‘It’s okay…I blame it on jet lag’: Eliana Moreno’s last public moment of levity before tragic helicopter crash

Eliana “Eli” Moreno was still sharing lighthearted moments from her life as an aerial news reporter just days before the helicopter she was aboard crashed in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, killing her and two others, including pilot George Marciniw.

Moreno, a veteran NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 reporter known as “Eli in the Heli,” had been working from the air for years, covering breaking news across Southern California. Her final public exchange on X came on September 12, just three days before the fatal crash.

Also Read: ‘This was an engine failure’: Veteran pilot offers preliminary take on deadly Chatsworth helicopter crash

What was Eliana Moreno’s last reaction?

On September 11, in one of her old videos (posted on July 24), in which she described how they operate from a helicopter, a user responded to Moreno on X, praising her for becoming adept at juggling multiple responsibilities.

“in all the years I've been watching you online, you've gotten really good at multi-tasking. Sorry about Thursday night :)”

Moreno replied the following day, keeping it lighthearted. “Thank you Danny! It’s okay…I blame it on jet lag.”


For context, the user’s reference to “Thursday night” appeared to relate to Moreno’s late-night aerial reporting during a police pursuit in the San Fernando Valley on September 10. Moreno was working from NewsChopper4 as the pursuit unfolded.


Moreno’s last Instagram post also reflected the importance of her work in the air. Posted on July 31, the collaborative post with Whiteman Airport, Whiteman Airport Coalition and Vista Air praised her aerial photography and reporting for turning “smoke on the horizon into critical information that saves lives and property.”

The post was on NewsChopper4’s real-time brushfire coverage, including the scale, spread and speed of fires and firefighters’ efforts to contain them.

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A post shared by Whiteman Airport Coalition (@whitemanairport)

Who was Eliana “Eli” Moreno?

Moreno was a veteran aerial photojournalist and reporter for NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52. She became known to viewers and followers as “Eli in the Heli,” a reference to her work covering Los Angeles from news helicopters.

She had been flying in news choppers since 2010, covering police pursuits, brush fires, traffic and major local events from the air. Moreno began her career in aerial journalism shortly after graduating from Chapman University in 2010 with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science as per New York Post.

She later worked for KCAL 9 and KCBS 2 before joining NBC and flying aboard NewsChopper4 around 2018 or 2019.

Moreno was aboard NewsChopper4 when it crashed

The NewsChopper4 was covering a separate deadly Metro bus collision near Nordhoff Street and De Soto Avenue in Chatsworth when it suddenly lost altitude and crashed.

NBC Los Angeles confirmed that its news helicopter was involved in the crash. The Los Angeles Fire Department said three people were killed and another person was transported to a local hospital.

Moreno and Marciniw were identified as two of those aboard the helicopter. He was an experienced pilot who had logged more than 14,000 hours in the chopper.

The crash triggered a major fire, with the wreckage and several nearby vehicles engulfed in flames as emergency crews responded.

NBC4 and Telemundo 52 mourn Moreno and others killed

NBC4 and Telemundo 52 released a statement following the crash. “We are deeply saddened to share that a helicopter providing aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 was involved in a fatal accident in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.”

The LAFD said one of the victims was believed to have been a pedestrian who was outside the helicopter when it crashed.

Federal investigators are now examining the circumstances surrounding the accident. The cause of the crash has not yet been officially determined.