Pilot Kobe Bryant Violates Federal Standards, Flying In Cloudy Conditions

JAKARTA - An investigation by the United States Transportation Safety Commission (NTSB) stated that the pilot in the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant a year ago violated federal standards and was disoriented when flying in cloudy weather.

This was conveyed by the Chairman of the NTSB Robert Sumwalt when he opened the board meeting on Tuesday local time to discuss the helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on January 26, 2020.

The accident killed all passengers including Kobe and his daughter Gianna as well as seven other people, including the pilot, Ara Zobayan.

"It flies under the flying visibility rules (VFR), which legally prohibits it from penetrating clouds," Sumwalt said.

"However, he continued this VFR flight through the clouds, entering the meteorological conditions instrument," he added.

The NTSB scheduled a virtual meeting for Tuesday local time to issue a final report on the helicopter crash.

"We will find out if the pilot is under pressure to continue the flight, and if so, who is pressing him," said Sumwalt.

"What are the expectations for the pilot under company policy? Is he pushing himself? What actions could have been taken to avoid flying through the clouds?"

"We will discuss the phenomenon of spatial disorientation, strong and misleading sensations that can confuse pilots doing visual flight in the midst of losing sight distance reference and what kind of training is effective in dealing with these conditions," he said.