Pilot in Kobe Bryant helicopter crash violated flight standards, investigators say

LOS ANGELES (NEWS 1130) – U.S. safety investigators say the pilot of Kobe Bryant’s helicopter was disoriented in the clouds.

The NBA icon, his daughter, and seven others were killed in the crash in January, 2020, after investigators say the pilot flew through clouds in an apparent violation of federal standards.

On Tuesday, NTSB Vice Chair Bruce Landsberg said it’s clear to him pilot Ara Zobayan shouldn’t have been flying in the fog in a chopper without instrumentation.

“We pretty well know what happened, we have a very good idea of why it happened, and we absolutely know how to prevent these kinds of crashes,” he said.

Dr. Dujuan Sevillian, the NTSB’s expert in human performance, suggests Zobayan should have turned back because of the bad weather — but for some reason, he didn’t.

“The pilot had a good relationship with the client and likely did not want to disappoint him by not completing the flight. This kind of self-induced pressure can adversely affect pilot decision making and judgement,” Sevillian said.

Zobayan piloted the aircraft to climb sharply and had nearly broken through the clouds when the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter banked abruptly and plunged into the Southern California hills below, killing all aboard instantly before flames engulfed the wreckage.

The helicopter did not have the so-called “black box” recording devices, which were not required.

The revelation during the hearing followed plenty of finger-pointing.

Bryant’s widow had blamed the pilot. She and relatives of the other victims also faulted the companies that owned and operated the helicopter.

The brother of the pilot didn’t blame Bryant but said he knew about the risks of flying. The helicopter companies have said that foggy weather before the helicopter hit the ground was an act of God and blamed air traffic controllers.

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The federal hearing focused on the long-awaited probable cause or causes of the tragedy that unleashed worldwide grief for the retired basketball star, launched several lawsuits, and prompted state and federal legislation.

Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and six other passengers were flying from Orange County to a youth basketball tournament at his Mamba Sports Academy in Ventura County on Jan. 26, 2020, when the helicopter encountered thick fog in the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles.

Federal investigators said Zobayan, an experienced pilot who often flew Bryant, may have “misperceived” the angles at which he was descending and banking, which can occur when pilots become disoriented in low visibility, according to NTSB documents.

Investigators on Tuesday also faulted Zobayan for banking to the left instead of ascending straight up while trying to climb out of the bad weather.

The others killed in the crash were Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and their daughter Alyssa; Christina Mauser, who helped Bryant coach his daughter’s basketball team; and Sarah Chester and her daughter, Payton. Alyssa and Payton were Gianna’s teammates.