CHATSWORTH, LOS ANGELES — The Southern California journalism and aviation communities are mourning the deaths of aerial reporter and photojournalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw, who were killed Tuesday evening when a news helicopter crashed in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles.
The helicopter went down shortly before 7 p.m. near the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue while Moreno and Marciniw were providing aerial coverage of a separate deadly Metro bus crash.
The Los Angeles Fire Department reported that the helicopter came down between commercial buildings, caught fire and damaged four vehicles and two storage containers. One other person was hospitalized.
A third person was also killed in the helicopter crash, but that individual’s identity had not been publicly released in the information available.
Moreno and Marciniw worked for Angel City Air, the company operating the helicopter for aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52. Their deaths have prompted tributes from colleagues and others who knew them through their years covering breaking news across Southern California.
Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw Killed in Chatsworth Helicopter Crash
The fatal helicopter crash happened as the aircraft was being used to cover breaking news elsewhere in Los Angeles.
Moreno, an experienced aerial journalist, and Marciniw, a veteran pilot, were aboard the helicopter when it crashed in the Chatsworth commercial area.
The aircraft went down between buildings and caught fire after striking the ground. Emergency responders arrived at the scene and worked to manage the fire, damaged vehicles and other hazards created by the crash.
The incident resulted in three deaths, including Moreno and Marciniw.
One additional person was hospitalized, according to the information provided by fire officials.
The circumstances that caused the helicopter to crash remain under investigation.
Helicopter Was Covering Deadly Metro Bus Crash
Moreno and Marciniw were flying over Los Angeles while covering a separate fatal collision involving a Los Angeles Metro bus and an SUV.
That earlier crash occurred near Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue in the San Fernando Valley.
Metro reported that three people were killed and six others were hospitalized in that collision.
The news helicopter had been dispatched to provide aerial coverage of the developing story when it later crashed several miles away in Chatsworth.
The sequence of events made the tragedy particularly difficult for the Southern California news community because Moreno and Marciniw were themselves reporting on another deadly incident when their aircraft went down.
What Happened to the News Helicopter?
According to the information available, the NewsChopper4 helicopter launched from a nearby airport at approximately 5:20 p.m.
The aircraft reportedly lost its signal shortly before 7 p.m.
Witnesses described seeing the helicopter swaying and appearing to lose altitude before it struck the ground and caught fire.
Those observations have not established the cause of the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the incident and will examine the available evidence to determine what happened before the helicopter went down.
Eliana Moreno Remembered
Eliana Moreno was a familiar face to viewers who followed aerial coverage of breaking news throughout Southern California.
Known professionally by the nickname “Eli in the Heli,” Moreno spent years reporting from the skies above the region, covering major incidents and events from a perspective unavailable to reporters on the ground.
Her work included aerial coverage of wildfires, traffic collisions, police activity and other breaking-news situations.
Moreno was an Orange County native and graduated from Chapman University in 2010, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science.
She joined the Angel City Air helicopter operation in September 2010 and went on to spend more than a decade working in aerial journalism.
For television audiences, her reports provided a bird’s-eye view of some of the biggest stories unfolding across Southern California.
For colleagues, she was also a journalist and professional who spent years working in a demanding environment where breaking situations could change rapidly.
Moreno’s Partnership With George Marciniw
Moreno and Marciniw had been flying together since 2023.
Their professional partnership became familiar to viewers of NBC4 and Telemundo 52 as the pair provided aerial coverage of breaking news across the region.
Working as an aerial news team requires close coordination between the reporter and pilot.
Moreno focused on gathering and communicating information from the helicopter, while Marciniw was responsible for operating the aircraft during coverage.
Their years working together made their loss particularly significant for colleagues who knew them as a team.
George Marciniw Remembered
George Marciniw was a longtime Southern California pilot with decades of aviation experience.
He grew up in the region and graduated from Burbank High School in 1974.
In addition to his work as a news helicopter pilot, Marciniw was also a flight instructor, sharing his aviation knowledge and experience with others.
His career connected him to the Southern California aviation community as well as the region’s television-news industry.
For those who worked alongside him, Marciniw’s experience as a pilot formed an important part of his professional identity.
His death has now left colleagues and friends remembering a veteran aviator whose work helped news organizations bring live aerial images to viewers throughout Los Angeles and Southern California.
NTSB and FAA Investigate Chatsworth Crash
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the helicopter crash.
The aircraft involved was identified as a Eurocopter AS350 B2.
Investigators will examine the helicopter, the crash site and other available evidence as they work to determine what caused the aircraft to go down.
At this stage, the cause of the crash has not been determined.
Witness descriptions of the helicopter’s movements before the crash may form part of the broader investigation, but such observations alone cannot establish why the aircraft lost altitude or control.
Additional findings may be released as federal investigators complete their work.
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 Mourn Colleagues
Moreno and Marciniw were part of the aerial operation supporting NBC4 and Telemundo 52 coverage.
Their deaths have therefore been felt throughout the local television-news community.
