CA - Kobe Bryant, 41, daughter GiGi, 13, & 7 others die in helicopter crash, Calabasas, 26 Jan 2020

[Seattle1]

.
Simulated re-creation (without fog) approximately shows flight path of the helicopter ...... but more importantly it contains the conversations between the pilot and air traffic control ...... it may take a couple of times for you to tell who is pilot and who is traffic control . Pretty much aligns with my earlier post about following highway 118 and then request to go south to catch the 101 freeway .

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@Arnie M -- Thanks much for posting this brilliant contribution.

I forgot to check if this YT had any commentary.

(I enjoyed his video on his first flight to Oshkosh)!

 

[Seattle1]

‘He was one of the few people I would trust with my life’: Pilot in Kobe Bryant crash remembered

FAA records indicate 50-year-old Ara Zobayan was a certified commercial pilot, flight and ground instructor.

Gary Johnson, the Vice-President of ACE Clearwater, knew him well. ACE Clearwater manufactures airplane parts and said he would not want to fly with anyone else.

“He was born to be a pilot and I think there’s this weird irony that he died doing what he loved,” Johnson said.

[..]

Johnson also said he looked at Zobayan as a brother and an inspiration. He described him as “a straight-up guy, really intelligent, really focused.”

"He was the man. He was a pilot’s pilot. He’s one of the few people who I would trust my life, my family’s life, my dog’s life too...very conscientious, awesome pilot."

Johnson says Zobayan, who lived in Huntington Beach, was kind, gentle and humble. He said he often flew celebrities but treated everyone equally.

He was also an instructor with more than 8200 hours of flight time.

“He was in charge of that machine but I can tell you, you couldn’t have asked for a better person to be piloting that helicopter than him.”

Johnson had a flight scheduled with Zobayan for him and his wife just after Valentine’s Day. He couldn’t have said enough nice things about the pilot’s character, integrity and professionalism, which was echoed by helicopter pilots FOX 11 spoke to.

The pilots said they all aspired to be like Zobayan and hope to accomplish what he had in the aviation industry.

 

[Seattle1]

Congressman introduces Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act

LOS ANGELES - U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) introduced the Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act Thursday, which would require the Federal Aviation Administration to strengthen federal safety standards for helicopters.

[..]

The Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act would require all helicopters to be equipped with a Terrain Awareness and Warning System, a tool that was not equipped on the helicopter Kobe and his daughter were flying in on Sunday.

"Had this system been on the helicopter, it is likely the tragic crash could have been avoided," said Sherman in a news release.

[..]

The Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act would direct the FAA to work with NTSB to adopt new helicopter safety standards. The L.A. congressman's bill would also establish a commission on helicopter safety and require a report to Congress on best practices for helicopters in cases of low visibility.
___________

I don't necessarily agree with the Congressman that TAWS would have likely prevented the crash.

I don't know if he knows anything about aviation and hope he's not using a moment of public mourning to shore up his political image. It's not even been a week since the accident and the NTSB isn't even close to a preliminary finding.

I find introducing a federal bill when you don't understand the facts or implications on the industry in less than a week premature, reactionary and inappropriate. MOO

 

[mickey2942]

Congressman introduces Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act

LOS ANGELES - U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) introduced the Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act Thursday, which would require the Federal Aviation Administration to strengthen federal safety standards for helicopters.

[..]

The Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act would require all helicopters to be equipped with a Terrain Awareness and Warning System, a tool that was not equipped on the helicopter Kobe and his daughter were flying in on Sunday.

"Had this system been on the helicopter, it is likely the tragic crash could have been avoided," said Sherman in a news release.

[..]

The Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act would direct the FAA to work with NTSB to adopt new helicopter safety standards. The L.A. congressman's bill would also establish a commission on helicopter safety and require a report to Congress on best practices for helicopters in cases of low visibility.
___________

I don't necessarily agree with the Congressman that TAWS would have likely prevented the crash.

I don't know if he knows anything about aviation and hope he's not using a moment of public mourning to shore up his political image. It's not even been a week since the accident and the NTSB isn't even close to a preliminary finding.

I find introducing a federal bill when you don't understand the facts or implications on the industry in less than a week premature, reactionary and inappropriate. MOO

I agree, it is absolutely disgusting when anyone uses a tragedy for political reasons.

I am actually concerned that so many people were in this helicopter, with only one pilot. That may be an issue as well.

 

[Seattle1]

I agree, it is absolutely disgusting when anyone uses a tragedy for political reasons.

I am actually concerned that so many people were in this helicopter, with only one pilot. That may be an issue as well.

Hiring two pilots for a 30-minute trip is not realistic -- it's just not done by any pilot/company in LA Metropolitan area.

