U.S. safety board meets on Bryant crash

WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was to meet on Tuesday to determine the probable cause of the January 2020 helicopter crash that killed retired NBA star Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others.

The pilot’s actions have been in focus in the investigation into the crash of the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter outside Los Angeles into hilly terrain.

Pilot Ara Zobayan told air traffic controllers that his chopper was climbing out of heavy clouds when in fact it was descending immediately before slamming into a hillside near the town of Calabasas, the NTSB said in June.

The board said pilots can become confused about an aircraft’s attitude and acceleration when they cannot see the sky or landscape around them, causing “spatial disorientation.”

“Without outside references or attention to the helicopter’s attitude display, the actual pitch and bank angles have the potential to be misperceived,” the NTSB said in June. Zobayan was killed in the crash.

Charlottetown Islanders winger Thomas Casey is part of the Videotron Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team of the week.

The hometown boy, who turns 21 in April, had three goals and three assists in three games last week while being a plus-2 as the Isles went 1-20-0.

He has 17 goals and 15 assists for 32 points in 19 games this season. Seven of the goals have come on the power play while two have been game winners.

Also recognized this week were forwards Luke Henman (Blainville-Boisbriand) and William Dufour (Drummondville), defencemen Christopher Merisier-Ortiz (Blainville-Boisbriand) and Evan Nause (Quebec) and Drummondville goalie Francesco Lapenna.