Sonali Tiwary
Three people are dead after an NBC Los Angeles news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley on the evening of September 15, 2026, shortly before 7 p.m. The helicopter went down while the crew was covering a nearby fatal bus accident — a separate incident that occurred within minutes and blocks of the crash site.
The helicopter was operated by KNBC, the NBC affiliate known as NBC4 Los Angeles. Three people were killed in the crash. The crash occurred in the Chatsworth neighborhood of northwestern Los Angeles. Within the same area and timeframe, a Metro bus collision had already drawn emergency responders, with both incidents occurring in close proximity.
For residents in northwestern Los Angeles, street closures and emergency detours near Chatsworth are ongoing as federal investigators work the crash site. Commuters should check current traffic advisories before traveling through the area. The loss of the aircraft also removes one of the region’s aerial broadcast platforms used for traffic monitoring, wildfire coverage, and breaking news aerial operations.
What Is Known About the Crash
The helicopter went down in Chatsworth on the evening of September 15, shortly before 7 p.m. At the time, the crew was covering the Metro bus collision, which itself was a fatal incident drawing emergency resources.
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) and LAPD responded to the scene. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have both opened investigations. Early wire reports incorrectly conflated casualties from the two incidents — the bus crash and the helicopter crash were separate events with separate casualty counts, occurring near each other but not connected.
The specific cause of the crash has not been determined.
The Dual-Incident Situation
The timing of the two incidents created an unusual rescue resource situation. Two critical emergencies in close geographic range placed simultaneous demands on emergency resources — first responders were managing both scenes at once, something that receives little coverage in most breaking news accounts.
NTSB Investigation Process
The NTSB is the US federal agency that investigates all civil aviation accidents. When the NTSB opens an investigation, it assigns a go-team to the site to document evidence, recover flight data, interview witnesses, and assess mechanical and environmental factors.
For news helicopter operations, the investigation will examine: the aircraft’s maintenance records, the flight path in relation to the bus accident site, altitude and airspeed at the time of the crash, communications between the crew and air traffic control, and weather and visibility conditions at the time.
A preliminary report — which documents the facts of the accident without determining cause — is released during the early stages of the investigation. A final report with probable cause determination takes considerably longer and depends on the complexity of the findings.
What Caused the Crash
The cause is under investigation. No official determination has been released. Statements from the FAA, NTSB, LAFD, or LAPD should be treated as the controlling source for any update on cause or contributing factors. Speculation in early reports about the crash’s cause should not be treated as confirmed.
NBC4 has reported on the crash of its own crew, a situation that is both a breaking news event and a personnel loss for the station.
Official tributes to the crew members and family support information will be released through NBC4’s official channels as the station addresses the loss.
