Pilot blamed for Kobe Bryant’s helicopter clash
Federal safety officials have blamed a pilot’s poor decision for the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant.
The National Transportation Safety Board said Ara Zobayan flew the helicopter into clouds and became disoriented before crashing into a hill near Calabasas in California in January 2020. Mr Zobayan was killed, along with basketball star Bryant, Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and six others.
The NTSB said the pilot ignored his training when he continued flying in thick cloud that probably left him so disoriented that he could not tell up from down.
Investigators said they believed he had experienced spatial disorientation, known as “the leans”, which affects the inner ear and makes pilots think they are flying straight when they are in fact banking.
While Mr Zobayan was telling flight controllers he was climbing and had nearly broken through the clouds, the Sikorsky S-76 was instead descending, investigators said.
The five board members said that, in flying into the clouds, Mr Zobayan had breached Visual Flight Rules, which require pilots to be able to see where they are going.
They also said that he might have been putting himself under pressure to complete the journey for Bryant, whom he had flown before, rather than landing at the nearest airport when the weather took a turn. Families of the other passengers sued the helicopter company but not the pilot.
Island Express Helicopters Inc had blamed the crash on an “act of God”, denying responsibility and counter-suing two air traffic controllers, blaming them for “erroneous acts and/or omissions
In other news – Wishing Gabriel Temudzani aka Chief Azwindini a beautiful Birthday
Actor, TV presenter, and MC, Gabriel Temudzani famous as Chief Azwindini in Muvhango celebrates his birthday today.
Born 10 February 1980), Gabriel Temudzani is also known by his stage name Chief Azwindini from the TV soap Muvhango. He has portrayed this role since the year 2000 and has a huge fan base courtesy Muvhango. Learn more
Source: Skynews
