NBC Helicopter Crash Kills Reporter Eliana Moreno And Pilot

Shocking surveillance footage has captured the terrifying moment an NBC Los Angeles helicopter tumbled toward the earth, ending the lives of everyone on board. The tragic accident happened Tuesday evening around 7 pm in a warehouse district near Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue. Reporter Eliana Moreno was filming coverage of a nearby fatal bus crash when the aircraft suddenly lost control and plunged down.

NewsChopper4 free fell rapidly toward the parking lot of a self-storage business. Smoke began to billow from behind a storage container just 20 seconds after impact, slowly turning darker as the fire grew. Flames erupted approximately 50 seconds later, igniting a massive blaze that destroyed nearby cars and two metal containers.

Eliana Moreno, 38, and pilot George Marciniw, 70, were pronounced dead at the scene. Edy Gutierrez Mejia, a 29-year-old Guatemalan tourist who was on the ground, also lost her life in this horrific crash. Her family shared a heartbreaking tribute to the fallen reporter on Thursday.

Federal investigators are now expected to study the video closely to determine exactly what caused the Eurocopter AS350B2 to plummet so suddenly. NBC News aviation analyst Jeff Guzzetti told his network that the footage would be very helpful for the inquiry. He noted a high rate of descent visible in the recording. The scene has left many people reeling as they try to process this sudden loss.

Disturbing surveillance footage has been released showing an NBC Los Angeles helicopter crashing to the ground on Tuesday night. The aircraft, carrying reporter Eliana Moreno, 38, and pilot George Marciniw, 70, was in the air covering a fatal bus collision when disaster struck.

The impact started a massive fire that quickly destroyed nearby vehicles and two storage containers sitting at the crash site. Authorities with the National Transportation Safety Board have already stated they are focusing their entire investigation on the specific video Moreno recorded inside the helicopter before it fell.

That recording shows an aerial view of the bus wreck and the SUV that T-boned the city bus while the sound of the helicopter's whirl could be heard in the background. Suddenly, the engine motor winds down and a horn blares out, possibly warning the pilot that main rotor speed had dropped too low. At that exact moment, Moreno can be heard quietly saying 'Uh oh.'

As the camera angle begins to descend and shake violently, the reporter asks Marciniw if he can pull up. The video is now at the center of the NTSB investigation as authorities work to piece together what caused the Eurocopter AS350B2 to go down. Investigator in Charge Fabian Salazar said this at a Wednesday afternoon news conference.

'The video that was actually taken while the reporter was doing live coverage, that video is probably the most important evidence that we have discovered so far,' Salazar declared during the press event. 'In that recording, we are clearly hearing sounds that are consistent with the engine changing its speed and we're also hearing tones that are being generated that are likely advisories to the pilot.'

He explained it is vital they get that recording to their lab for download so investigators can access that factual evidence directly. The NTSB investigation will gather as much data from the wreckage site as possible while combing through all available footage from the crash itself.

Investigators plan to move the helicopter to a secure facility once the initial portion of the inquiry is complete so they can continue their examination and try to pull additional data from the remains. Maintenance logbooks for the chopper and current weather conditions will also be part of this investigation, along with efforts to obtain surveillance footage from buildings near the crash scene to get a full picture of the sequence of events.

A preliminary report is expected to be completed in 30 days, but a final report listing probable cause can take up to 18 months to finish. In the meantime, Moreno's family asked that the public keep her, Marciniw, Mejia and the victims of the fatal bus crash in their prayers.

'Since she was 11 years old, Eliana dreamed of becoming a news reporter,' the family said in a statement released after the tragedy. 'Through hard work and courage, she turned that dream into reality.' They noted so much of that journey was made possible by all the people who welcomed her into their homes and onto their screens.

Her passing meant more to those around her than any words could fully capture. Eliana Moreno died doing exactly what she loved, chasing a dream that started when she was just an 11-year-old girl. Her family released a statement on Thursday filled with grief but also gratitude. They found solace in the fact that she left this world pursuing her passion for journalism.

The message came signed by her parents, siblings, fiancé Robert Barrientos, stepsons, and even their beloved dogs. Picture Robert standing beside Eliana; he is now one of many voices mourning her loss. On behalf of everyone who loved her, the family expressed deep thanks to friends and strangers for the overwhelming support they showed. They called Eliana beautiful and admitted how blessed they felt having had the privilege of raising her.

Please keep Eliana in your thoughts along with pilot George Edy Gutierrez Mejia and all the souls lost in that bus collision. The plea for prayers came from a family shattered by tragedy. And Johan Moreno, her brother, took to X to share his own pain. RIP sis, I will love you to the end of time, he wrote. His family and he just went through the worst day of their lives. They appreciated all the support and understanding poured out for them in those heartbreaking hours.