No sign of engine failure for Kobe Bryant’s helicopter, crash investigators say

Wreckage from the helicopter that crashed and killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others did not show any sign of engine failure, the National Transportation Safety Board said on Friday.

A witness told the NTSB the hillside where the crash occurred was shrouded in mist when he heard the helicopter approaching. It sounded normal and he then saw the blue-and-white aircraft emerge from the fog moving forward and down. Within two seconds it slammed into the hillside just below him.

The January 26 crash in Calabasas, just outside Los Angeles, occurred as the group was flying to a girls basketball tournament at Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy. He coached his 13-year-old daughter Gianna’s team, which was expected to play. She and two teammates were among the nine people killed.

The deaths shook Los Angeles and the sporting world. A public memorial for Bryant and the other victims is scheduled for February 24 at the Staples Centre. The arena is where Bryant starred for the Los Angeles Lakers for most of his two-decade career and the date corresponds with the No 24 jersey he wore and the No 2 worn by Gianna.

The NTSB issued an investigative update that included factual details. Findings about a cause for the crash is not expected for a year or more.

Investigators said the twin-engined Sikorsky S-76B was travelling at more than 290km/h (180mph) when it crashed. The helicopter’s instrument panel was destroyed and most of the devices were displaced. The flight controls were broken and suffered fire damage.

Investigators believe that since a tree branch at the crash site was cut, the engines were working and rotors turning at the time of impact. All four of the helicopter’s blades had similar damage, the report stated.

John Cox, an aviation-safety consultant, said the NTSB’s report was further indication that the pilot was likely to have become disoriented in the thick fog and clouds. The pilot had told air traffic controllers he was climbing to 1,219 metres (4,000 feet) – presumably to get above the cloud layer. The helicopter began turning left, then descended rapidly.

Cox called the aircraft’s path “classic symptoms” of a disoriented pilot.

Ara Zobayan was a regular pilot for Bryant and the chief pilot for Island Express Helicopters. He had more than 8,200 hours of flight time.

He was additionally certified to fly solely using instruments – a more difficult rating to attain that allows pilots to fly at night and through clouds when the ground is not visible – and was a pilot to other celebrities including Kawhi Leonard and Kylie Jenner.

The 50-year-old Zobayan’s most recent flight review included training on inadvertently flying into bad weather. It covered how to recover if the aircraft’s nose is pointed too far up or down, and what to do if the helicopter banks severely to one side. He earned satisfactory grades in the review, which took place in May 2019.

Bryant’s helicopter did not have a device called the Terrain Awareness and Warning System that signals when an aircraft is in danger of hitting ground.

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The NTSB has recommended the system be mandatory for helicopters but the Federal Aviation Administration requires it only for air ambulances. US Senator Dianne Feinstein and congressman Brad Sherman have called for the FAA to mandate the devices in the wake of the tragedy.

It is not clear if the warning system would have averted the crash. The helicopter was also not required to have a black box.

A public memorial for Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and daughter Alyssa will be held February 10 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Also killed in the crash were Bryant’s friend and assistant coach, Christina Mauser, and Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton, 14.