Tragedy in the USA: Helicopter crashes in Los Angeles [1]

A television news helicopter crashed and burst into flames in the Chatsworth suburb in the San Fernando Valley, northwest of Los Angeles. The incident, first reported by TV CBS Los Angeles (cbsnews.com), occurred in close proximity to the site of another major urban tragedy – a head-on collision with a public transit bus. [1, 2, 3, 4]

On-air incident: The machine is completely destroyed

The aircraft was covering rescue operations on the ground after a serious accident between a city bus and an SUV. Around 7:00 p.m. local time, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) received a report that the helicopter had lost altitude and crashed between two commercial buildings in the area of \u200b\u200b“Mason“ Street. [1, 2, 3, href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/us/los-angeles-helicopter-crash.html">4]

According to Captain Brandon Silverman, spokesman for Los Angeles Fire Department (nytimes.com), the helicopter is "completely destroyed" as a result of the impact and the subsequent massive fire. The flames quickly engulfed several parked cars and two large cargo containers on the ground. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Deaths and Injuries on the Ground

Authorities have officially confirmed at least three deaths at the scene of the plane crash. One of the deceased was a pedestrian who was in the parking lot in front of the building at the time of the crash. Another person was transported to the hospital in critical condition. Firefighters are still clearing the debris to determine the exact number of people who were on board the machine. [1, 2, 3, 4]

From local affiliate management NBC4 Los Angeles (variety.com) announced the during a live broadcast that they had lost contact with their aircraft, but the investigation is still trying to determine the exact ownership and cause of the tragedy. The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has already taken over the case. [1, 2]

Black Tuesday for Chatsworth: The Backstory

The helicopter crash is the second fatal accident in the area today. Just two hours earlier, a jeep crashed into a Metro 166 bus at high speed. Two people died on the spot, and six others were seriously injured and trapped in the vehicles, prompting an emergency operation by city search and rescue teams. [1, 2 href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-09-15/2-reportedly-killed-in-crash-of-suv-metro-bus-that-leaves-numerous-people-injured">3]