Three Killed as NBC News Helicopter Crashes While Covering Los Angeles Bus Accident

Three people have been killed after an NBC Los Angeles news helicopter crashed and burst into flames while covering a deadly traffic accident in the Chatsworth neighbourhood of Los Angeles, California.

The helicopter, identified as NewsChopper4, operated by Angel City Air for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 Los Angeles, went down shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday near the site of a separate crash involving an SUV and a Los Angeles Metro bus.

The aircraft crashed between commercial buildings in the San Fernando Valley, landing on or near several vehicles and storage containers. The impact triggered a fire that firefighters later brought under control.

Los Angeles Fire Department officials said three people were pronounced dead at the helicopter crash site. At least one of the victims was outside the helicopter and was in a nearby parking lot when the aircraft came down. Authorities were initially unable to determine how many people had been aboard because the helicopter was severely damaged.

A fourth person was taken to a hospital, although officials had not immediately released information about that person’s condition. More than 50 firefighters responded to the crash, while several vehicles and two storage containers were damaged by the resulting fire.

The tragedy occurred only a short distance from another serious crash that had drawn several news helicopters to the area.

Earlier on Tuesday, an SUV collided with a Metro bus in Chatsworth, killing at least two people and injuring six others, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department and NBC Los Angeles. The collision occurred near Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue.

NBC Los Angeles confirmed that its helicopter had crashed after initially losing contact with the aircraft. Anchor Colleen Williams announced the incident during a live broadcast, with the station subsequently confirming that the downed helicopter was part of its news operation.

The crash prompted an emotional response inside the newsroom as colleagues waited for information about the crew. NBC and Telemundo expressed condolences to those affected, while Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom also acknowledged the deaths and the emergency response.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the helicopter crash. Authorities have not yet established what caused the aircraft to go down.

The incident adds to the history of fatal news-helicopter crashes in the United States, with the AP reporting that crashes involving news helicopters have killed 16 people in eight incidents since 2000.