Mr. Deetz worked with Mr. Zobayan for years at Island Express, before leaving in 2017, and also regularly flew Mr. Bryant during his time there.
[..]
Island Express and nearly all other companies in the region fly the S-76B almost exclusively with a single pilot, according to operators there. Mr. Deetz said it was rarely necessary to have a second pilot; in fact, he said, two pilots sometimes get in each other’s way.

^^sbbm

 

[Pi Thoughts]

......the framed jersey that hung in the gym named after Bryant was stolen.
The Lower Merion High School reported the jersey stole along with a slew of other high-profile items from their Philadelphia, Pennsylvania campus.

The Bleacher Report reported at the time that the replica jersey, the 1996 State Championship trophy and net from the title game along with several pairs of Nike sneakers signed by Bryant were stolen in the theft.

The journey of the jersey continued as bizarrely it popped up in China after fan Liu Zhe unknowingly bought the stolen goods.He contacted the school through Instagram and told them that he had purchased the jersey.

While he wanted to return it to Bryant in person during a trip to China, the school asked him to return it in the mail.
But the pair met in March last year.

“I asked Kobe, ‘Do you remember me?’” Liu told ESPN.com’s Dave McMenamin. “He told me, ‘Yes, thank you for returning the jersey. You did a great thing’.”
In a nice gesture, Liu did as he was asked and didn’t ask for compensation.

“What I did was my ‘Mamba mentality,’” Liu told McMenamin.
Kobe’s stolen jersey finally comes home

 

[rosemadderlake]

Congressman introduces Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act

LOS ANGELES - U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) introduced the Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act Thursday, which would require the Federal Aviation Administration to strengthen federal safety standards for helicopters.

[..]

The Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act would require all helicopters to be equipped with a Terrain Awareness and Warning System, a tool that was not equipped on the helicopter Kobe and his daughter were flying in on Sunday.

"Had this system been on the helicopter, it is likely the tragic crash could have been avoided," said Sherman in a news release.

[..]

The Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act would direct the FAA to work with NTSB to adopt new helicopter safety standards. The L.A. congressman's bill would also establish a commission on helicopter safety and require a report to Congress on best practices for helicopters in cases of low visibility.
___________

I don't necessarily agree with the Congressman that TAWS would have likely prevented the crash.

I don't know if he knows anything about aviation and hope he's not using a moment of public mourning to shore up his political image. It's not even been a week since the accident and the NTSB isn't even close to a preliminary finding.

I find introducing a federal bill when you don't understand the facts or implications on the industry in less than a week premature, reactionary and inappropriate. MOO

I think he’s just answering an outcry because this was such a high profile tragedy. They want to have a commission on safety. And, with the Boeing airplane issues this year, it’s on the radar. And, what could be more important?

I remember a helicopter went down in one of the rivers surrounding manhattan a few years ago. The passengers died because they couldn’t unlock their seatbelts easily.

And I think what they’ll find is a variety of issues on safety. The weather alone was the biggest factor. Imo.

The very experienced pilot was trying to thread a needle through the fog. It’s so tragic they cleared them to fly in the first place.

So, while yes, extra safety systems might have made all the difference but would it have been a guarantee for this tragedy? We’ll never know.

 

[Elisaa444]

Kobe Bryant was a living legend. In his final hours, he was an ordinary dad and friend - CNN

 

[Elisaa444]

Kobe Bryant crash: Federal report, funeral details could come this week

 

[Roselvr]

I don't think TAW's would have helped. Everything I've read or watched, it's that 2,000 foot dive that no one knows what happened to cause it. It was not a recoverable event. I'll be shocked if there were no medical issues. I saw he died of blunt trauma like everyone else but from what I've heard, that may not be the final outcome after autopsy results are final

 

[Seattle1]

I think he’s just answering an outcry because this was such a high profile tragedy. They want to have a commission on safety. And, with the Boeing airplane issues this year, it’s on the radar. And, what could be more important?

I remember a helicopter went down in one of the rivers surrounding manhattan a few years ago. The passengers died because they couldn’t unlock their seatbelts easily.

And I think what they’ll find is a variety of issues on safety. The weather alone was the biggest factor. Imo.

The very experienced pilot was trying to thread a needle through the fog. It’s so tragic they cleared them to fly in the first place.

So, while yes, extra safety systems might have made all the difference but would it have been a guarantee for this tragedy? We’ll never know.

The Congressman's proposed Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act is not just a safety commission but would require FAA to mandate TAWS, which they declined before for just cause. Proposing a federal mandate before a week has passed and not even the experts have spoken is wrong to me. Right or wrong, it screams political grandstanding to me, and as an aviator, I resent it. MOO

Kobe Bryant crash: Federal report, funeral details could come this week

TAWS system comes into play
The NTSB said the helicopter was not equipped with TAWS, which the agency had recommended for large passenger-carrying choppers following a deadly crash in Texas 15 years ago. The Federal Aviation Administration had declined to make TAWS mandatory, citing "nuisance alarms" and costs. The FAA did mandate TAWS in air-ambulance copters because they often fly at night and must land in remote and unfamiliar locations.

