NBC4 Chopper 4 Crashes in Chatsworth, Killing 3 Near Deadly Bus Wreck

Q: What triggered a news helicopter to fall from the sky while covering another deadly tragedy just blocks away?

It is not yet known what caused the NBC4 helicopter to crash. What is established is that the station lost contact with Chopper 4 while it was covering the earlier fatal Metro bus-SUV collision in Chatsworth. Around 7 p.m., the helicopter went down in the 9100 block of Mason Avenue, between commercial buildings, struck the ground hard, and burst into flames, igniting nearby vehicles and damaging storage containers. Officials have confirmed the crash killed two people aboard the helicopter and at least one person on the ground, with another person taken to a hospital. Fire crews put out the blaze within about 30 minutes. As of the reporting available, investigators had not identified a trigger such as mechanical failure, pilot distress, weather, bird strike, or a collision with another object. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are expected to investigate the wreckage, flight history, communications, and any video or witness accounts to determine what brought the aircraft down. So, despite the timing and proximity to the earlier tragedy, there is no verified explanation yet for why the news helicopter fell from the sky.

3 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · Sep 15

At least 3 people died when NBC4’s Chopper 4 crashed around 7 p.m. in Chatsworth, bursting into flames between two warehouses and sending a fourth person to a hospital.
The helicopter went down near a Metro bus crash scene already crowded with police, firefighters and media; officials said 1 person on the ground was killed and 2 victims were aboard.
The crash smashed into truck cargo containers and ignited 4 nearby vehicles, though neither warehouse was struck; crews had the flames out by about 7:30 p.m.
NBC4 said it had lost contact with its team before confirming the crash, and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.
Earlier the same evening, 3 people were killed and up to 6 injured when an SUV slammed into a Metro bus in Chatsworth, prompting Mayor Karen Bass to mourn both disasters.