The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published a preliminary report as part of its investigation into the fatal NBC helicopter crash last month.
On October 7, 2026, the NTSB confirmed that the Airbus AS-350 B2 helicopter departed Whiteman Airport (WHP) Los Angeles, on October 15, 2026, and flew to Chatsworth to gather video footage of a recent fatal traffic accident.
On board the helicopter, NBC4 reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw maneuvered in the vicinity of the traffic accident for about one hour and 24 minutes.
“During the last minute of the flight, the helicopter was about 1,700 ft msl or about 800 ft above ground level and decelerated to about 6 knots ground speed,” the NTSB report said.
A four-minute, 21-second-long video recording of the traffic accident captured the final moments before the crash.
The NTSB said that during most of the recording, the ambient helicopter noise remained consistent with normal operations, but that changed during the last 29 seconds of the flight.
“During the last 29 seconds of the flight, the recording captured the helicopter noise as it changed frequency, along with intermittent and continuous horns, consistent with the helicopter’s main rotor high rpm, low rotor rpm and other aural advisories,” the NTSB report explained.
The report added: “ADS-B data showed that the helicopter began a rapid descent while turning right. The last ADS-B data point captured the helicopter at a high rate of descent, about 38 knots groundspeed directly above the accident site.”
The aircraft impacted a metal storage container and came to rest partially on its right side. A postaccident fire quickly ensued. A third victim on the ground also perished after sustaining fatal injuries.