The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report on the fatal NBC Los Angeles helicopter crash in Chatsworth, California, with investigators focusing on the aircraft’s final 29 seconds before impact. The Airbus Helicopters AS350 B2, operated by Angel City Air for NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52, crashed during an electronic news-gathering flight on 15 September, killing the two people aboard and one person on the ground.
The helicopter had been covering a fatal traffic crash in the area for about one hour and 24 minutes before the accident. In the final minute, it was flying at about 1,700 feet above mean sea level, or roughly 800 feet above ground level, and had slowed to around 6 knots ground speed.
An onboard recording captured a change in helicopter noise during the last 29 seconds, along with intermittent and continuous horn alerts consistent with rotor-RPM advisories. ADS-B data showed a rapid descent while turning right, with the final data point placing the aircraft at a high rate of descent and about 38 knots groundspeed directly above the crash site. The helicopter struck a metal storage container and a post-impact fire followed.
The preliminary report does not identify a cause and the investigation remains open.