Aerial journalism plays an important role during major breaking-news events, allowing television audiences to see traffic conditions, fires, police operations, natural disasters and other incidents from above.
Moreno spent years working in that environment, while Marciniw provided the aviation expertise required to operate the news helicopter.
Their deaths represent the loss of two professionals who had become familiar figures within Southern California’s breaking-news operation.
A Tragedy That Claimed Three Lives
The helicopter crash claimed the lives of three people.
Moreno and Marciniw have been publicly identified among those killed. The third fatality had not been publicly identified in the information available.
The crash also damaged four vehicles and two storage containers, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
One other person was hospitalized following the incident.
Emergency crews faced the additional challenge of responding to a helicopter fire in a commercial area, where nearby vehicles, buildings and other structures could be affected.
The full consequences of the crash remain part of the investigation.
Remembering Eliana Moreno’s Career
Moreno’s career in aerial journalism lasted more than a decade.
Her professional journey began after graduating from Chapman University, and she joined Angel City Air later that same year.
Over the years, she became associated with aerial reporting across Southern California.
The nickname “Eli in the Heli” became part of her professional identity, reflecting the role she played in bringing viewers live images and reporting from above.
Her work allowed audiences to see major events as they unfolded and helped television news organizations provide real-time visual coverage of developing stories.
Those who watched her reports may remember her most clearly through the distinctive perspective she brought to Southern California news coverage.
Remembering George Marciniw’s Aviation Career
Marciniw’s career was rooted in aviation.
After growing up in Southern California and graduating from Burbank High School, he developed decades of experience as a pilot.
His work as both a news helicopter pilot and flight instructor connected him to two important aspects of aviation: operating aircraft professionally and helping others learn to fly.
His experience made him an important part of the aerial news operation.
His partnership with Moreno over the past several years placed him alongside one of the region’s recognizable aerial reporters as they covered breaking stories from the skies.
Investigation Into the Helicopter Accident
The investigation into the Chatsworth helicopter crash remains ongoing.
Federal investigators will seek to establish the sequence of events leading up to the accident and identify any factors that may have contributed.
Investigators may examine the aircraft’s mechanical condition, maintenance history, flight information, communications, weather and other evidence as part of their review.
No specific cause should be treated as established until investigators release verified findings.
The crash occurred while the helicopter was being used for news coverage, but the purpose of the flight does not itself explain why the aircraft went down.
Southern California Journalism Community Mourns
The deaths of Moreno and Marciniw have affected journalists, pilots, photographers, television crews and others who work in Southern California news.
Both had spent years contributing to the way major events were documented and communicated to the public.
For Moreno, that work involved reporting from the air and helping audiences understand breaking events through aerial images.
For Marciniw, it involved safely operating the helicopter and providing the aviation expertise necessary for that coverage.
Their professional contributions formed a shared part of the region’s television-news landscape.
Funeral and Memorial Arrangements
Information concerning funeral services, memorial gatherings, visitation or burial arrangements for Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw had not been provided in the information available.
Additional details may be announced by their respective families or representatives.
Those wishing to pay their respects should rely on official announcements rather than unverified information circulating online.
What We Know About the Chatsworth Helicopter Crash
The available information includes:
- Eliana Moreno: Aerial reporter and photojournalist
- George Marciniw: News helicopter pilot
- Operator: Angel City Air
- News organizations: NBC4 and Telemundo 52
- Crash location: Near the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue, Chatsworth, Los Angeles
- Approximate crash time: Shortly before 7 p.m.
- Aircraft: Eurocopter AS350 B2
- People killed: Three
- Identified victims: Moreno and Marciniw
- Third victim: Identity not publicly released in the available information
- Additional person hospitalized: One
- Property damage: Four vehicles and two storage containers
- Earlier story being covered: Fatal Metro bus/SUV crash near Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue
- NTSB: Investigating
- FAA: Investigating
- Cause of helicopter crash: Undetermined
These details may change as investigators release additional findings.
A Final Tribute to Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw
The deaths of Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw mark a painful loss for Southern California journalism and aviation.
Moreno spent more than a decade bringing aerial reporting to television audiences, becoming known to many viewers as “Eli in the Heli.” Her career included coverage of fires, crashes, police activity and other major breaking-news stories.
Marciniw brought decades of aviation experience to his work as a news helicopter pilot and flight instructor. His professional partnership with Moreno began in 2023 and continued until the fatal crash.
The two were covering another deadly collision when their helicopter crashed in Chatsworth shortly before 7 p.m. Three people were killed in the helicopter incident, while another person was hospitalized.
The NTSB and FAA are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the crash, and the cause remains undetermined.
For colleagues and viewers who knew Moreno and Marciniw through their work, their absence will be felt whenever breaking news is covered from the skies above Southern California.
Their professional lives were dedicated in different ways to journalism and aviation, and their work became part of the region’s news landscape.
Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw will be remembered for the years they spent serving Southern California audiences and for the professional contributions they made through aerial journalism and aviation. May their families, friends and colleagues find comfort and strength during this difficult time.