Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday morning in Calabasas, California. The tragic accident also led to the demise of seven others - the pilot who had previously worked with the NBA legend and friends of the Bryant family.
Bryant's party was aboard his private chopper, a Sikorsky S-76 that, according to aviation experts, is known for its impressive safety record. It is the preferred aircraft of celebrities and VIPs. In fact, it is common for the Lakers legend to offer the helicopter to friends and teammates, especially for the latter, when in need of immediate medical attention.
According to Business Insider, the doomed chopper was piloted by Asa Zobayan, who in 2016 was the same man in charge of the same Sikorsky S-76 that chauffeured Bryant to a Lakers game against the Utah Jazz. It was the last for the former MVP, and he scored 60 points to close out a celebrated career.
Zobayan was said to be an experienced pilot, and he was quite familiar with the area where Bryant flew with the chopper. Per the same report, Bryant would have picked no one else but Zobayan, given the weather condition on that Sunday morning.
A related report from The Washington Post attested to the pilot's supposedly unassailable qualifications. Zobayan was an instrument-rated commercial pilot and highly respected as a flight instructor, the publication said.
As for the chopper, it is next to impossible that the Sikorsky aircraft went down due to twin-engine failure. This a scenario that will not happen.
This early, experts can only speculate that the weather alone - the aircraft flew on thick fog at the time of the accident - caused the helicopter crash.
Per the same report by The Post, there are two possibilities that could have led to the accident. One was the chopper flying too low, which appeared to be supported by initial reports of Zobayan, given the advisory by the air traffic controller that his altitude was at a dangerously low level prior to going down.
Or when the helicopter was enveloped by the thick fog, pilot disorientation set in, and Zobayan might have been confused by the nearby structures or the surrounding in low visibility.
It was a puzzle, however, that the helicopter took on a flight path that was deemed by experts as unusual in relation to the previous air travels by Bryant between Orange County, where the Bryant family resides, and Newbury Park.
Likewise, questions have been raised on why the flight was given the clearance considering the foggy weather condition, which was the same reason that the LAPD grounded their helicopter fleet. It remains a mystery too whose decision was is to continue with the flight despite the poor visibility to be encountered.
The helicopter carrying the Bryants and seven others crashed into a hilly area in Thousand Oaks at around 9:45 a.m. with about 800 pounds of fuel onboard. Business Insider said the impact of the crash and the amount of fuel ignited a ball of fire that killed all the passengers.
Investigators from the NTSB and the FAA are now on sight to dig deeper on the matter, and an update is expected to be provided later in the week, the report added.
