E-Paper
NBC Los Angeles helicopter crash: 5 things to know as tributes pour in for victims and eyewitness reacts
Aerial correspondent Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw died on Tuesday following a helicopter crash in Chatsworth.
Prefer HTon Google
Following a fatal news helicopter accident in Los Angeles that resulted in three fatalities, tributes commenced arriving on Wednesday.
The incident transpired shortly before 7 p.m. local time on Tuesday in the Chatsworth region of the San Fernando Valley, while the news aircraft was monitoring a vehicular traffic incident.
Tragic NBC helicopter accident in LA: 5 things to know
- Angel City Air was the operator of the helicopter that was engaged in providing news coverage services for NBC Los Angeles.
- The people aboard the helicopter were identified as Eliana Moreno, a journalist recognized by audiences of the station and its Spanish-language affiliate, Telemundo 52, and pilot George Marciniw.
- These two professionals commenced their collaborative flying operations in 2023.
- A pedestrian present at the ground level was also confirmed to have perished at the location, according to official statements. Identification of the person remains pending by authorities.
- Zareh Sevanesian, an eyewitness to the incident, reported that the helicopter exhibited oscillating movements prior to commencing its descent. “It was just getting lower and lower and lower and lower,” he stated on NBC’s TODAY show.
Eliana Moreno
Deep Dive
Moreno, a woman in her late thirties, was born in Orange County, situated south of Los Angeles.
She completed her undergraduate studies at Chapman University, located in the same region, earning a degree in broadcast journalism and political science in 2010, according to NBC Los Angeles.
Moreno became a member of Angel City Air's helicopter division that same year and has subsequently provided reporting services for numerous news organizations throughout Southern California.
An accomplished aerial correspondent with proficiency in Spanish-language reporting, Moreno maintained a notable presence on her official Instagram profile under the handle “Eli in the heli,” a reference to her distinctive professional work. Through this platform, she regularly posted photographs featuring her poultry and canine companions, as well as a video documenting her engagement to her fiancée, Robert Barrientos, which took place in 2025.
Barrientos has not yet provided a response to NBC News regarding their inquiry for commentary. The couple participated jointly in a half-marathon event during May, following which she posted: “I surpassed everything I thought I could ever do so let's see what I do next!”. Additionally, Moreno consistently disseminated several photographs depicting herself aboard the news helicopter while actively reporting on developing stories, with one accompanying caption stating: “I have the best job in the world.”
Esteemed NBC4 Los Angeles news anchor Colleen Williams, a veteran broadcaster, delivered a heartfelt tribute to her while on air Tuesday evening.
She addressed the audience, stating: “We are coming on the air with heavy hearts tonight because we lost valued friends and colleagues ... while on assignment tonight.”
“We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, process it,” she said in a shaky voice while getting emotional.
Lynette Romero, co-anchor of NBC L.A.'s morning newscast, expressed that the station was experiencing profound sorrow and extending their thoughts to the families of Moreno and Marciniw.
“They were both doing what they loved so much, and for me, that’s comfort in knowing how happy they were. They loved breaking news, and they loved being in News Chopper 4,” she stated on NBC’s “TODAY” show.
George Marciniw
Marciniw was raised in Southern California and completed his secondary education at Burbank High School, graduating in 1974, as reported by NBC L.A.
Marciniw is understood to have accumulated more than three decades of aviation experience. He frequently distributed photographs of sunsets and regional landscapes obtained during his helicopter excursions, which he referred to as a “news cruise.”
He frequently acknowledged photographs on his official Instagram account by attributing them to his professional associate and collaborator, Moreno.
“And that’s a wrap for Friday night as the heavy fog rolls in with Eliana Moreno,” he noted, accompanying the post with an image of the helicopter. In a separate post, he shared a photograph of the Los Angeles Dodgers stadium brilliantly illuminated during nighttime, with the caption: “A few shots Eliana took as we flew over Dodgers after the game. “Go Dodgers.”
Many people on social media expressed their respects to Marciniw, highlighting his dedication to excellence and enthusiastic demeanor. “Fly high in the great beyond,” one said. “Total utter disbelief,” another stated.
