3 Dead After News Helicopter Crashes in Los Angeles
- Three people were killed, including a reporter and a pilot, when a news helicopter crashed in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Chatsworth on Tuesday, Sept.
- According to the network, the pair had logged hundreds of hours together in the sky covering major stories, including the January 2025 wildfires.
- A third victim, identified by the Los Angeles Fire Department as a pedestrian on the ground, was also killed in the impact.
Three people were killed, including a reporter and a pilot, when a news helicopter crashed in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Chatsworth on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department and network reports. The helicopter crashed between two commercial buildings in a fiery blaze shortly before 7 p.m. local time, officials said, near the site of an earlier fatal bus collision that had drawn multiple news crews to the area.
Fatal Crash Claims NBC4 Crew and Pedestrian in Chatsworth
According to the network, the pair had logged hundreds of hours together in the sky covering major stories, including the January 2025 wildfires.
A third victim, identified by the Los Angeles Fire Department as a pedestrian on the ground, was also killed in the impact. LAFD Captain Branden Silverman told the local affiliate of the BBC’s US partner CBS that the third victim was declared dead at the scene.
The aircraft went down between two commercial buildings, spreading fire to four vehicles and two storage containers. More than 70 firefighters were deployed to extinguish the flames, according to the LAFD. A fourth person was injured and transported to a hospital.
Investigation Follows Earlier Metro Bus Collision
Multiple news helicopters and reporters were gathered in the Chatsworth neighborhood on the San Fernando Valley to cover a separate crash that had occurred around 5 p.m. local time on Tuesday. That incident involved a Metro bus and an SUV, leaving two people dead and six others injured, according to authorities cited by BBC’s US partner CBS.
The driver of the SUV in the bus collision, Bailee Lynn Rios, is being held on suspicion of murder for her alleged role in that crash, the LAPD stated.
During live evening coverage on NBC4, veteran news anchor Colleen Williams addressed viewers following the loss of contact with the station’s aircraft. We knew it was a news chopper. We knew we’d lost contact with our people out there, and we’ve just received confirmation,
Williams said during the broadcast.
Official Reactions and Next Steps
City and state leaders expressed condolences following the double tragedy in the San Fernando Valley. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called it a heartbreaking night for the city during a news conference at the scene. 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,
Bass said in a statement.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom also released a statement regarding the incidents. 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,
Newsom said. Thank you to the first responders working tirelessly tonight.
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna extended condolences to the families and colleagues impacted by the events. The cause of the helicopter crash remains unknown, and federal authorities including the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration announced they would investigate the incident.