Photo: Twitter / USA Today
On January 26, a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter went down in the hills above Calabasas, California, killing all 9 people on board. Among them were retired NBA superstar Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, a rising basketball star herself, Gianna.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are both investigating the fatal crash, which occurred in heavy fog conditions, with an aircraft that had never been involved in an incident or accident, and an experienced pilot with an impeccable track record. Initial reports that a mechanical failure had caused the crash have been denied by the NTSB, USA Today reports.
As of the time of writing, NTSB is looking into the possibility that the crash was caused by a pilot’s error, namely that Ara Zobayan was flying too low and too fast even though there was near-zero visibility. He could have gotten lost in the fog and failed to slow down or ask for help, thinking he could still take the helicopter to its destination using only visual reference.
A video shown by an eyewitness just moments before the helicopter went down confirm at least one of these aspects: it was flying too low. The person who shot it says he started filming when he noticed the helicopter circling the area for several minutes in a row, flying too close to the ground.
According to radar tracking, halfway through the journey, Zobayan asked for permission to fly lower because he had encountered very heavy fog. Afterward, the aircraft fell below the levels needed for radar tracking, the publication notes. It then rose again to 2,300 feet and began a descending turn, crashing into the side of the hill at a great rate of speed and catching fire right away.
It has also been revealed that the Sikorsky S-76B lacked a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), which would have helped the pilot better navigate the fog. In 2014, the NTSB recommended it be included on all large passenger-carrying aircraft, but the recommendation was never followed through.
In a 2018 interview, Kobe Bryant explained that he chose commuting by helicopter from his home in Newport Beach, CA to downtown LA, because spending too much time stuck in traffic made him lose precious moments with his children.
As of the time of writing, NTSB is looking into the possibility that the crash was caused by a pilot’s error, namely that Ara Zobayan was flying too low and too fast even though there was near-zero visibility. He could have gotten lost in the fog and failed to slow down or ask for help, thinking he could still take the helicopter to its destination using only visual reference.
A video shown by an eyewitness just moments before the helicopter went down confirm at least one of these aspects: it was flying too low. The person who shot it says he started filming when he noticed the helicopter circling the area for several minutes in a row, flying too close to the ground.
According to radar tracking, halfway through the journey, Zobayan asked for permission to fly lower because he had encountered very heavy fog. Afterward, the aircraft fell below the levels needed for radar tracking, the publication notes. It then rose again to 2,300 feet and began a descending turn, crashing into the side of the hill at a great rate of speed and catching fire right away.
It has also been revealed that the Sikorsky S-76B lacked a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), which would have helped the pilot better navigate the fog. In 2014, the NTSB recommended it be included on all large passenger-carrying aircraft, but the recommendation was never followed through.
In a 2018 interview, Kobe Bryant explained that he chose commuting by helicopter from his home in Newport Beach, CA to downtown LA, because spending too much time stuck in traffic made him lose precious moments with his children.
Kobe Bryant's helicopter was spotted circling over Glendale, Calif., just minutes before its fatal crash. pic.twitter.com/fq44bS48Yz
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) January 28, 2020
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