Kobe’s pilot tried to climb to avoid fog before crash
THE pilot of the helicopter that crashed and killed NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his teenage daughter and six others was trying to climb to avoid low cloud in the flight’s final moments, authorities said.
As coroners continued the grim task of retrieving the bodies of those who perished on Sunday, the last moments of the Sikorsky S-76 were revealed by the National Transport Safety Board.
But while new audio emerged yesterday showing pilot Are Zobayan had been given special permission to fly in dangerous conditions, authorities said they might never know exactly what happened because there was no black box on the helicopter.
With the crash zone spread over 100sq m in a hard-to-access pocket of the Santa Monica Hills near Los Angeles, there were concerns it could take investigators up to a week to clear the site.
All nine victims were yesand terday named as tributes continued to pour in.
Veteran pilot Zobayan was remembered as responsible and respected. “There’s a reason that people wanted to fly with him,” said fellow pilot Jared Yochim. “He was just a cool, calm guy.”
The fog was so heavy that police choppers had been grounded but Zobayan had received special clearance.
NTSB spokesperson Jennifer Homendy said the pilot was flying at just 700m elevation at his last transmission may have become disoriented in the fog. “The pilot advised they were climbing to avoid a cloud layer,” Ms Homendy said. “When ATC (air traffic control) asked what the pilot planned to do, there was no reply. Radar data indicates the helicopter climbed to 2300 feet (701m) and then began a left descending turn. Last radar contact was around 9.45am and is consistent with the accident location.”
At Gianna Bryant’s school, she was remembered, like her father, as a fine player and role model. “She was always smiling,” Harbour Day School said. “She looked out for the underdog and never left anyone out. Gianna was a strong leader, had a work ethic that was unmatched, and had a level of maturity beyond her 13 years.”
The other victims were the school’s basketball coach Christina Mauser, another coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri and daughter Alyssa, who played on the same basketball team as Bryant’s daughter, along with another teammate Payton Chester and her mother Sarah.
The NBA cancelled a game between the LA Clippers and the LA Lakers, the team Bryant helmed for 20 years and led to five titles.
America and the sporting world was in mourning at the loss, with New York’s Empire State Building blazing purple and gold lights in his team colours and a host of celebrities offering condolences.
“For me, this is like losing a family member, to lose Kobe and his daughter, Gianna,” said NBA star Charles Barkley. “Basketball is a close knit fraternity and I’m just sad. Really sad.”
Actor Jack Nicholson, a known Lakers “superfan”, said he would think of Bryant “all the time”.
“My reaction is the same as almost all of LA,” he said. “Suddenly, where everything was solid, there’s a big hole in the wall. I was so used to seeing and talking to Kobe that – it kills you. It’s just a terrible event.”