NBC Los Angeles helicopter crash in Chatsworth kills three, FAA probes
Synopsis
An NBC Los Angeles news helicopter crashed while covering a live road accident in Chatsworth, killing at least three people and sparking a fire. The crew was on air when the aircraft came down onto shipping containers and parked vehicles — turning the story they were covering into the story itself, with the FAA and NTSB now investigating.
Key Takeaways
An NBC Los Angeles news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth, Los Angeles on Tuesday evening at approximately 7 pm local time .
At least three people were killed; one person was hospitalised with condition unknown.
The helicopter was covering a separate SUV-Metro bus collision that had already killed at least two people .
The aircraft reportedly came down on two shipping containers and several parked vehicles, triggering a fire that was later extinguished.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched formal investigations.
A news helicopter operated by NBC Los Angeles crashed on Tuesday evening in the Chatsworth neighbourhood of Los Angeles, California, killing at least three people and triggering a fire, local authorities confirmed. The crash occurred at approximately 7 pm local time near 9151 N. Mason Avenue, between two commercial buildings in the area.
How the Crash Unfolded
The NBC Los Angeles helicopter was airborne covering a separate, ongoing road accident — a collision between an SUV and a Metro bus in Chatsworth that had already claimed at least two lives — when it came down. The crew was reportedly in the middle of a live broadcast at the time of the incident.
According to reports citing CBS News, the aircraft appeared to have landed on top of two shipping containers and several parked vehicles in the vicinity. Multiple news helicopters were reportedly circling the Chatsworth area as crews responded to the earlier road crash when the NBC Los Angeles helicopter went down.
Casualties and Emergency Response
At least three people were killed in the helicopter crash. One person was transported to a nearby hospital; their condition was not immediately known. Reports citing KTLA indicated that at least one individual had been pulled from the wreckage, though the full count of injured persons had not been confirmed at the time of writing.
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) confirmed the aircraft crash and dispatched emergency responders to the scene. The crash triggered a fire, which was subsequently extinguished, according to a later update. A canopy was erected over one of the bodies as recovery efforts continued.
Investigation Launched
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched a formal investigation into the crash. Both agencies are responsible for determining the cause of aviation accidents in the United States, and preliminary findings typically take several weeks to emerge.
This comes amid what was already a chaotic emergency response in Chatsworth, where authorities and multiple news crews had converged following the earlier SUV-Metro bus collision. The dual incidents placed significant strain on local emergency services.
Broader Context
News helicopter crashes, while rare, have occurred previously during live coverage of breaking events in the United States. The circumstances here — with multiple aircraft over a single incident site — raise questions about airspace coordination protocols during breaking-news coverage operations. Further details from the FAA and NTSB are awaited as investigations progress.
Point of View
And Tuesday's crash suggests that informal arrangement may be inadequate. The FAA and NTSB investigation will be closely watched not just for the cause of this specific accident, but for whether it prompts industry-wide review of aerial newsgathering protocols. The overlap with a simultaneous mass-casualty road accident also stretched local emergency services thin — a compounding factor that investigators will need to account for.
NationPress
16 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the NBC Los Angeles helicopter crash in Chatsworth?
An NBC Los Angeles news helicopter crashed on Tuesday evening near 9151 N. Mason Avenue in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, killing at least three people. The crew was conducting live coverage of a nearby SUV-Metro bus collision when the aircraft came down between two commercial buildings.
How many people were killed in the Chatsworth helicopter crash?
At least three people were killed in the helicopter crash. One additional person was transported to a nearby hospital, though their condition was not immediately known.
Who is investigating the NBC Los Angeles helicopter crash?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have both launched formal investigations into the crash. These agencies are responsible for determining the cause of aviation accidents in the United States.
What caused the NBC Los Angeles helicopter to crash?
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. The FAA and NTSB are investigating. Preliminary reports indicate the helicopter went down while covering the Chatsworth SUV-Metro bus accident, with multiple news aircraft reportedly in the airspace at the time.
What happened at the earlier Chatsworth accident the helicopter was covering?
A separate collision between an SUV and a Metro bus in Chatsworth had already killed at least two people before the helicopter crash occurred. Emergency services and multiple news crews, including airborne units, had responded to that scene when the NBC Los Angeles helicopter went down.
