The crash area of ​​the helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant, January 26, 2020. - Mark J. Terrill / AP / SIPA

We know a little more about the moments before the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and six other people. According to the investigation, the pilot tried to get out of a thick fog by gaining altitude just before the aircraft struck the hill.

Ara Zobayan said in a radio exchange that he would climb to 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) shortly before the helicopter crashed near Calabasas on January 26. A partial transcript of communications between Zobayan and the air traffic controller is among the documents released Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Council (NTSB) in charge of the investigation.

Not a final report

"Uh, we're climbing to four thousand," says Zobayan. "And then what are you going to do when you are aloft? Replied the controller. Without answer. Initial investigation revealed that the helicopter had dived several hundred feet before the accident occurred. The NTSB, which continues to investigate, stressed that this "public record" was not a final report "and that it does not contain analyzes, conclusions, recommendations or determinations of probable causes" from the accident.

"As such, no conclusions as to the cause of the accident and how it occurred should be drawn from the information in the file," insisted the NTSB, which will publish its final report at a later date. , still to be determined. The death of Kobe Bryant at 41 years old caused a great emotion in the world, beyond the sport. In 20 years played in the Los Angeles Lakers, he won five NBA champion titles and was named best player in the League in 2007-08.

People

Death of Kobe Bryant: his widow Vanessa claims hundreds of millions of dollars from the helicopter company

  • Sport
  • Investigation
  • Basketball
  • Accident
  • Helicopter
  • Kobe Bryant