Newly released dashcam video shows a Los Angeles news helicopter rapidly descending moments before it crashed and caught fire in Chatsworth. The aircraft was covering a separate fatal SUV and city bus collision when it went down, killing two people aboard and a man on the ground. Investigators are examining the helicopter’s final video and cockpit sounds as they work to determine the cause. The earlier road crash also remains under investigation.
The helicopter operated by Angel City Air was being used for aerial coverage by local television news stations on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. It crashed in the San Fernando Valley near a storage facility, where flames spread to vehicles and storage containers.
| 1) | Dashcam captures the helicopter’s final descent |
| 2) | Three people died in the Chatsworth crash |
| 3) | The crash followed a separate deadly collision |
| 4) | Investigators are analyzing video and aircraft sounds |
| 5) | Authorities are pursuing both crash investigations |
Dashcam captures the helicopter’s final descent
A driver in Los Angeles recorded the helicopter as it dropped from the sky on Tuesday while the crew covered a nearby traffic collision. The aircraft appears as a small but visible object in the footage before descending rapidly toward the ground. The video provides an outside view of the final moments and may help establish the helicopter’s flight path and timing.
The driver, Year Valencia, told a local television station that the aircraft appeared to fall close to the roadway. “God, it’s so close, it could have happened to anyone. My parents walk down the street,” Valencia said.
Three people died in the Chatsworth crash
The helicopter crashed in Chatsworth, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley, near a storage facility. The impact caused a fire that spread to at least four vehicles and two storage containers. The victims were television reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, and Edy Gutierrez Mejia, 29, who was on the ground.
Moreno was working for local television news operations that used the aircraft for aerial reporting. Marciniw was operating the Eurocopter AS350. Gutierrez Mejia was not aboard the helicopter and was killed on the ground when the aircraft came down.
The crash followed a separate deadly collision
The helicopter crash occurred about two hours after an SUV struck a city bus in a separate collision near the same general area. Authorities said the SUV was traveling the wrong way, ran a red light and hit another vehicle before colliding with the bus.
That earlier crash killed two people and injured six others. Police arrested the SUV driver, Bailee Lynn Rios, 36, on murder charges Tuesday night. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office was reviewing the case to determine what charges, if any, would be filed in court.
Investigators are analyzing video and aircraft sounds
The cause of the helicopter crash had not been determined as of Wednesday. Video recorded from inside the aircraft before impact captured an alarm as the helicopter began losing altitude. The recording also includes sounds that investigators said appeared consistent with changes in engine speed and cockpit advisory tones.
National Transportation Safety Board investigator Fabian Salazar said the final video could provide critical evidence. Investigators are expected to compare the cockpit recording, the dashcam footage, the wreckage and other available information to reconstruct what happened before the aircraft descended.
Authorities are pursuing both crash investigations
The NTSB is investigating the helicopter crash and the earlier SUV-bus collision. The aviation inquiry focuses on the aircraft’s operation, its mechanical and engine condition, the crew’s actions and the circumstances surrounding the loss of altitude.
The vehicle crash is being handled separately by law enforcement and prosecutors. Because the two incidents occurred near one another in time and location, investigators must distinguish the evidence and timelines associated with each event while assessing the full sequence of activity in the area.
| Number | Key Point |
|---|---|
| 1 | Dashcam footage captured the helicopter’s rapid descent. |
| 2 | Three people died in the Chatsworth crash. |
| 3 | The helicopter was covering a separate deadly SUV and bus collision. |
| 4 | Investigators are reviewing cockpit video, sounds and wreckage. |
Summary
The Los Angeles helicopter crash killed reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw and ground victim Edy Gutierrez Mejia. Dashcam and onboard video may help investigators determine why the Eurocopter AS350 lost altitude. Authorities are also continuing a separate investigation into the SUV-bus collision that preceded the crash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the helicopter crash?
It crashed in Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley near a storage facility.
How many people were killed?
Three people died in the helicopter incident: two aboard the aircraft and one person on the ground.
What evidence are investigators reviewing?
Investigators are reviewing dashcam footage, video recorded inside the helicopter, cockpit sounds, the wreckage and other evidence to determine the cause.
