LOS ANGELES – U.S. security investigators said Tuesday that the pilot of Kobe Bryant’s helicopter flew through the clouds last year, in apparent violation of federal standards, likely becoming disoriented just before the helicopter crashed and killed Bryant, and on another eight.
Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Committee, said the pilot Ara Zobayan is flying in accordance with visual flight rules, which means he needs to be able to see where he is going.
Zobayan flew the aircraft to climb abruptly and nearly broke through the clouds when the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter abruptly descended and plunged into the hills of southern California below, killing everyone on board.
The helicopter did not have the so-called “black box” recording devices, which were not needed.
The revelation during a hearing to announce the probable cause or causes of the crash followed a lot of clues with your finger.
Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, blamed the pilot. She and the relatives of the other victims also failed the companies that owned and operated the helicopter.
The pilot’s brother did not blame Bryant, but said he knew about the risks of flying. Helicopter companies said the foggy weather before the helicopter hit the ground was an act of God and blamed air traffic controllers.
The federal hearing focused on the most likely expected probable cause or causes of the tragedy that triggered the worldwide pain for the retired basketball star, launched several lawsuits and determined state and federal law.
Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and six other passengers were flying from Orange County to a youth basketball tournament at his Mamba Sports Academy in Ventura County on January 26, 2020, when the helicopter encountered thick fog in the San Fernando Valley at north of Los Angeles.
Zobayan climbed abruptly and nearly broke through the clouds as the helicopter suddenly descended and plunged into the Calabasas hills below, instantly killing all nine on board before the flames engulfed the debris.
There were no signs of mechanical failure, and the accident was believed to be an accident, the NTSB said earlier.
The council is likely to make unlimited recommendations to prevent future blockages. NTSB is an independent federal agency that investigates transportation-related accidents, but has no enforcement powers.
He puts forward suggestions from agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration or the Coast Guard, which have repeatedly rejected some of the council’s safety recommendations after other disasters.
A possible recommendation following the investigation into the accident that killed Bryant could be that the helicopters have awareness and ground warning systems, devices that signal when aircraft are in danger of crashing.
The helicopter in which Bryant flew did not have the system, which the NTSB recommended as mandatory for helicopters. The FAA only requires it for air ambulances.
Federal lawmakers sponsored the Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act to mandate devices on all helicopters carrying six or more passengers.
Former NTSB President James Hall said he hoped the FAA would require the systems as a result of the crash.
“Historically, high-profile tragedies have been needed to advance the regulatory needle,” he said.
The devices, known as TAWS, cost more than $ 35,000 per helicopter and require training and maintenance.
The International Helicopter Association, which represents the helicopter industry, discouraged what it called the “one-size-fits-all” method.
President and CEO James Viola said in a statement that requiring industry-specific equipment would be “inefficient” and “potentially dangerous.”
Even though Zobayan was flying at low altitude in a hilly area, the warning system may not have prevented the crash, said Ed Coleman, professor of safety sciences at Embry-Riddle.
The crashed terrain could have triggered the alarm “constantly triggering” and distracted the pilot or caused him to decrease the volume of the alarm or ignore it, Coleman said.
Federal investigators said Zobayan, an experienced pilot who often flew Bryant, may have “misperceived” the angles at which he descended and performed banking operations, which can occur when pilots become disoriented with low visibility, according to documents. NTSB.
The others killed in the crash were Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and their daughter Alyssa; Christina Mauser, who helped Bryant coach his daughter’s basketball team; and Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton. Alyssa and Payton were Gianna’s teammates.
The accident generated lawsuits and appeals.
On the day of a mass memorial service at Staples Center, where Bryant played most of his career, Vanessa Bryant sued Zobayan and the companies that owned and operated the helicopter for alleged negligence and unlawful death of her husband. his daughter. The families of other victims sued the helicopter companies, but not the pilot.
Vanessa Bryant said Island Express Helicopters Inc., which operated the aircraft, and its owner, Island Express Holding Corp., did not properly train or supervise Zobayan. She said the pilot is careless and careless in flying in the fog and should have aborted the flight.
Zobayan’s brother, Berge Zobayan, said Kobe Bryant knew the dangers of helicopter flying and that his survivors were not entitled to damage from the pilot’s estate. Island Express Helicopters Inc. he denied responsibility and said the collapse was “an act of God” that he could not control.
The company also countered two FAA air traffic controllers, saying the crash was caused by “their series of erroneous acts and / or omissions.”
The counterclaim alleges that a controller improperly rejected Zobayan’s request for “flight tracking” or radar assistance as he continued in the fog. Officials said the controller interrupted the service because the radar could not be maintained at the altitude at which the aircraft was flying.
According to the lawsuit, the controller said it would lose radar and communications soon, but radar contact was not lost.
When a second controller took control, it is said in the process, the first controller failed to inform him about the helicopter and, because the radar services were not completed correctly, the pilot thought he was being pursued.
Vanessa Bryant also sued the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, accusing lawmakers of distributing unauthorized photos of the crash site. California now has a state law that prohibits such conduct.