Three people were killed after a news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth on Tuesday evening, Sept. 15, near the scene of a fatal Metro bus collision that had happened earlier in the San Fernando Valley.
The helicopter went down shortly before 7 p.m. in the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue, between two commercial buildings. The aircraft came down in an area where shipping containers and vehicles were parked, triggering a fire that spread through the immediate crash area.
Firefighters extinguished the flames and searched through the wreckage as investigators worked to determine exactly what happened. Initial information from emergency officials indicated that at least one person was found outside the helicopter and was pronounced dead at the scene. Two additional people were later confirmed dead.
The aircraft was heavily damaged in the crash, making the recovery and identification of those involved more difficult. Authorities have not publicly released the names of the three people who died.
Confirmed that the helicopter belonged to its station and was being used for aerial news coverage. The station operates alongside Telemundo 52 in Southern California, and several news helicopters had been in the area covering the earlier bus crash.
The cause of the helicopter crash remains unknown. Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft wreckage, the circumstances surrounding its flight and other evidence as they work to establish what led to the crash.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were contacted regarding the incident. The FAA notes that preliminary aviation accident information can change as investigators gather additional evidence, while the NTSB handles investigations when it is assigned to lead them.
Deadly Metro bus crash happened hours earlier
The helicopter crash occurred as crews were already dealing with another fatal incident in Chatsworth.
Earlier Tuesday, shortly after 5 p.m., an SUV collided with a Metro bus near Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue. Two people were killed and at least six others were taken to hospitals after firefighters worked to free people trapped in the wreckage.
The two crashes happened in the same Chatsworth area within hours of one another, bringing a large emergency response to the community and leaving authorities managing two separate major incidents Tuesday evening.
Los Angeles officials expressed condolences to the families of those killed and praised first responders working at both crash scenes.
For now, the circumstances that caused the helicopter to go down remain under investigation. Authorities have not publicly identified the victims, and additional details are expected as the aviation investigation moves forward.
