A fatal crash was captured by a livestream when an NBC News helicopter fell out of the sky during a report.
The story was supposed to be about a deadly bus crash in Los Angeles, but video shows how quickly things changed when a chopper piloted by George Marciniw began losing altitude. The low rotor RPM annunciator horn alerted experienced pilot and veteran NBC4 Los Angeles aerial reporter Eliana Moreno to complications moments before the engine stalled, shook violently and then crashed into the ground.
Watch:
BREAKING: TV news helicopter crashes during live shot of bus crash in Los Angeles.
The helicopter belongs to NBC Los Angeles (KNBC-TV). No word yet on casualties. pic.twitter.com/kXwgr5meOP
— BNO News (@BNONews) September 16, 2026
“Pull! You can’t pull up?” Moreno asked moments before disaster.
Unfortunately, both Marciniw and Moreno were killed in the crash, along with a bystander on the ground. Photos of the aftermath show several vehicles on fire following the helicopter’s explosion.
Look:
An NBC news helicopter covering a bus collision nearby crashed into a parking lot between two commercial buildings in Los Angeles on Tuesday, September 15, sparking a fire at the scene. pic.twitter.com/uWWmgkZTaQ
— The Hill (@thehill) September 16, 2026
An NBC Los Angeles helicopter covering a deadly bus collision nearby crashed into a parking lot on Tuesday. Video shows black smoke billowing from the site of the crash in Chatsworth.
Three people died and one person was taken to a hospital. https://t.co/7981iUUCVp pic.twitter.com/XuU4s7XVhT
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 16, 2026
The veteran pilot had over 14,000 hours in the chopper at the time, indicating that something other than human error was likely at fault for the failure.
X users reacted to the horrifying video:
When are news agencies gonna start realizing that drones is a better way to cover the news without any loss of life if anything happens?
— QSE.357 (@QSE_357) September 16, 2026
Every helo has a Height-Velocity diagram. It tells you how fast you need to be flying to safely autorotate from any height. If a helo hovers in the perfect position for a great shot at the wrong altitude the pilot is betting his life he won’t lose his engine. He bet wrong.
— EricOfOrange (@ericbdunn) September 16, 2026
Sounds like a bearing failure.
No you can’t pull up.
Praying for any survivors and their families.
— Bryan Hall (@TheDataRules) September 16, 2026
Oh, my goodness. I just turned on my local channels, and it’s on every local channel. That’s horrific.
— L J (@LJNewsOpinions) September 16, 2026
