NBC News helicopter crashes, bursts into flames in Los Angeles while covering SUV-bus accident, 3 killed

A news helicopter operated by NBC4 Los Angeles crashed and burst into flames in the Chatsworth neighbourhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, killing at least three people and leaving another person injured. The helicopter was covering a separate deadly collision involving an SUV and a Metro bus when it went down, officials said. The helicopter came down shortly before 7 pm (local time) in the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue, in a commercial area of Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley. The Los Angeles Fire Department said the aircraft crashed between two commercial buildings and caught fire following the impact.

NBC4 Los Angeles anchor Colleen Williams confirmed during a live broadcast that the station’s helicopter had crashed. She said the aircraft went down just before 7 p.m. and paused the broadcast to process the incident. “We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, process it,” she said, her voice shaking with emotion, The AP reported. The station’s coverage was abruptly cut off moments later. NBC4 subsequently confirmed that the aircraft involved was NewsChopper4, operated by Angel City Air. Several television news helicopters had been in the area covering the earlier Metro bus collision when the NBC4 helicopter crashed roughly 1.6 kilometres from that scene.

Three killed, one person hospitalised

Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed that at least three people died in the helicopter crash. At least one of the victims was outside the aircraft in a parking lot beside the commercial building, while officials initially said it was unclear whether the other two victims were on the ground or inside the helicopter.  One additional person was taken to a hospital after the crash. Their condition was not immediately known.

LAFD Capt. Branden Silverman said the helicopter was “pretty well destroyed” in the crash. Emergency personnel were working through the wreckage to establish how many people had been aboard the aircraft. The impact also caused a fire that spread to at least four cars and two storage containers near the commercial building. More than 50 firefighters responded to the scene and brought the blaze under control.

Helicopter crash followed deadly bus collision

The helicopter tragedy occurred while television crews were covering another serious crash nearby. Around two hours earlier, an SUV had slammed into the side of a Metro bus near the intersection of Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue in Chatsworth. The collision killed at least two people and injured six others, according to emergency officials.

The force of the collision left part of the SUV lodged inside the bus, requiring firefighters to extricate people who were trapped. The injured were taken to hospitals for treatment. Several local television crews were covering the bus crash from the air when the NBC4 helicopter went down nearby, turning the scene into a second major emergency.

What caused the NBC4 helicopter crash?

The cause of the helicopter crash has not yet been determined. Emergency officials have not publicly identified what led the aircraft to lose control or come down in the commercial area. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are expected to investigate the crash and determine the circumstances leading to the accident. Federal aviation authorities note that preliminary accident information can change as investigators gather evidence. Officials are also expected to examine the aircraft, the flight path, available records and other evidence as part of the investigation. The cause should not be presumed until investigators establish the facts.

Gavin Newsom reacts to twin tragedies

California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed condolences following the two crashes in Chatsworth. In a post on X, he thanked emergency personnel responding to both incidents and said, “Our hearts are with the victims and families.” The investigation into the helicopter crash is continuing, while authorities are also dealing with the aftermath of the earlier bus collision.

(With inputs from AP)

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