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Posted on 01/27/2020 7:30:02 AM PST by BenLurkin
The helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant and eight others that crashed into a rugged hillside in Calabasas was flying in foggy conditions considered dangerous enough that local police agencies grounded their choppers.
The cause of the crash was unknown, but conditions at the time were such that the Los Angeles Police Department and the county sheriff's department grounded their helicopters.
Bryant’s helicopter left Santa Ana in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, shortly after 9 a.m. and circled for a time just east of Interstate 5, near Glendale. Air traffic controllers noted poor visibility around Burbank, just to the north, and Van Nuys, to the northwest.
After holding up the helicopter for other aircraft, they cleared the Sikorsky S-76 to proceed north along Interstate 5 through Burbank before turning west to follow U.S Route 101, the Ventura Highway.
Shortly after 9:40 a.m., the helicopter turned again, toward the southeast, and climbed to more than 2000 feet (609 meters). It then descended and crashed into the hillside at about 1400 feet (426 meters), according to data from Flightradar24.
When it struck the ground, the helicopter was flying at about 160 knots (184 mph) and descending at a rate of more than 4000 feet per minute, the data showed.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktla.com ...
“Death by physics.”
I was shocked to hear of his death, but Kobe really did not impact my life in any way. I don't follow the NBA any more, and Kobe came into the league at about the time I tuned out. I was kinda surprised that such a big deal was made out of him at the Grammy awards (according to news reports). Did he record music, too?
The helicopter made it to highway 101 and was following it. It had just reached the hills around the road shortly before the crash, but it had the altitude to clear them.
My guess is the pilot did not have good visual contact or no visual contact at all with the ground. He never reported back to ATC that he’d transitioned to VFR like he was supposed to do. I suspect that he was following the road with a GPS map and trying to fly instruments at the same time, which caused disorientation.
Spatial disorientation is not uncommon in the cause of air plane crashes, even with seasoned pilots, in fact, because they have so much experience, they may take more risk.
From what is being printed and broadcast, it appears you are correct.
9 lives lost from a terrible accident.
I believe one article said the pilot was 50.
“There are old pilots and bold pilots, but no old bold pilots.”
Except for Bob Hoover- Bob Hoover was an old bold pilot. (RIP 2016)
He retired in 99 from the air show circuit at the ripe old age of 77.
Keep your air speed up!
I hate hearing about crashes like this. They are so preventable.
Terrible loss, and not just for the Bryant family.
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As such, if the pilot had trusted the the GPS receiver, they would have been able to navigate in those mountains without great difficulty.
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I think he was doing that, but trying to fly instruments at the same time would be disorienting.
I have searched in vain for a real-time video. What link did you see? Thanks.
He had no business flying VFR in that soup.
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He requested and got clearance for a change to VFR, but he never reported that he made the transition.
Yes, that's what generates all the Monday morning quarterbacking. It's so obvious that this could have been avoided, at point after point ... yet it happened, and now nothing can un-happen, even though we all know how easily it could have been avoided.
My pastor says it's a defense mechanism: "This won't ever happen to me, because I won't (go on a helicopter flight in thick fog, etc.).
I have an instrument rating, it only takes a couple seconds to become disoriented, at a Low Altitude, it is certain death. the IFR altitude for his position would have been 4000 or 6000 feet, clearly above the weather, as the overcast was only up to about 3000 feet max. He was VFR. Controlled flight into Terrain.
I’m betting it was pilot heart attack.
I bet kobe twisted the pilots arm come on dude you can do it maybe slipped him a little cash
Very good pix and inserts, thanks, it make it much easier to follow the path of the chopper.
Scott Crossfield made it to 84, but weather caught up to him in the end.
Keep your air speed up!
Except for when you are about to fly into terrain at 185 mph. Then you definitely want to slow your air speed down.
Trust your instruments!
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