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NTSB: TV News Helicopter Descended Rapidly Before Fatal Crash

National Transportation Safety Board releases its preliminary report for the investigation into the September 15 accident in California.

NTSB investigators examine wreckage of crashed news helicopter in California
Investigators examine the wreckage of the KNBC-TV news helicopter, whose fuselage the NTSB said was ‘mostly reduced to ash and thermally damaged metal.’ [Credit: NTSB]
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Key Takeaways:

  • An Airbus AS-350 B2 news helicopter, operated for KNBC-TV, fatally crashed in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, killing the pilot, an onboard reporter, and one person on the ground, while injuring another.
  • The NTSB preliminary report indicates the helicopter was descending rapidly before impact and that its onboard recording captured "intermittent and continuous horns" consistent with rotor RPM advisories in the final 29 seconds.
  • The accident occurred under visual meteorological conditions (VMC), and the NTSB is continuing its investigation without having yet determined a probable cause.
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The Airbus AS-350 B2 helicopter that fatally crashed in a neighborhood of Los Angeles in September was descending rapidly before striking a metal storage container, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation preliminary report.

The accident occurred September 15 around 6:55 p.m. PDT in Chatsworth, California, as the helicopter—registered N358TV and operated by Angel City Air on behalf of KNBC-TV, known locally as NBC4—was conducting an electronic news gathering flight under Part 91. The crash killed the pilot, an onboard news reporter, and one person on the ground, causing minor injury to a second person on the ground.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.

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