Investigators say engine failure was not to blame for the helicopter crash which killed Kobe Bryant and his daughter. Seven others had also lost their lives in the tragic crash.
Kobe, a five-time NBA champion, 41, died alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna on the way to a girls basketball tournament at his academy on 26th January 2020. The helicopter wreckage from the crash showed no outward signs of engine failure according to experts.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is still trying to determine whether heavy fog could have led to the tragedy. Investigators say a cut tree branch at the crash site suggests the engine was working properly when the helicopter came down.
NTSB issues preliminary report Fri., Feb. 7, 2020, on the Jan.
26, 2020, helicopter crash near Calabasas, California; https://t.co/juKBva0pI6 pic.twitter.com/CylosHcqIM— NTSB_Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) February 7, 2020
A passing mountain biker claims he saw the helicopter crash into the ground, bursting into a giant ball of flames. The night was so foggy, that the LAPD grounded local police helicopters as a safety precaution.
Recordings of the calls between pilot Ara Zobayan and air traffic control also suggests that he was trying to stay low beneath the fog. These findings have made experts believe that this led to him crashing into a mountain.
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Camera footage reviewed by the NTSB showed the pilot trying to exit the clouds by increasing altitude. He managed to ascend to 2,300 feet (701 meters), just 30 meters from the top of the clouds, before beginning a rapid descent again.
Helicopter lacked terrain awareness equipment and no black box
Weather conditions and busy airspace en-route meant the aircraft had to spend about 15 minutes circling shortly before the collision. An ‘experienced’ Zobayan got special clearance to fly through the fog. The pilot had reportedly flown at 1,400 feet as well.
The helicopter, a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter was not equipped with a “terrain awareness and warning system” device. These are signals that warn pilots when an aircraft is close to hitting the ground or a surface. The Sikorsky also did not have a black box or a voice recorder.
In an audio clip, air traffic controllers could be heard saying ‘You’re still too low level’ to the pilot. A full report by the NTSB is not expected until for at least a year. Reports, however, reveal that the crash destroyed and displaced most of the helicopter’s instrument panel and flight control devices.
However, the NTSB has not ruled out eventual mechanical problems that could be found when the engines and other parts recovered from the wreckage are more closely examined.
The NTSB has said fog and limited visibility near the crash site would be a key focus of the investigation.
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