10 Photos of Eliana Moreno: NBCLA Reporter Tragically Dies in Helicopter Crash While Covering LA Bus Collision

Eliana Moreno was reporting from above Los Angeles when the assignment turned into the story itself. The NBC4 aerial reporter, who also appeared on Telemundo 52, was among three people killed when the NewsChopper4 helicopter she was travelling in crashed in Chatsworth while covering a separate fatal bus collision.

Moreno and pilot George Marciniw, both employees of helicopter operator Angel City Air, died in the crash on Tuesday, 15 September. A third person on the ground was also killed, while others were injured. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating, and the official cause has not yet been established.

Who Was Eliana Moreno

Moreno was an Orange County native who graduated from Chapman University in 2010 with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science.

She joined Angel City Air in 2010 and went on to work across Southern California media before becoming a familiar face in aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52.

Her work involved covering wildfires, police pursuits, traffic incidents and other breaking news from the air.

Chapman University previously profiled her work during the 2017 Southern California wildfires, including her coverage of the Skirball Fire.

Moreno had also recently become engaged to Robert Barrientos. Colleagues have remembered her for her commitment to journalism, while her social media frequently reflected her enthusiasm for aerial reporting.

NBC4 Helicopter Crash Killed Three

The helicopter was providing aerial coverage of a deadly collision involving an SUV and a Metro bus in Chatsworth when the aircraft crashed shortly before 7pm near North Mason Avenue. NBC4 later confirmed the aircraft was NewsChopper4, operated by Angel City Air for NBC4 and Telemundo 52.

The helicopter came down in a parking area between commercial buildings and caught fire. Three people died in the crash, including Moreno and Marciniw, while the third victim was on the ground.

The crash occurred while several news helicopters were in the area covering the earlier bus collision. The NTSB is investigating the crash, with the FAA also involved, while the cause remains unknown.

Zoey Tur Offers Preliminary Assessment of Crash Audio

Veteran television helicopter pilot Zoey Tur reviewed available audio and suggested that an engine problem may have occurred. Tur said a low rotor RPM annunciator horn could be heard and that the engine appeared to rev down before concluding that it was an engine failure.

Tur's assessment remains an observation rather than an official finding, with investigators still working to determine what caused the crash.

Autorotation is an emergency manoeuvre that can allow a helicopter to remain controllable during a descent following an engine failure.

When engine power is lost, the pilot lowers the collective, allowing air to flow upwards through the main rotor as the helicopter descends and helping to maintain rotor speed.

This allows the pilot to retain control of the helicopter during the descent and attempt a landing, although the outcome depends heavily on the helicopter's altitude, airspeed, terrain and the pilot's response time.

Tur said the aircraft appeared to be hovering or operating at low speed when the suspected engine problem occurred, which she said could have left little time for a response. However, it has not been established whether the helicopter suffered an engine failure, a transmission problem or another mechanical or operational issue.

The official cause remains under investigation by federal authorities.