By admin 
LOS ANGELES (KABC) — The National Transportation Safety Board has begun what is expected to be a months-long investigation into the NBC4 helicopter crash that killed reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. Three people were killed in the crash, including a bystander on the ground.
Read more 102-year-old WWII Navy veteran shares secret to longevity
A preliminary report could be released within 30 days, while a final report could take up to 18 months.
The crash occurred after local television news helicopters had responded to cover a deadly bus accident where an SUV crashed into a Metro bus in Chatsworth.
As colleagues and loved ones mourn Moreno and Marciniw, people across the television news industry are reflecting on their lives and careers.
“When I read the text, it took a long 30 seconds for me to process what happened,” said Tim Dechant, who knew both victims and helped train Moreno.
He described Moreno as “a beautiful soul.”
“She was great at her job. George, I got to fly with him about a year ago and he was an amazing person, too… He flew that helicopter just like a feather. He was a great pilot. He was also a flight instructor, many years of experience,” Dechant said.
Moreno and Marciniw had flown together since 2023.
“This industry is a small industry so everyone knows each other, even though you’re competitors,” Dechant said.
Pete Weitzner was Moreno’s broadcast journalism professor at Chapman University in Orange where she graduated in 2010. He described her as the gold standard.
Read more Unsolved LA: Four years later, no arrests in killing of up-and-coming chef gunned down in South LA
Weitzner remembered Moreno as focused, bright and kind.
In her visits back to Chapman, Weitzner said Moreno would share her love for the job.
“She embraced it. She loved the idea of being the town crier. Being that first one on the scene,” he said.
The crash also claimed the life of 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia, who was on the ground.
His family said he was in Los Angeles with his cousin to pick up cars, with plans on beginning a return trip to Guatemala Tuesday night before he was killed.
Weitzner said he hopes Moreno’s story will inspire others.
“Something good needs to come from the too short life of this amazing person,” he said.
Moreno, 38, was from Orange County. She was recently engaged.
Marciniw grew up in Southern California. He was a 1974 graduate of Burbank High School.
Read more Gov. Newsom signs Leno’s Law, exempting more classic cars from smog tests