Crash could result in safer helicopters
Last week, U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., said TAWS will be a key feature of his Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act that he will introduce. NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway said it is "certainly possible" that the agency will again recommend requiring TAWS on larger helicopters.

 

[BeachSky]

this expert goes over methodically what is happening with each controller ...the last controller “SoCal” is very informative IMO

 

[Seattle1]

this expert goes over methodically what is happening with each controller ...the last controller “SoCal” is very informative IMO

Thank you @BeachSky for another great account by a knowledgable narrator.

I also agree about the informative transmission with So Cal (beginning about 10:25 min mark).

Helicopters fly low by design, and we already know the pilot had authorization to fly SVFR --nothing unusual.

Expert's analysis of SoCal transmission also confirms that too low for flight following does not imply helicopter elevation too low to the terrain or unsafe position -- only too low for the parameters controller used for flight following (prevents radar detection for following). I can't count how many times this statement was a clickbait headline and misrepresented by the reporter!

It's also my opinion that the pilot most likely corrected for flight following during the transmission with ATC as the helicopter was on radar when it was last detected descending (ATC radar records every 6 seconds). Ultimately, the helicopter was reported an estimated 20-30 feet from clearing the hillside-- which is so heartbreaking.

On a personal note - reviewing the Federal Aviation accident records, there have only been 2 accidents involving death or serious injuries to people on board an S-76 helicopter over 26 years before 2020.

If you consider the number of fatal accidents over 26 years on the same LA metropolitan area interstate highway system, I think it sure puts this accident in perspective.

MOO

 

[Roselvr]

this expert goes over methodically what is happening with each controller ...the last controller “SoCal” is very informative IMO

Thanks. I hadn't seen it yet

 

[Only4Justice]

I’m waiting to see Kobe and GiGi’s funeral arrangements. My sons love Kobe.

 

[drama_farmer]

Over the past few days, I've found myself on YouTube in an effort to learn more about "what went wrong" in this incident. There, I found a number of situations that closely align with what may have happened in this case. IMO, of course.

The phenomena of "spatial disorientation" likely was a contributing factor in this accident. Boeing and one of its partners produced this video, and it's an illustration of how a pilot may misinterpret physiological input (such as messages coming from the inner ear, etc.) to conclude that his instruments couldn't possibly be accurate.

What I've learned is that flying from VFR (you can see the ground/horizon and navigate accordingly) into IMC (weather conditions that make it impossible to see the ground /horizon) is the most common cause of CFIT (a pilot flying his aircraft into the ground).

In my perusing, I learned that "178 seconds to live" sums up how deadly it can be when pilots relying on VFR (being able to see what you're flying above and into) inadvertently enter into IMC (low/no visibility)conditions.)

 

[BeachSky]

https://nypost.com/2020/02/03/los-angeles-fire-department-releases-911-calls-from-kobe-bryant-helicopter-crash
Los Angeles Fire Department releases 911 calls from Kobe Bryant helicopter crash

 

[katsrfun]

RIP Kobe and daughter. This has been such a tragedy to all aboard, their families, loved ones, and all who liked or admired any/all onboard. I know that they are all with our Heavenly Father now, and it is us, here on earth that are so saddened. RIP to all aboard that helicopter. MOO. Thanks, Katt

 

[Arnie M]

Family in the UK caught this 37 second video on the dash cam in their car ..... it shows how low and slow a helicopter can fly in fog.

Normally a pilot would simply find a safe place to land and wait for conditions to clear up .... but in this case it was a military helicopter and the pilot knew the area extremely well .... he knew there were no power lines or towers or obstructions along the road

The pilot of the Bryant helicopter would never try that over a populated area surrounded by hills .... but the point is he could have carefully found a spot somewhere to land if he saw he would be trapped between the cloud and ground.

 

[Arnie M]

.
Latest speculation by other heli pilots was that he (Bryant pilot) inadvertently got enveloped in the fog and made the decision to "pop out of it" (pilot terminology meaning he would quickly gain altitude and come out above the cloud layer)

This is based on the radar tracking showing he did indeed quickly go up to 2300 feet , the helicopter was still flying on the same trajectory and should have been OK.

However if you recall air traffic control had given him the freedom to fly Special VFR as long as he stayed under 2500 feet because anything above that was swarming with airplanes flying on instruments and there was the risk of a midair collision.

At 2300 feet he realized that , then made the decision to turn left and try to return to the clear area he had come from. It was during this turn he likely became disoriented and was not aware he was heading straight for the ground which also shows on radar. This is all speculation of course. We will likely never know what really happened.