L.A. news helicopter crash kills 3 and board votes to close Kennedy Center: Morning Rundown, tell me about this news in (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/los-angeles-news-helicopter-crash-kenned-center-close-morning-rundown-rcna598069)
16-09-2026
The NBC News Morning Rundown highlights two major developing stories:1. Los Angeles News Helicopter Crash
- What happened: An NBC Los Angeles news helicopter, identified on-air as NewsChopper 4, crashed into a commercial parking lot in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday evening.
- Casualties: Three people were killed at the scene, and a fourth person was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.
- Context: The news chopper had been deployed to the area to cover an earlier collision between a Metro bus and an SUV that resulted in two fatalities and several injuries.
- Investigation: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations to determine the cause of the crash.
- The Decision: The board of trustees for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted to shut down the complex’s main building for extensive renovations.
- The Dispute: The vote occurred just hours after a federal judge ruled that President Donald Trump’s name could not be added to the facade of the building without approval from Congress.
- Renovation Conditions: Board leadership and President Trump cited severe structural and safety issues as the reason for the shutdown. Trump stated that planned reconstruction would be put on hold until higher courts rule on whether his name can be displayed on the facility.
- Operations: While the historic main hall and venues will close, the newer REACH extension will remain open for limited programming, with provisions made to continue supporting the National Symphony Orchestra and select signature events.