# NBC reporter sees helicopter crash without knowing crew inside

> NBC reporter Robert Kovacik witnessed helicopter crash in LA without realizing his crew was aboard
- Title: NBC reporter sees helicopter crash without knowing crew inside
- Summary: NBC reporter Robert Kovacik witnessed helicopter crash in LA without realizing his crew was aboard NBC4 reporter Robert Kovacik was on-air covering bus crash…
- Keywords: robert kovacik, nbc4, los angeles, chatsworth, helicopter crash, news helicopter, eleana moreno, george marciniw, bus crash, l.a. fire, news, entertainment
- Source: Dailymail — https://dailymail.com/news/article-16135877/robert-kovacik-nbc-helicopter-crash-los-angeles.html?ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490&ns_mchannel=rss
- Published: 2026-09-16T12:54:21+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: robert kovacik, nbc4, los angeles, chatsworth, helicopter crash, news helicopter, eleana moreno, george marciniw, bus crash, l.a. fire, news, entertainment
## NBC reporter sees helicopter crash
NBC reporter Robert Kovacik witnessed helicopter crash in Los Angeles without knowing his crew was inside
## Crash happens during bus coverage
Kovacik was covering a bus crash in Chatsworth when the helicopter went down in a parking lot
## Crew unaware of danger
Kovacik rushed to the crash site with his crew as the aircraft was engulfed in flames
## First responders warn crew
Dark clouds of smoke billowed as firefighters begged Kovacik to stay away from the area
## Crew's desperate plea
Kovacik pleaded with first responders: 'Trust me, I am putting my own life in my own hands'
## Crew's identity revealed
Kovacik learned his colleagues were Eliana Moreno, 38, and pilot George Marciniw, 70
## Crew's emergency call
An anchor interrupted Kovacik: 'Robert, we need you to move towards the smoke immediately'
## Crew's confusion
Kovacik turned to Fox 11 reporter Ed Laskos: 'What are you hearing?' Laskos replied: 'It's a media helicopter'
## Crew's realization
Kovacik realized the helicopter was NBC4's NewsChopper4 carrying his colleagues
## Crew's aftermath
NBC4 confirmed the helicopter was their news aircraft, but they had lost contact with their crew
## Crew's injuries
Two people died in the crash, including Moreno and Marciniw, while others were injured
## Crew's impact
LA Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed condolences for the victims
## Crew's investigation
Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash
## Crew's aftermath
The intersection where the crashes occurred will be closed for 'quite some time'
## Crew's legacy
Moreno had been flying news choppers since 2010 and was due to marry her boyfriend Robert Barrientos
## Crew's legacy
Marciniw had logged over 14,000 hours flying news helicopters and had been flying with Moreno since 2023
## Key takeaway

NBC4 reporter Robert Kovacik was on-air covering bus crash when helicopter carrying his colleagues crashed