LOS ANGELES — An NBC news helicopter crashed and caught fire in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, killing at least three people while the crew was providing aerial coverage of a separate deadly collision involving a Metro bus, authorities and the station confirmed.
The aircraft, identified as NewsChopper4 operated by Angel City Air for NBC4 and Telemundo 52, went down shortly before 7 p.m. local time between two commercial buildings in the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue. The crash sparked a fire that damaged several vehicles and storage containers.
Los Angeles Fire Department officials reported three people were pronounced dead at the scene. One additional person was transported to a hospital. More than 50 firefighters responded to the incident.
NBC4 anchor Colleen Williams confirmed on air that the station had lost contact with its helicopter team and later verified that NewsChopper4 was the aircraft involved. The station later issued a statement expressing deep sadness and extending condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of those who lost their lives.
The helicopter had been covering an earlier crash about 1.5 miles away in which an SUV collided with a Los Angeles Metro bus, killing at least two people and injuring several others.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the cause of the helicopter crash. No official determination of the cause has been released.
Three people were killed when NewsChopper4 crashed while covering a Metro bus collision in Chatsworth. NTSB and FAA are investigating. The station confirmed the loss of its aerial team.
Reporting based on official statements from the Los Angeles Fire Department, NBC4, and contemporaneous coverage on September 15-16, 2026.
