Edy Fernando Gutiérrez Mejia Remembered as Cheerful and Hardworking After September 15 Helicopter Crash in Chatsworth
Edy Fernando Gutiérrez Mejia, 29, of Cuilapa, Guatemala, died on the ground after a news helicopter crashed between two commercial buildings in Chatsworth, Los Angeles County, on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
Known as “Pichi,” Mejia had arrived in Los Angeles only hours earlier for an approximately two-day business trip to purchase cars.
Mejia stood near a vehicle beside a storage facility close to 9151 N. Mason Avenue when the Eurocopter AS350 came down at approximately 8 p.m.
Relatives remembered Mejia as playful and fond of telling jokes that brought laughter to others.
Friends described Mejia as cheerful, dynamic, hardworking, and consistently willing to help people in need.
The Municipality of Cuilapa shared condolences and offered prayers for Mejia’s family and loved ones.
The incident claimed three lives, including the two people aboard the aircraft.
The County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner identified Mejia as the third person who died.
Federal investigators continue examining the aircraft, flight operations, and circumstances surrounding the incident.
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