The exact cause of the helicopter crash near Los Angeles, in which NBA legend Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) and his daughter Gianna (2006-2020), among others, died in a fatal accident on January 26, is still not known. Now, the US investigators have released new, detailed documents that could approach the cause of the helicopter crash. It says that the pilot of the machine apparently lost orientation in the thick fog.
Tragic misjudgment?
The investigation report submitted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which among other things analyzes the last moments of the flight, revealed a possible mistake by pilot Ara Zobayan. Because of the extremely poor visibility, he "misjudged" whether the nose of the plane was pointing up or down. Zobayan apparently mixed up the climb and descent.
So when he hoped to climb over 1,200 meters in the hope of better visibility, he instead flew towards the ground at around 300 kilometers per hour into a mountain slope – all nine occupants were killed in the crash. An autopsy of Zobayan, who was considered an experienced pilot, excluded alcohol and drug influence.