USA TODAY International Edition
Crash report due this week
Teams remember Bryant, other victims
A federal safety agency’s preliminary report on the helicopter crash that killed basketball icon Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven other people is due for release this week as the nation and the world on Sunday marked one week since the tragedy.
“The typical time frame is about 10 business days for the preliminary to be posted to the NTSB website,” the National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement.
NTSB investigator Jennifer Homendy stressed that the report will include “facts only” and won’t make a determination into the cause of the crash. That may not be released until the final report, which could be as many as 18 months away, she said.
Still, the agency could issue safety recommendations before the final report. Among them could be requiring terrain awareness warning systems – TAWS – and audio and data recording “black boxes.”
Here’s some of the latest information on what happened and what’s next.
Funeral details expected soon
Bryant’s family and city officials in Los Angeles still are working out details for the funeral and memorial services. “We don’t have that date finalized, but we’ve been talking every day to the Lakers, and most importantly, to ( Bryant’s widow, Vanessa) as well,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said last week. A public memorial could be held at the Staples Center, the Lakers basketball home, or at a football stadium to accommodate what could be a massive crowd of mourners.
High school, Lakers say goodbye
Lower Merion High School outside Philadelphia, where Bryant was a standout ballplayer, said goodbye with a pregame ceremony Saturday night in the gym that bears his name. About two dozen former Lower Merion players formed a circle around nine empty chairs. They stood with a sellout crowd through a 33- second moment of silence and a roaring rendition of the national anthem.
The Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant’s sole team throughout his 20- year NBA career, held emotional ceremonies remembering their star before a game Friday night.
Copter company suspends service
Island Express Helicopters was not licensed to fly by instruments in poor visibility, although the pilot was. Island Express suspended service last week. “The shock of the accident affected all staff, and management decided that service would be suspended until such time as it was deemed appropriate for staff and customers,” the company said in a statement.
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.
Crash could result in safer copters
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.