‘You can’t pull up?’: Chilling final audio captures panic moments before NBC Los Angeles helicopter crashes, killing three

An NBC Los Angeles news helicopter crashed in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles on September 15 while covering a separate road accident, killing three people and leaving another person hospitalised.

Video from the helicopter shows the aircraft losing altitude shortly before impact, while audio from inside captures a woman asking the pilot whether the helicopter could pull up.

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“What? You can’t pull up?” she can be heard saying as the aircraft descends. The camera then begins shaking before the footage ends.

NBC Los Angeles confirmed that the helicopter involved in the crash belonged to the station. It had earlier said it was unable to establish contact with the pilot or others aboard the aircraft.

Three people were killed in the crash, including one person who was on the ground. Another person was taken to hospital in an unknown condition. The identities of the victims had not been released.

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The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the accident. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

What the video shows

The helicopter had been covering a collision in Chatsworth involving an SUV and a Metro bus that left two people dead.

Footage recorded before the helicopter crash initially shows an aerial view of the road accident. The camera then zooms out as the aircraft appears to descend and the ground gets progressively closer.

A woman can first be heard telling the pilot to “pull” before asking, “What? You can’t pull up?” Moments later, the camera shakes as the helicopter crashes.

Several helicopters were flying above the SUV-Metro bus crash site at the time.

According to CBS News, the NBC helicopter appeared to have come down on top of two shipping containers and several vehicles parked in the area.

The crash also sparked a fire that threatened four nearby vehicles before being extinguished.

Neither the FAA nor the NTSB has announced what caused the helicopter to crash.