Newly released surveillance video captured the devastating moment an NBC Los Angeles news helicopter plunged to the ground, killing the reporter and pilot aboard.
NewsChopper4 was flying above a warehouse area near the intersection of Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue at about 7pm Tuesday. Reporter Eliana Moreno had been covering a fatal bus crash nearby when the aircraft suddenly went down.
Video from a nearby building obtained by NBC Los Angeles shows the helicopter falling rapidly before striking the ground.
Roughly 20 seconds after the aircraft crashed into the parking lot of a self-storage facility, smoke began rising from behind a container and steadily thickened and darkened.
About 50 seconds after impact, flames became visible. The resulting blaze destroyed nearby vehicles and two storage containers.
Moreno, 38, whose family issued a heartbreaking tribute Thursday, was pronounced dead at the scene alongside pilot George Marciniw, 70. Edy Gutierrez Mejia, 29, a tourist from Guatemala, was also killed on the ground.
Federal investigators are expected to closely review the footage as they seek to establish why the Eurocopter AS350B2 suddenly plummeted.
‘I think the video will be helpful to investigators,’ NBC News aviation analyst Jeff Guzzetti told the network.
‘I see a high rate of descent,’ he said. ‘That is going to be helpful for investigators.’
Surveillance footage captured the moment an NBC Los Angeles helicopter fell to the ground on Tuesday night.
Eliana Moreno, 38, and pilot George Marciniw, 70, were on board the aircraft when it went down while covering a fatal bus collision
The impact sparked a massive fire that destroyed nearby vehicles and two storage containers
Authorities with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have previously said they are focusing their investigation on the footage Moreno took onboard the helicopter.
It shows an aerial view of the bus crash and the wrecked SUV that T-boned the city bus as the whirl of the helicopter could be heard in the background.
Suddenly, the sound of the engine’s motor winds down and a horn blares – possibly warning the pilot that the main rotor speed had dropped too low.
At that point, Moreno could be heard quietly saying ‘Uh oh.’
As the angle of the camera then begins to descend and shake, the reporter could be heard asking Marciniw: ‘You can’t pull up?’
The video is now at the center of the NTSB’s investigation as authorities work to piece together what may have caused the Eurocopter AS350B2 to go down, Investigator in Charge Fabian Salazar said at a Wednesday afternoon news conference.
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‘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,’ Investigator in Charge Fabian Salazar declared at a Wednesday afternoon news conference.
‘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, so it’s important that we get that recording to our lab, so that they can be downloaded and we can get to that factual evidence that way.’
The NTSB investigation will gather as much data from the wreckage site as possible and will comb through footage from the crash
Investigators will also gather as much data from the wreckage site as possible, Salazar said, as he urged anyone with information about the crash to reach out to the agency.
Once that portion of the investigation is complete, the helicopter will be moved to a secure facility so the agency could continue its examination and try to pull additional data from the wreckage.
The chopper’s maintenance logbooks and the weather will also be part of the investigation, and authorities will work 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 complete.
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. ‘Through hard work and courage, she turned that dream into a reality. So much of that journey was made possible by all of you who welcomed her into your homes and onto your screens. Your support meant more to her than you may ever know.
‘We find comfort in knowing that Eliana left this world doing the very thing she loved, pursuing the passion she carried with her since she was a little girl.’
Moreno’s family said in a statement on Thursday that she had dreamed of being a reporter since she was just 11 years old
The statement was signed by her parents, siblings, fiance Robert Barrientos (pictured with Moreno), her stepsons and their beloved dogs
‘On behalf of her parents, siblings, fiancé, stepsons and beloved dogs, we want to thank everyone for the overwhelming love you have shown our beautiful Eliana,’ the family continued.
‘We are infinitely proud of her and feel incredibly blessed to have had the privilege of loving her and calling her ours.
‘Please continue to keep Eliana, her pilot George, Edy Gutierrez Mejia and the souls lost in the bus collision in your thoughts and prayers,’ the family then pleaded. ‘Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.’
Moreno’s brother, Johan, also shared a statement on X, saying in part: ‘RIP sis, I will love you to the end of time.
‘My family and I just went through the worst day of our lives,’ he noted. ‘We appreciate all the support and love. Thank you for your well wishes and understanding.’