The Southern California journalism community suffered a terrible blow Tuesday when NBC and Telemundo reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw were killed around 7 p.m.
Their helicopter lost power and crashed in Chatsworth, two blocks away from a fatal collision they were covering.
Edy Gutierrez Mejia, a 29-year-old visiting from Guatemala, was struck and killed by the falling helicopter.
The collision on the ground involved 36-year-old Bailee Lynn Rios, who was charged by the L.A. County District attorney with reckless driving, driving under the influence and two counts of second-degree murder for driving her Ford Expedition into a Metro bus, killing 46-year-old Daniel Castillo and 31-year-old Gage Weida.
Our reporters have extensively covered the helicopter crash, digging to learn more about what happened and to paint a fuller picture of Moreno and Marciniw, NBC’s “eyes and ears in the sky.” Here’s a recap of what we know along with a tribute from a former professor.
Investigating the crash
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration sent investigators on Wednesday to determine what caused the a Eurocopter AS350 B2 to go down.
Officials are searching the wreckage and combing through maintenance logbooks and security footage.
In the aerial footage shot by Moreno and Marciniw, the sound of the engine’s motor winds down and a horn blares, possibly warning the pilot that the main rotor speed had dropped too low or the helicopter had lost hydraulics. Moreno responds to the sound with a quiet “uh oh.”
Aviation experts told The Times the crash might be the result of a mechanical failure.
That alarm would be triggered by a potential engine failure, causing low propeller rotation, or a problem with the hydraulic system, said Jack Cress, a former Marine helicopter pilot and accident investigation instructor at USC’s Aviation Safety and Security Program.
More about Moreno and Marciniw
An Orange County native, Moreno graduated from Chapman University with a degree in broadcast journalism and political science. She had been flying in news choppers since 2010. She was engaged to be married.
Jake Asner, creator of the video news organization Traffic News L.A. and organizer of a small memorial at Whiteman Airport in Pacoima, told The Times he trained with Moreno in 2022.
“She was just so wildly good at what she did,” he said. “She had the scanners on, she was talking to … assignment desks … and controlling the camera. …. She did it like it was a piece of cake.”
Marciniw also grew up in Southern California and graduated from Burbank High School in 1974, according to NBC4. He also worked as a flight instructor for aspiring pilots.
According to an online flight instructor profile, Marciniw was a helicopter flight instructor for more than 30 years and had flown 14,000 hours. He was based at Whiteman Airport, and was affiliated with Pacific Rotorways Helicopter Training.
“George, thank you for taking my two oldest boys up on a flight,” Stacey Swehla wrote on Facebook. “We will always remember you with love. I’ve enjoyed watching the videos of your news flights with your friend’s reporter over the years. You lived an adventurous life.”
Working to fight back the tears
The calls, text and social media messages have come nonstop since about an hour after the accident, said Chapman University lecturer Peter Weitzner, who served as an advisor and teacher to Moreno in several classes.
“In a way, maybe it’s helped me to stay busy,” he said. “I’m sure when I stop moving, when I have time to think, I’m sure I’ll be crying.”
He described Moreno as “a top five student in every way, including talent and achievement,” he said.
Weitzner recalled two moments that he said separated Moreno from the thousands of students he instructed.
The first, he said, was when Moreno chose an internship with a local access Irvine television station instead of trying to land with a more prestigious outfit.
“She didn’t want the higher-profile internship because she was looking to do more than just bolster her resume,” he said. “She wanted real practical experience.”
Moreno also jumped into coverage of the healthcare reform that dominated the 2008 presidential election, while most students avoided such challenging issues, Weitzner said.
“She watched dozens of clips and researched Medicare and Medicaid until she felt locked in,” Weitzner said. “This was the tenacity that led her to succeed.”
The week’s biggest stories
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
Crime, courts and policing
The intersection of politics, media and tech
In memoriam
More news
Editor’s pick
More picks
Things to do
(Brian Feinzimer/For The Times)
Today’s recipe
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
It was a simple question from my brother: “Who makes the best buttermilk biscuits?” I thought about easy answers like Kentucky Fried Chicken or Knott’s, but in the end, the most memorable were the homemade variety. Here’s a recipe from chef Ray Garcia that can capture the magic of a warm, tasty biscuit.
Photo of the day
Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández celebrates with teammates in the clubhouse on Thursday after they clinched their fifth consecutive NL West division title in a road game against the Cincinnati Reds.
(Tanner Pearson / Associated Press)
Games
Here’s today’s mini crossword, plus our other free, daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and jigsaw games.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Jack Dolan, investigative reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew J. Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
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