The National Transportation Safety Board says footage recorded live from inside an NBC Los Angeles helicopter as it crashed in Chatsworth area in Los Angeles is the most important evidence investigators have discovered so far.
The helicopter, operated by Angel City Air, crashed Tuesday near the intersection of Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue while covering a deadly collision involving a SUV and a Metro bus that happened nearby.
During a briefing, NTSB Investigator-in-Charge Fabian Salazar said the agency plans to obtain a pristine copy of the recording and send it to its recorder laboratory for a sound spectrum analysis.
“That video is probably the most important evidence that we have discovered so far,” the investigator said.
Investigators are focusing on sounds captured in the recording that may help determine what happened in the moments before the crash. The NTSB said the audio contains sounds consistent with the engine changing speed, as well as tones that may have been warning the pilot.
The helicopter’s camera was streaming live when the aircraft went down. The footage shows the camera zooming out as the helicopter begins to fall, with reporter Eliana Moreno heard asking, “You can’t pull up?” before the video cuts out.
When asked whether the helicopter had a data recorder, the NTSB investigator said, “Not that I’m aware of,” adding that investigators are still coordinating with the owner and looking into it.
Investigators are also combing through the wreckage to collect as much factual evidence as possible, despite the aircraft being damaged by a post-crash fire.
The NTSB said the current phase of the investigation involves gathering factual evidence at the crash site. The helicopter will then be moved to a secure facility, where investigators will continue examining the wreckage and collecting evidence.
Investigators will also review maintenance records, weather conditions and pilot training as part of the investigation. The NTSB is working with owners of nearby buildings to obtain security camera footage and is also interviewing witnesses.
Three people were killed in the helicopter crash. Moreno and pilot George Marciniw, both employees of Angel City Air, were killed aboard the aircraft. A third victim on the ground was identified as 29-year-old Edy Guttierez Mejia by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
The helicopter came down between two buildings near Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue and appeared to land on two shipping containers and several parked vehicles, according to the LAFD. The department said 56 firefighters responded to the scene, where four vehicles and two storage containers were damaged.
The NTSB and FAA are investigating the cause of the crash.