Archive · 16 Sep 2026
News Helicopter Crashes During Coverage of Fatal Los Angeles Collision
A news helicopter was flying over Los Angeles to show a serious crash involving a bus and an SUV.
The helicopter then fell into a parking area near some buildings.
It hit vehicles and containers, and a large fire started.
Firefighters came to put out the flames.
The helicopter was believed to belong to NBC Los Angeles.
Reports disagreed about how many people died in the helicopter crash.
One report said at least one person on the ground died, while another said three people died and one person was hurt.
Investigators from aviation agencies were expected to determine what happened.
A television news helicopter crashed into a parking lot in Los Angeles while covering an earlier Metro bus and SUV collision.
The helicopter was preliminarily identified as belonging to NBC Los Angeles, also known as KNBC-TV or NBC4.
Reports said the crash caused a fire that spread to nearby vehicles and shipping containers between commercial buildings.
The earlier bus collision reportedly killed at least two people and injured several others.
Casualty reports differed: one account said at least one person on the ground died, while another reported three helicopter-crash deaths and one injured person; authorities investigated the crew’s status and the cause.
- Who
- A television news helicopter, believed to belong to NBC Los Angeles, and people involved in the earlier Metro bus-SUV collision.
- What
- The helicopter crashed and caught fire while providing aerial coverage of the earlier collision.
- When
- Tuesday evening, with one report dated September 16, 2026.
- Where
- In a Los Angeles parking area between commercial buildings; reports placed the site near N Mason Avenue and near Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue in the San Fernando Valley.
- Why
- The helicopter was covering the earlier deadly collision; the cause of its crash was not immediately known.
- Aircraft
- A television news helicopter preliminarily identified as belonging to NBC Los Angeles, also called KNBC-TV or NBC4.
- Earlier collision
- An SUV crashed into the side of a Los Angeles Metro bus.
- Earlier-collision casualties
- At least two people were reportedly killed, with multiple others injured.
- Helicopter-crash site
- A parking area between buildings, where the helicopter landed on shipping containers and parked vehicles.
- Fire response
- Los Angeles firefighters responded shortly after 7 p.m. to extinguish a large fire and heavy smoke.
- Reported helicopter-crash casualties
- Accounts differed: one reported at least one person on the ground killed; another reported three deaths, including one person on the ground, and one injured person taken to a hospital.
- Investigation
- The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were expected to investigate.
