NBC4 Helicopter Crash in L.A. Leaves at Least 3 Dead, Authorities Say
At least three people are dead after local news station NBC4’s helicopter crashed in Los Angeles Tuesday night, according to fire officials.
The helicopter appeared to be over the scene of a nearby deadly Metro bus collision in the Chatsworth neighborhood when it crashed and burst into flames just before 7 p.m. PT. Several other vehicles that the chopper crashed next to also caught fire, authorities said.
According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, three people were confirmed deceased at the scene after the helicopter crash in the 9100 block of Mason Avenue. Another person was transported to a local hospital after suffering an apparent panic attack.
Local news station Fox 11 reported that two of the victims who died were aboard the helicopter and the third victim was a pedestrian on the ground, standing in a parking lot. Their identities have not been released at this time.
“The fire has been completely extinguished. No exposure to any structures. 4 automobiles and 2 storage containers have been damaged by the fire,” LAFD added in a statement.
Brandon Silverman, the LAFD public information officer, said the helicopter itself was “pretty well destroyed.” He added, per NBC4, “So we are going to have to go through the rubble and see how many victims there were on board, as well as identify the helicopter; we couldn’t even see a tail.”
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NBC4 Los Angeles later confirmed it was the station’s helicopter, NewsChopper4, which is operated by Angel City Air, that was involved in the crash.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will be handling the investigation. Fox 11 reported that Jennifer Gabris, a spokesperson for the NTSB, shared in a statement just after 9:30 p.m. PT, “We are investigating. An NTSB investigator is expected to arrive on scene tomorrow morning. We continue to gather information at this time. When I have more information, I will pass it along to you.”
Moments before the NBC4 chopper crashed, it was flying above the scene of a bus collision in the area, which left two dead. Six other people were also transported to local hospitals from that incident.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass shared in a statement on X later Tuesday, “I’m absolutely devastated by the loss of life in Chatsworth tonight. My heart is with the families and loved ones of those we lost in the tragic bus collision and helicopter crash.”
“Our hearts are with the victims and families of tonight’s devastating Metro bus and helicopter crashes in Chatsworth, and with the entire NBC4 family,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom also wrote in a statement. “Thank you to the first responders working tirelessly tonight.”
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This is a developing story.
