What Pilot George Marciniw Discussed with a Longtime Friend Before the LA Helicopter Crash – And Who the Third Victim Was

The most haunting details emerged only after the initial shock, as loved ones began recounting the ordinary plans, familiar routines, and unfinished hopes that had been interrupted without warning. What they shared made the loss feel even more painfully personal.

In the aftermath of the devastating helicopter crash in Chatsworth, new details have begun revealing just how many lives were changed in an instant. One victim had only arrived in Los Angeles hours earlier, while another had recently spoken with an old friend about something that would soon take on heartbreaking significance.

As families and friends continue to mourn, the stories behind the three people who died are bringing an even more personal dimension to the tragedy.

The aircraft had been providing aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52, while its crew was reporting on a fatal collision involving a Los Angeles Metro bus and a passenger vehicle.

George Marciniw was piloting the helicopter, while Eliana Moreno was reporting. Both, unfortunately, passed away as a result of the crash.

The Third Victim Had Arrived in Los Angeles Hours Earlier

The third person killed in the September 15, 2026 tragedy was Edy Fernando Gutiérrez Mejía, a 29-year-old Guatemalan tourist, Univision reported.

His identity was confirmed by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, while the Guatemalan Consulate also corroborated to N+ Univision Los Angeles that he was one of its nationals.

Gutiérrez Mejía had reportedly arrived in Los Angeles just hours before the accident. He was on the ground when the news helicopter crashed shortly before 7 p.m. near Mason Avenue and Nordhoff Street in Chatsworth.

Two People Traveling with Him Were Also Hurt

Gutiérrez Mejía was not alone in Los Angeles. Two other Guatemalan citizens — identified as his cousin and a friend — were also injured and transported for medical attention following the crash. The Guatemalan consular representation was reportedly providing them with guidance and assistance as they dealt with what happened.

But Gutiérrez Mejía’s family soon faced another painful reality. According to Univision, the consular representation could not provide financial assistance toward transporting his body back to Guatemala because he had been in the United States on a visa.

For relatives already reeling from his sudden death, it creates another burden at an already overwhelming time.

His Family Had Seen Him That Same Morning

From Cuilapa, in Guatemala’s Santa Rosa department, Aura Estrada — identified as the aunt of Gutiérrez Mejía’s partner — described just how difficult the news is for those back home to comprehend. She said family members are “in disbelief.”

“Seeing him in the morning and then at night, the news that he was dead,” she reflected. Gutiérrez Mejía had traveled to Los Angeles for work. He was reportedly arranging shipments of clothing, cars, and spare parts to Guatemala. But when relatives spoke about the 29-year-old, they remembered much more than his work.

His Loved Ones Remember His Humor and Energy

Family members described Gutiérrez Mejía as “very playful, he liked to tell jokes and make people laugh.” He is also remembered as someone who liked getting involved in activities in his hometown.

Relatives said he enjoyed participating when fairs and other events were held, adding that he would help set up stages and assist with sound checks.

The memories paint a picture of someone who enjoyed being around people and contributing to his community.

Speaking by phone from Nevada, Karla Padilla, who identified herself as the victim’s cousin, shared another deeply personal description of him. She remembered Gutiérrez Mejía as a man “full of life, with a great desire to live.”

Padilla also reflected on the particularly painful circumstances of losing him so unexpectedly and so far from home. She described it as “a sudden death in another country, which is the most painful thing.”

His Family Is Trying to Bring Him Home

Following Gutiérrez Mejía’s death, relatives created a GoFundMe campaign to help with the financial strain facing the family. The fundraiser’s original message is written in Spanish and has been loosely translated into English here.

In the message, organizer Padilla said she was writing with a “deeply broken heart” following the death of her beloved cousin on September 15.

The family described Gutiérrez Mejía’s death as tragic and unexpected, saying the crash had left an impossible void and unimaginable grief behind.

Those who knew Gutiérrez Mejía, according to the message, remember him as a wonderful person who was always full of life, kindness, and love for his family. But alongside their mourning, relatives now face substantial funeral and transportation expenses.

The fundraiser says the family is dealing with funeral, burial, and transport costs that far exceed what they can immediately afford. The money raised is intended to help cover funeral services and a viewing, burial or cremation expenses, unexpected costs, and direct support for Gutiérrez Mejía’s parents.

The family also asked those unable to donate financially to share the fundraiser instead. “We are deeply grateful for your prayers, words of encouragement, and generous solidarity during this dark time,” the loosely translated message reads. The campaign has a $4,500 goal and has so far only raised $675.

For Gutiérrez Mejía’s loved ones, the effort is ultimately about helping give him the dignified farewell he deserves and bringing some relief to a family suddenly dealing with a tragedy thousands of miles from home. But as more people connected to the crash began speaking publicly, another heartbreaking detail surfaced.

George Marciniw’s Friend Was at the Crash Scene

Fellow helicopter Pilot Esteban Jimenez was at the scene following the crash, according to NBC Los Angeles. Jimenez had known Marciniw since the 1990s, making their relationship far more than a passing professional acquaintance.

“I knew him since the 90s. He was my instructor at one time, he was my eyes and ears here in L.A.,” Jimenez said. Marciniw had apparently remained someone Jimenez trusted and relied on throughout their years in aviation.

“He let me know what was going on with everything,” Jimenez recalled. And after the crash, Jimenez revealed that the two men had spoken only days earlier.

Their Final Conversation Had Happened Just Days Before the Crash

Jimenez said he had talked with Marciniw on the Sunday before the Tuesday crash. At the time, there was seemingly nothing unusual about the exchange. It was simply another conversation between two men who had known each other for decades and shared a deep connection to aviation.

“I just spoke to him on Sunday,” Jimenez said. But the subject they discussed now carries a completely different weight. “We were talking about the aviation business and retiring,” Jimenez revealed. He then added, “I just cannot believe this.”

The detail is especially poignant because Jimenez said his longtime friend was nearing retirement. What may have felt like an ordinary conversation between old friends at the time has now become one of Jimenez’s final memories of Marciniw.

Amid the grief surrounding all three deaths, the contrast is especially difficult to ignore: Gutiérrez Mejía had only just arrived in Los Angeles, while Marciniw had been discussing the possibility of stepping away from the career that had defined so much of his life.

As we previously reported, in the aftermath of the crash, attention has also turned to what was apparently captured from inside the aircraft shortly before it went down.

A News Assignment Turns Into Another Tragedy

According to NBC News, the helicopter crashed in a parking lot near a self-storage facility in Chatsworth, a community in the San Fernando Valley. The aircraft was operated by Angel City Air, and NBC Los Angeles said it lost contact with the people aboard.

NBC Los Angeles later identified Moreno and Marciniw as the two people inside. Both worked for Angel City Air, with Moreno known to viewers of NBC Los Angeles and its Spanish-language sister station, Telemundo 52.

The realization of what had happened unfolded painfully on air. “We knew it was a news chopper, we knew we’d lost contact with our people out there, and we’ve just received the confirmation that, in fact, NewsChopper 4 went down just before 7 o’clock tonight in Chatsworth,” Anchor Colleen Williams said.

Her voice became emotional as she added, “We’re going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, to process and to regroup.” NBC L.A. morning Co-Anchor Lynette Romero later said the team is “heartbroken” and thinking about Moreno and Marciniw’s families.

“They were both doing what they loved so much and for me, that’s comfort in knowing how happy they were. They loved breaking news, and they loved being in News Chopper 4,” Romero said Wednesday on NBC’s “TODAY” show.

First Responders Found the Helicopter Engulfed in Flames

The original incident the helicopter had been covering unfolded hours earlier on Nordhoff Street. The Los Angeles Fire Department said the bus collision occurred at 5:03 p.m. Firefighters worked to free people who were trapped and assess the passengers aboard the bus. Two people were killed in that collision, while others were injured.

