Colleen Williams of NBC Los Angeles confirmed that their helicopter had crashed on September 15. This came as the chopper was covering the Chatsworth vehicle accident where an SUV ploughed into a Metro bus killing two.
The helicopter crash itself left three dead, with one person believed to have been on the ground at the time of the crash. A fourth person was injured and taken to the hospital. Their condition is not known at present as the FAA and NTSB are leading the investigation on the chopper crash.
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Deep Dive
What were the circumstances surrounding the NBC Los Angeles helicopter crash?
How did Colleen Williams react to the helicopter crash during the live broadcast?
What investigations are being conducted regarding the helicopter crash?
Initially, there was no confirmation on who the helicopter belonged to, though NBC Los Angeles had said on air that they were unable to contact their pilot and the people on board their helicopter. Later, Williams confirmed that it was their helicopter which crashed.
A video of the news segment was shared widely online.
{{/usCountry}}A video of the news segment was shared widely online.
{{/usCountry}}What did Colleen Williams say?
Williams shared an update on the crash saying they had been ‘piecing it together’. The news anchor said NBC Los Angeles was aware there was a crashed chopper and that they'd lost contact with their ‘people out there’.
“We've just received confirmation that news chopper 4 went down just before 7 o'clock tonight in Chatsworth,” Williams added. “We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, to process, and regroup,” she added.
Williams said that in the meantime if anything should happen like a news conference, then they'd break into their program and bring the viewers the news.
Who is Colleen Williams?
Williams is a ‘a highly respected broadcast journalist and co-anchor of NBC4’s weekday newscasts at 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 7 p.m., where she delivers trusted, award-winning coverage to viewers across Southern California,’ her NBC Los Angeles profile notes.
She has about four decades of experience and has covered seminal moments like the OJ Simpson trial, the LA riots, and the 2025 LA fires. She's also covered high profile events like the 2023 Los Angeles Mayoral Debate, the 2024 California Senatorial Debate, and the 2005 California Governor’s Summit. She has also been on special assignment covering things like the Olympics, most recently having covered the 2024 Paris event.
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Williams is from Omaha, Nebraska, and worked first with WOW Radio, then with WOWT. She was a field reporter alongside Dan Rather and Walter Cronkite. Williams has earned multiple Golden Mike Awards, Emmy Awards, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Radio & Television News Association.
She is deeply committed to family and community her profile notes. Williams met her husband, a U.S. Air Force pilot, while covering the Persian Gulf War. They have a son who is also now a U.S. Air Force pilot.
Williams is an avid hockey fan and enjoys football. She earned her degree from University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO).