The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released new details of the crash, which killed basketball legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and six other passengers and a pilot. The main conclusion of the new report was that the engines of the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter, which collided with a hill near the city of Calabasas, were apparently in good condition and worked until the crash.
Experts found both engines upside down near the tail of the helicopter. Due to a fire that began after a collision with the ground, the drive boxes of the units and the air intake housings burned out. However, during the inspection of the engines themselves, the experts concluded that they were most likely in good working order.
“When examining the accessible parts of the engines, there were no signs of uncontrolled or catastrophic internal failure. The engines were subsequently removed for detailed disassembly and study, ”- stated in the report published on the official website.
In addition, experts noted a number of indirect confirmations that the engines worked until the crash. As noted in the report, damage to the propeller blades indicates that torque was applied to them at the time of the collision. In addition, about nine meters from the funnel formed after the initial impact, a branch about five centimeters thick was found, cut off cleanly, like a saw, in three places.
The NTSB also published eyewitness accounts of the crash. According to him, judging by the sound, the helicopter engine was working. When the car appeared from behind the clouds, she, according to an eyewitness, tilted to the left so much that he saw the bottom. After one or two seconds, the helicopter collided with the ground about 15 meters below the location of the witness, who then took a picture where flames and thick puffs of smoke were visible.
The NTSB noted that the helicopter was not equipped with monitoring and recording equipment or an on-board tape recorder, but their installation on this type of aircraft is optional. However, since 1999, the council has been sending recommendations to the US Federal Aviation Administration to make the use of these assets mandatory during flight.
The NTSB report also describes the pilot Ara Zobayan. At the time of the tragedy, he was 50 years old. He has worked at Island Express for 10 years. The pilot received the necessary certification for commercial flights, and on July 3, 2019, he underwent a medical examination for the last time, following which he was ordered to wear glasses. By that time, his flight time was 8,200 hours, including 1,250 hours on helicopters of the S-76 model.
The pilot was trained in instrument flight in low visibility conditions. However, earlier it was reported that Island Express did not have the appropriate permission for instrument flights. Her pilots were instructed to carry out only visual flights when day visibility is at least 800 meters and when they see the ground.
The NTSB reaffirmed that Zobayan intended to rise to a height of 1200 meters, however, after reaching 700 meters, the helicopter began to turn left. After eight seconds, the car began to decline, continuing to turn. The rate of height drop exceeded 1200 meters per minute, although previously it was reported that it was two times lower. Shortly afterwards, the helicopter crashed on a hill.
The investigation into the crash of the Kobe Bryant helicopter is still ongoing, and the results published now are only preliminary. A full report may take several months to complete. The head of the NTSB, Robert Samuault, promised that all the circumstances of the tragedy would be clarified.
“Our experts have already collected a significant amount of information about the circumstances of this tragic crash. We are confident that we will be able to establish its cause, as well as all the factors that contributed to it, to make recommendations on ensuring aviation security to prevent similar incidents in the future, ”Samualt said.
According to Peter Golz, transport expert and former NTSB employee, the crash was probably caused by poor visibility and the mistakes of the pilot trying to get out of the low visibility zone.
“This only exacerbates the tragic nature of the crash. The helicopter was fully operational and well equipped. Unfortunately, the flight took place in adverse weather conditions. Apparently, the pilot was in a more difficult situation than expected. When climbing, he fell into a cloudy zone and tried to leave it, or simply lost his orientation. I’m afraid that the main focus will be on the pilot’s actions and the human factor, ”Golz told CNN.
On the eve it became known that the farewell ceremony with Bryant will be held on February 24. It will take place in the home arena of the Los Angeles Lakers club, for which the basketball player has spoken throughout his professional career.