A helicopter assigned to cover the news crashed in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, killing three people and sending two others to hospital. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) later released photographs from the scene showing the aircraft and nearby storage containers burned out. The cause remains undetermined, and investigators said a final report could take as long as 18 months.
NBC helicopter crashed while covering bus accident
The aircraft was NBC Los Angeles' NewsChopper4, which also provides aerial coverage for the Spanish-language station Telemundo 52. On the night of the crash, it was flying over the Chatsworth area while covering a bus accident that had killed two people. Other news helicopters were also circling the scene.
The driver involved in the bus accident was later arrested on suspicion of murder. NewsChopper4 crashed during its assignment in an industrial area about 600 metres northeast of the bus crash site. Los Angeles television stations regularly use helicopters for live coverage of police pursuits, wildfires, traffic accidents, protests and holiday congestion, making aerial reporting a significant part of the local news business.
Three victims identified
The victims included NBC photographer Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. The third person killed was 29-year-old pedestrian Edy Gutierrez Mejia, whose identity was confirmed by the coroner's office. NBC said Mejia was a Guatemalan national who had arrived in Los Angeles earlier this week.
Marciniw was described as an experienced pilot. During its Tuesday night broadcast, NBC4 confirmed that the helicopter involved belonged to the station. Veteran anchor Colleen Williams became visibly emotional while presenting the crash coverage. Moreno and Marciniw had previously been photographed together in front of the helicopter.
NTSB to examine video recorded before crash
The NTSB is leading the investigation. Investigators collected data at the crash site on Wednesday and plan to move the helicopter wreckage to a secure facility for further examination of the aircraft and other evidence.
Fabian Salazar, the NTSB investigator overseeing the case, said the agency expects to issue a preliminary report within 30 days. Determining the cause, however, could take up to 18 months. Salazar said a video circulating on social media that appears to show the pilot's viewpoint in the seconds before the crash may be “the most important evidence” available to investigators.
Officials have not reached conclusions about a possible mechanical failure, weather conditions, flight operations or air-traffic circumstances. The investigation will continue to focus on the wreckage, data collected at the scene and the video recorded before the crash. Whether the accident involved any preventable factors will depend on the NTSB's later findings.