“UH OH…” — TERRIFYING FINAL MOMENTS OF NEWS HELICOPTER CRASH CAPTURED ON VIDEO AS TWO NBC4 JOURNALISTS DIE

A chilling video has captured the final moments before an NBC4 news helicopter crashed in Los Angeles, killing reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, and a third person on the ground.

The helicopter went down in Chatsworth, California, on Tuesday, September 15, while the crew was covering a deadly Metro bus collision nearby.

The newly released footage has given investigators a crucial glimpse into what happened in the moments before the aircraft suddenly lost control.

THE FINAL MINUTES WERE CAUGHT ON CAMERA

The nearly seven-minute video shows Moreno coordinating with Marciniw as they searched for the best position to cover the bus crash from above.

The helicopter’s camera was transmitting live images of the wreckage below when something suddenly changed.

As the aircraft began to shake and the camera moved away from the street, Moreno could be heard saying:

“Uh oh.”

Moments later, as the helicopter appeared to descend, she asked Marciniw:

“You can’t pull up?”

The transmission then abruptly ended.

THE CRASH KILLED THREE PEOPLE

The Eurocopter AS350 went down between two commercial buildings in Chatsworth at around 7 p.m.

Moreno and Marciniw were killed aboard the helicopter.

The third victim, who was on the ground at the time of the crash, has since been identified as 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene as firefighters battled the resulting blaze.

The tragedy was especially devastating for NBC4, as the station was covering the incident while simultaneously trying to determine the fate of its own crew.

INVESTIGATORS ARE STUDYING THE VIDEO

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation alongside the Federal Aviation Administration.

Investigators are examining the helicopter wreckage, maintenance records, weather conditions, security footage, witness accounts and the pilot’s training.

The recording from the helicopter could prove particularly important.

NTSB investigator Fabian Salazar described the video as the most important piece of evidence recovered so far, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Aviation experts have discussed the possibility of an aircraft or engine problem based on sounds captured in the recording, but authorities have not officially determined the cause of the crash.

A NEWSROOM LEFT IN SHOCK

The loss was announced live on NBC4 that same evening.

Anchors Colleen Williams and Carolyn Johnson appeared on air with heavy hearts as they confirmed that their colleagues had been killed.

The following morning, longtime KNBC journalist Robert Kovacik was visibly emotional while reporting from the scene.

Fellow anchor Lynette Romero later described Moreno and Marciniw as important members of the KNBC family, saying the newsroom was heartbroken by their loss.

Moreno had been a familiar face to viewers and was known for aerial reporting that brought viewers a perspective they could not otherwise see from the ground.

TWO TRAGEDIES COLLIDED IN ONE NIGHT

The helicopter crash happened while journalists were covering another deadly incident.

Earlier that day, an SUV collided with a Metro bus in Chatsworth. Two people aboard the bus were killed, while others were injured.

Police later arrested the SUV driver, 36-year-old Bailee Lynn Rios, on suspicion of murder in connection with the bus collision, according to the Los Angeles Times. The allegations remain part of an ongoing criminal case.

The resulting news coverage brought multiple television crews to the area — including the NBC4 helicopter that would ultimately become part of the tragedy it was covering.

For investigators, the final seconds captured from that helicopter may now provide one of the clearest clues to what went wrong.

For Moreno’s colleagues, however, the footage represents something far more painful: the final moments of two journalists who were doing the job they loved.