Helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant and 8 others was 20 to 30 feet from clearing a hilltop when it crashed, investigators say

USA - The helicopter carrying basketball superstar Kobe Bryant and eight others crashed into a Calabasas, California, hillside with a “high energy impact,” the National Transportation Safety Board said.

As federal investigators wrapped up operations at the crash site, the NTSB’s Jennifer Homendy said preliminary information suggests the plane descended rapidly and was likely in one piece before it slammed into the hill. “The descent rate for the helicopter was over 2,000 feet a minute, so we know that this was a high energy impact crash,” Homendy said. “This is a pretty steep descent at high speed. So it wouldn’t be a normal landing speed.” The crash occurred about 1,085 feet above sea level, missing the top of the hill by 20 to 30 feet, investigators said. Parts of the helicopter were found scattered around a crash site that stretched 500 to 600 feet, the NTSB said. The NTSB will release its preliminary report on the crash in 10 days, Homendy said. “Its not going to contain our findings, our analysis, it’s not going to contain any safety recommendations or probable cause but it’s going to provide some factual information -- more than we have now, but just the facts.” A final report will be out in about 12-18 months, she said.

On Tuesday, NTSB turned over the accident site back to local authorities after recovering pieces of the wreckage, an iPad, cellphone and documents including maintenance records, the helicopter’s registration and the airworthiness certificate. The helicopter did not have a terrain awareness and warning system - a safety feature which provides the pilot with information about the terrain, Homendy said. The NTSB recommended that similar helicopters be equipped with the system after a fatal Texas crash in 2004 that killed 10 people. The Federal Aviation Administration failed to implement the recommendation, Homendy said.

(CNN)