Screenshots of foreign media reports.
China News Service, February 10, according to foreign media reports, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced the Kobe Air crash investigation results on February 9 local time. The investigation indicated that the pilot Ara Zobayan was in the crash. I made a wrong decision to fly into the clouds.
The NTSB criticized the decision and stated that the pilot violated relevant flight standards.
It is reported that the pilot's decision to fly to the clouds caused a "spatial disorientation" (spatial disorientation) and was lost in the fog.
The investigator stated that Zobayan performed the flight in accordance with the visual flight rules. Although he was "forbidden by law" to fly into the clouds, he did so.
On January 26, 2020, Zobayan told the air traffic controller by radio that he was trying to climb to 4000 feet (about 1.2 kilometers) in a helicopter.
But in fact, the plane is descending at this time.
After that, the helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California.
Zorbayan, Kobe, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and 6 other people on board were all killed in the accident.
After Bryant died unexpectedly, the United States also launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.
In February 2020, Kobe's widow, Vanessa, formally filed a lawsuit against the helicopter operator, Zobayan, and related persons responsible.
The complaint stated that “the helicopter company condoned the pilots to take off under the severe weather conditions of heavy fog and low clouds”; at the same time, it mentioned that “the pilot of the aircraft was punished by the FAA for violating the safety flight regulations in 2015.
In addition, Vanessa also seeks economic losses, non-economic losses, deferred interest, punitive damages and other compensation from the helicopter company.
But Zobayan's brother said that Kobe knew that flying in the foggy morning was dangerous, but he still chose to let the plane take off.
After the incident, the helicopter company also issued a statement stating: “Kobe and Gigi have a practical understanding of all situations, especially the dangers, and also have a certain understanding of the risks and severity involved, and they voluntarily assume the risks of accidents and injuries. Therefore, Vanessa’s compensation claims should be limited or reduced."
Since then, the helicopter company decided to prosecute the two air traffic controllers on duty at the tower at the time of the incident.
The complaint stated that it was two air traffic controllers from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) who committed a series of "errors or negligence" that led to the crash.
Under various prevarications, NTSB intervened in the accident investigation.
In June last year, the NTSB released a preliminary investigation document. The results of the investigation showed that the helicopter pilot had told the air traffic controller that he was trying to get rid of the dense fog, and then the helicopter hit the hillside.
The National Transportation Safety Board emphasized that this document is not the final report, and the content does not contain analysis, findings, recommendations or possible causes of the accident. Therefore, conclusions about how and why the crash occurred should not be made based on the information contained therein.
The committee will continue to investigate and will complete a detailed final report in the future.
After the first anniversary of Bryant's death, the National Transportation Safety Board finally announced the findings.
NTSB investigators also believe that Zobayan may have put tremendous pressure on himself to complete the flight, but "there is no evidence that Island Express, the airline charter broker, or the customer (Kobe Bryant) exerted pressure on the pilot. Ask him to accept charter requests or complete the flight in inclement weather." (End)