NTSB releases report on fatal California news helicopter crash

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board issued a preliminary report on a fatal news‑helicopter accident in California, citing a rapid descent before impact.

According to the report, an Airbus AS‑350 B2 departed Whiteman Airport in Los Angeles on October 15, 2026, to film a traffic incident near Chatsworth, carrying NBC4 reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw for about 84 minutes; in the final minute the aircraft was at roughly 1,700 ft msl, slowed to about 6 knots ground speed, then entered a rapid right‑turning descent at about 38 knots groundspeed before striking a metal storage container, with the last 29 seconds of onboard audio showing changing rotor frequencies and horn sounds.

Source 1 references a September 15 accident date, while Source 2 specifies the crash occurred on October 15, 2026, indicating a discrepancy in the reported date of the incident.