NewsChopper 4 was reportedly one of multiple aircraft covering the scene when the second disaster unfolded shortly before 7 p.m. Fire and police personnel were already nearby because of the earlier collision and rushed toward the helicopter wreckage.

According to Fire Capt. Branden Silverman, they found the aircraft engulfed in flames, with the fire spreading to vehicles parked nearby.

According to Fire Battalion Chief Rico A. Gross, three people were dead at the scene, while two others were taken to a hospital. Their conditions were not immediately available. One of the three people killed appeared to have been a pedestrian on the ground when the aircraft came down, Silverman said.

A Witness Knew Something Was Wrong

Zareh Sevanesian was driving nearby with his wife, Allyona, when something about the helicopter caught his attention. “As we were driving, I looked over to my left,” he recalled. “I saw the helicopter — something didn’t look right. And I told my wife, ‘That helicopter is not flying right.'”

Sevanesian said the aircraft appeared to be swaying before it began gradually losing altitude. “It was just getting lower and lower and lower and lower,” he said. He pulled over near the scene after the crash, where flames were already roaring. “It was one of the most violent fires I had ever seen,” Sevanesian recalled.

He said he soon encountered a person down near the wreckage and three other people who were “screaming uncontrollably.” “It was very terrifying and sad for everyone,” Allyona added.

NBC4 and Telemundo 52 Mourn Their Colleagues

NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 released a joint statement expressing their grief after the deaths were confirmed. “We are deeply saddened to share that a helicopter providing aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 was involved in a fatal accident in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening,” the stations said.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.” Moreno was born in Orange County and graduated from Chapman University in 2010 with a degree in broadcast journalism and political science, according to NBC Los Angeles.

She joined Angel City Air’s helicopter team that same year and went on to report for multiple Southern California news outlets. Marciniw also grew up in Southern California and graduated from Burbank High School, the station reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday that it would be involved in the investigation, which the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) would lead.

The NTSB said it was “investigating the Sept. 15 crash of a Eurocopter AS 350 B2 helicopter in Chatsworth, California,” and that investigators were expected at the scene Wednesday morning.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described it as “a heartbreaking night for our city” while praising the first responders who reacted to both tragedies.

“We lost five Angelenos today,” she said, “and my heart certainly goes out to the family and friends of all of those that we lost.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom also offered condolences, saying, “Our hearts are with the victims and families of tonight’s devastating Metro bus and helicopter crashes in Chatsworth, and with the entire NBC4 family.”

Moreno’s Final Public Message Came Days Earlier

In the aftermath of the crash, even an otherwise lighthearted social media exchange from Moreno has taken on a heartbreaking significance. Just days before her death, Moreno posted a brief response on X on September 11. “Thank you Danny! It’s okay…I blame it on jet lag. 😅,” she wrote.

At the time, there was nothing remarkable about the cheerful post. Four days later, however, Moreno would be aboard NewsChopper 4 during what became its final flight.

And it is footage apparently recorded from that helicopter that has now emerged as one of the most chilling elements of the story.

The Final Footage Captured a Sudden Change

A video circulating on Facebook shows the helicopter’s aerial coverage of the aftermath of the bus collision. The accompanying caption described it as “The final moments of footage from the helicopter that was broadcasting LIVE as it crashed,” adding that preliminary reports indicated Moreno was aboard.

At first, the footage shows the scene below from the aircraft’s elevated vantage point as the crew continues gathering material. Then, the mood abruptly changes.

Hooting from the ground can be heard carrying through the air as the camera zooms out. The helicopter appears to move before beginning to descend.

The aircraft continues dropping, and the footage becomes increasingly unsettling. Another post sharing the footage on X captures the same terrifying sequence as the helicopter’s movement becomes more erratic. Then comes the moment that makes the clip particularly difficult to hear.

A Haunting Question Is Heard Before the Video Ends

As the helicopter descends, a voice presumed to be Moreno’s can be heard in the background. “What? You can’t pull up?” the voice says.

