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New Video May Help Investigators Determine Cause of Los Angeles Helicopter Crash
New surveillance video showing the descent of the news helicopter that crashed in Los Angeles Tuesday could provide valuable information to investigators trying to determine what caused the deadly crash.
The helicopter, known as NewsChopper4, crashed in Chatsworth while covering an earlier fatal Metro bus collision. Three people were killed, including NBC4 aerial reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw and a person on the ground.
The newly surfaced video, recorded by a nearby building, shows the helicopter descending rapidly before disappearing behind objects and trees. Smoke does not appear until roughly 20 seconds after the impact, followed by a thick, dark plume. Flames become visible from the camera's angle about 50 seconds after the crash.
NBC News aviation analyst and former NTSB investigator Jeff Guzzetti said the video could help investigators determine how quickly the helicopter was descending and whether the crew had enough altitude and airspeed to attempt an emergency autorotation.
“I see a very high rate of descent,” Guzzetti said. “That’s going to be helpful for investigators to determine if there was adequate altitude and airspeed to effect an emergency autorotation, to get the helicopter cushioned safely onto the ground.”
Guzzetti said a potential engine failure is likely to be a major focus of the investigation, although investigators will also need to determine what might have caused such a failure.
“Was it starved of fuel? Was there some sort of mechanical malfunction?” he said.
The timing of the smoke and flames could also provide investigators with information. Guzzetti said a delay between impact and fire can occur when fuel spills or leaks from the aircraft before igniting.
The significant fire also suggests the helicopter had fuel remaining at the time of the crash, according to Guzzetti.
“I think it rules out the fact that there was fuel exhaustion,” he said. “However, it could be a system issue that didn’t allow the fuel to get into the engine.”
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash. Investigators have removed some of the helicopter wreckage from the scene for further examination.
Investigators are also examining video and audio recorded from inside the helicopter. The NTSB has said that material could be key evidence in determining what happened in the moments before the crash.
Guzzetti said additional video from different angles, along with the onboard recording and physical evidence from the wreckage, could help investigators reconstruct the final moments of the flight.
The full investigation is expected to take months. Investigators are asking witnesses and anyone with video of the crash to contact the NTSB.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
September 18, 2026
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