopter pilot Zoey Tur suggested the sound could be consistent with an engine failure, while emphasizing that investigators must determine the official cause. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, with the Federal Aviation Administration also reviewing the incident. As the investigation continues, Moreno and Marciniw are being remembered not simply for their final flight, but for years of dedication to their work and the communities they served.