Almost immediately afterward, the helicopter begins jolting violently while continuing downward. The video then cuts.

The footage does not, on its own, establish what caused the helicopter to go down, and investigators are now tasked with determining what happened during those final moments.

Still, the combination of the rapidly descending aircraft, the increasingly violent movement, and that brief question captured from inside the helicopter offers a devastating glimpse into the seconds before contact was lost.

Five Details Show Another Side of Moreno

Away from the helicopter and newsroom, Moreno’s social media posts offered glimpses into a much more personal side of her life:

1. She Was Engaged

Moreno’s Facebook page lists her as engaged to Robert Barrientos, giving another glimpse into the life she was building away from television.

2. She Spoke Three Languages

Her Facebook profile also listed English, Spanish, and Français among her languages. The detail adds another dimension to a journalist whose professional life often placed her in front of Southern California audiences.

3. She Had Chickens on a Farm

In a March 2025 Instagram post, Moreno shared that she had gotten up at sunrise to tend to her chickens. She joked about being “Eggs-hausted” after the early morning chore but was excited to discover seven eggs in the coop.

The post was accompanied by hashtags including #chickenfarming, #eggs, #chickencoop, #hen and #ranch, showing a side of her life far removed from the rush of breaking news.

4. She Loved Dogs

A June 2024 Instagram post showed Moreno enjoying a visit to a Dodgers event at Dodger Stadium with dogs. She wrote, “Our first time at #pupsatthepark at @dodgerstadium was amazing! We walked on the field, made it on the Jumbotron, and caught a ⚾️! Can’t wait for next year!”

Her hashtags included #yorkie, #yorkshireterrier, #poodle, #boxerdog and #adoptdontshop, along with references to rescued dogs.

5. She Had Spent Years Reporting From the Sky

Perhaps the most striking detail about Moreno’s professional life was how long she had been doing the job that ultimately brought her into the fatal crash. She began flying in news helicopters in 2010, shortly after graduating from Chapman University with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science.

Her career included work at KCAL 9 and KCBS 2 before she joined NBC and began flying aboard NewsChopper4 around 2018 or 2019. That experience made her a familiar presence to viewers of NBC4 and Telemundo 52 and earned her the playful “Eli in the Heli” identity online.

Marciniw Had More Than 14,000 Hours in the Helicopter

Marciniw was also an experienced member of the Angel City Air team. The New York Post reported that the pilot had logged more than 14,000 hours in the helicopter, underscoring the amount of flying experience he had accumulated.

His Facebook page identifies him as a helicopter pilot involved in aerial filming, flight instruction, surveillance, ferrying, helicopter management, and helicopter flight services in Burbank. Moreno and Marciniw had been flying together since 2023, according to reports.

A Veteran Helicopter Pilot Has a Theory About What Happened

Veteran helicopter pilot and former news reporter Zoey Tur has offered a preliminary assessment based on audio from the crash. Tur, who made a name covering breaking news from the skies over Los Angeles, said the recording appeared to capture signs consistent with an engine failure shortly before the helicopter went down.

“If you listen, you could hear the low rotor RPM annunciator horn going off. You could also hear the engine rev down. This was an engine failure, and slow response into entering an auto-rotation by PiC. No survivors [sic],” Tur posted on X after the crash.

However, Tur’s assessment is not an official determination of the crash’s cause. Federal investigators are now examining the wreckage and circumstances surrounding the flight.

Two Investigations Could Help Explain What Happened

The NTSB is leading the investigation into the crash and is expected to examine the aircraft, wreckage, and circumstances surrounding the flight.

At the same time, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is conducting a separate review. The FAA’s focus includes the paperwork, licensing, and compliance requirements surrounding the flight to determine whether proper aviation rules were followed.

That creates two parallel investigative threads: the NTSB is working to determine what went wrong with the flight itself, while the FAA is checking whether the operation and those involved complied with the applicable flying and licensing rules. For now, neither investigation has established a cause.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of everyone affected by both tragedies.