NTSB releases initial report on news helicopter crash that killed three

CHATSWORTH, Calif. (KESQ) - The National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary findings today into the helicopter crash that killed a pilot and a TV news reporter and one person on the ground in Chatsworth as the chopper crew was covering an earlier crash that killed two people on a Metro bus.

The crash of NewsChopper4 occurred just before 7 p.m. on Sept. 15. The aircraft went down between two commercial buildings at 9151 Mason Ave., near Nordhoff Street, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported.   

Reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw were killed aboard the helicopter, which was operated by Angel City Air and provided news coverage for NBC4 and its Spanish-language sister station, Telemundo 52, NBC4 announced.   

The victim on the ground was identified by the Los Angeles County medical examiner as Edy Gutierrez Mejia, 29.   

A worker at a warehouse near the site of the helicopter crash who was in the parking lot at the time of the crash was taken to a hospital, but suffered no serious injuries.  

Moreno and Marciniw were both employees of Angel City Air.   

According to the NTSB report, the doomed Airbus AS350 B2 helicopter departed Whiteman Airport in Pacoima at about 6:25 p.m., traveled west for nine miles at an average altitude of 1,600 feet above mean sea level then maneuvered above the crash scene for about an hour and 25 minutes.

"During the last minute of the flight, the helicopter was about... 800 feet above ground level and decelerated to about six knots ground speed,'' the report states. "A four-minute, 21-long video recording of the traffic accident was taken by the onboard news reporter. The recording also captured ambient helicopter noise that included sounds from both the main rotor and engine. During most of the recording, the ambient helicopter noise remained consistent with normal operations. During the last 29 seconds of the flight, the recording captured the helicopter noise as it changed frequency, along with intermittent and continuous horns..."   

While turning right, the copter began descending rapidly, according to data reviewed by investigators. It then plunged swiftly to the ground.   

Security video cameras on nearby buildings recorded the helicopter as it descended and struck a metal storage container and burst into flames, according to the NTSB.

The helicopter came to rest partially on its right side, with crash debris scatter about 30 feet around the main wreckage.   

"The fuselage, in its entirety, was mostly reduced to ash and thermally damaged metal,'' the report states, adding that the tail boom "separated but remained next to the fuselage'' while both main and tail rotor assemblies remained attached at their respective mounting assemblies.

The helicopter was taken to a secure location as the investigation continued.

NTSB investigator-in-charge Fabian Salazar had earlier said video from the cockpit would likely be the most important piece of evidence in the investigation.

The video, posted online, shows the camera zooming out, then several alarms apparently indicative of an engine failure can be heard as the chopper begins falling. Moreno can be heard saying, "You can't pull up?'' before the video goes black.

That recording was to be sent out for a sound spectrum analysis, Salazar had said, adding, "Because in that recording, we are clearly hearing sounds that are consistent with the engine changing its speed. And we're also hearing tones that are being generated that are likely advisories to the pilot.''  

Salazar said the helicopter was not believed to have been equipped with a flight data recorder.

A final report with a probable cause was expected in about 17 months.