Journalism Mourns Eliana Moreno and Pilot George Marciniw

Journalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw spent years above Southern California, helping millions of people understand what was happening across the region below. On Sept. 15, both were killed when their news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth.

The helicopter, operated by Angel City Air for NBC4 and Telemundo 52, went down shortly before 7 p.m. while Moreno and Marciniw were covering a fatal collision involving a Metro bus and an SUV. Edy Gutierrez Mejia, 29, was also killed on the ground.

Their deaths are a profound loss for Southern California journalism. Television news depends on people whose names may not always appear in a headline or behind an anchor desk. Reporters, photographers, pilots, editors and technical crews work together, often under intense conditions, to document major events and bring reliable information to the public.

Moreno and Marciniw were part of that essential work. From wildfires and police pursuits to traffic emergencies and breaking news, they provided viewers with a perspective that could only come from the air. Their reporting helped residents understand the scale of unfolding events, identify affected areas and see their communities during moments of crisis.

Moreno, an Orange County native, joined Angel City Air in September 2010 after graduating from Chapman University with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. Her career included aerial reporting for KCAL 9 and KCBS 2 before her work became familiar to audiences watching NBC4 and Telemundo 52.

She had wanted to become a television reporter since she was 11 years old. In a 2015 Chapman University profile, Moreno explained the demands of reporting from a helicopter, where she was responsible for gathering images, delivering information and preparing material for broadcast while in flight.

"I'm not just a photographer or reporter or editor, I'm actually doing all three things at the same time."

Moreno reported in both English and Spanish, allowing her work to reach viewers across Southern California's diverse communities. Known on Instagram as "Eli in the heli," she also shared parts of her life away from breaking news, including posts about her dogs and chickens. She was engaged to Robert Barrientos, with whom she completed a half-marathon in May.

Marciniw brought decades of aviation experience to every assignment. A Southern California native and 1974 graduate of Burbank High School, he accumulated approximately 14,000 flight hours and spent more than 30 years teaching others how to fly.

His work as an instructor reflected a commitment to aviation that extended beyond the news helicopter. Marciniw trained new pilots and helped experienced aviators return to flying, passing along knowledge developed over a lifetime in the air.

Fellow pilot Esteban Jimenez, one of Marciniw's former students, told NBC4 that the two had spoken only days before the crash about aviation and retirement. Marciniw's influence can be measured not only through the assignments he completed, but also through the pilots he taught and mentored.

Moreno and Marciniw began flying together in 2023 and completed hundreds of hours of assignments as a team. During the January 2025 wildfires, they helped document devastation across the region. On other days, their camera showed viewers police activity, traffic emergencies, mountains, coastlines and the daily movement of life across Southern California.

Their work required skill, trust and calm judgment. Moreno depended on Marciniw to place the aircraft where she could report safely and clearly. Marciniw depended on Moreno to remain focused while gathering and communicating information from a demanding environment. Together, they served the public from a newsroom in the sky.

The journalism community mourns two colleagues whose work informed Southern California for years. Moreno represented the determination and versatility of a reporter capable of performing several jobs at once. Marciniw represented the experience and steady professionalism that made that reporting possible.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash of the Eurocopter AS 350 B2. The cause had not been determined in the reporting available for this article.

As that investigation proceeds, Moreno and Marciniw should be remembered for far more than the circumstances of their deaths. They should be remembered for the stories they covered, the public they served and the countless hours they spent above Southern California so that others could see and understand what was happening below.

Journalism has lost two of its own. Their colleagues have lost trusted members of their news team, and their families and friends have lost people whose lives extended far beyond the work viewers saw on television.

To Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw, thank you for every flight, every assignment and every story you helped bring home.