LOS ANGELES — A veteran aerial journalist and her pilot were killed Tuesday evening when the news helicopter they were operating crashed in the San Fernando Valley, turning a routine news assignment into a devastating tragedy for the Southern California media community.
Eliana Moreno, a respected reporter and videographer for NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52, died alongside pilot George Marciniw shortly before 7 p.m. in the neighborhood of Chatsworth. The pair was flying in NewsChopper4 to provide aerial coverage of a serious collision involving an SUV and a Metro bus when the aircraft went down near the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue.
The crash resulted in further loss of life on the ground; authorities confirmed a third person was killed at the crash site, and two others were transported to local hospitals with injuries.
The wreckage of the helicopter came to rest between two commercial buildings and immediately burst into flames. More than 50 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, where they worked to extinguish the blaze amidst the wreckage.
For the newsrooms at NBC4 and Telemundo 52, the event unfolded with a chilling realization. As producers and anchors reported on the bus collision, they slowly recognized that contact had been lost with their own aerial team. Hours later, the stations confirmed the worst.
“We are deeply saddened to report that a helicopter providing aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 was involved in a fatal crash,” the stations said in a joint statement. “Tonight we mourn. We are heartbroken. We lost two great colleagues.”
Moreno, an Orange County native and 2010 graduate of Chapman University, had dedicated 16 years to aerial journalism. Known to colleagues and followers as “Eli in the heli,” she was a fixture of Los Angeles breaking news, often arriving on the scene of wildfires, police pursuits, and major traffic accidents long before ground crews. Her professional identity was defined by her ability to remain calm and analytical while observing chaos from the air.
Her colleagues remembered her as a dedicated professional who possessed a deep understanding of the city she documented from above. Beyond the cockpit, she was a vibrant member of the community who had become engaged last year and was an avid runner.
As of Wednesday morning, the cause of the crash remained unknown. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have launched a full investigation, which will focus on the mechanical and environmental conditions in the moments leading up to the impact.
For years, Moreno spent her career flying toward danger so that viewers could understand the events unfolding below them. In a tragic irony, the journalist who spent a lifetime documenting the emergencies of Los Angeles became the subject of one herself.
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