Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter crash (per TMZ)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to interrupt with helicopter stuff but this podcast interview is fascinating:

Legendary LA Helicopter Pilot Zoey Tur on Kobe Bryant's Final Flight
https://www.siriusxm.com/clips/clip/a9914a41-78d6-4402-8150-b8f14a44945b/8d2d5a4d-139b-4628-9ebf-baa173d32c7d

Can you do a summary for those of us without sirius xm?

Pilot is the one who flew the footer of OJ as he drove down the highway in the Bronco.
About Kobe’s pilot: crash was due to pilot error, inadvertent VFR instrument conditions. Bad weather + firey crash = indicates speeding [upward] helicopter as it crashed down into the [hidden] hillside.

Yes the pilot was flying under visual flight rules, and due to low clouds, he went into the cloud. Then, he most likely got disoriented, flipped the helicopter almost upside down, and it flew directly into the ground.

It’s very easy to lose control of a helicopter when flying into a cloud, even for experienced pilots. He probably was feeling pressure to get to destination and took a few more risks than necessary.

Inadvertently losing visual touch with the horizon can be very dangerous in a helo unless the pilot has VERY intensely trained on IIFR scenarios.

This. I liked Kobe. He was a nice guy, with lots of charm, but this idolatry is getting old. Who was applying the pressure to keep going? Most likely Kobe. Kobe had several opportunities to make a safer albeit longer duration choice but instead insisted on taking the helicopter. The cause of death for Kobe should be listed as "hubris."

People can feel pressure without anyone consciously exerting pressure. The pilot may have decided himself that it was very important to get Kobe to his destination. Kobe could’ve been chill about the situation. We don’t know though.

Possible but not probable. The employer certainly had the ability to tell the employee, no, we'll drive today. If you have to go back to Air Traffic Control for a second attempt to get clearance, it is a strong indicator that you shouldn't be flying that day.

[Anonymous]

Sure. But some people will do a lot to ensure they look like they deserve to be part of someone’s entourage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to interrupt with helicopter stuff but this podcast interview is fascinating:

Legendary LA Helicopter Pilot Zoey Tur on Kobe Bryant's Final Flight
https://www.siriusxm.com/clips/clip/a9914a41-78d6-4402-8150-b8f14a44945b/8d2d5a4d-139b-4628-9ebf-baa173d32c7d

Can you do a summary for those of us without sirius xm?

Pilot is the one who flew the footer of OJ as he drove down the highway in the Bronco.
About Kobe’s pilot: crash was due to pilot error, inadvertent VFR instrument conditions. Bad weather + firey crash = indicates speeding [upward] helicopter as it crashed down into the [hidden] hillside.

Yes the pilot was flying under visual flight rules, and due to low clouds, he went into the cloud. Then, he most likely got disoriented, flipped the helicopter almost upside down, and it flew directly into the ground.

It’s very easy to lose control of a helicopter when flying into a cloud, even for experienced pilots. He probably was feeling pressure to get to destination and took a few more risks than necessary.

Inadvertently losing visual touch with the horizon can be very dangerous in a helo unless the pilot has VERY intensely trained on IIFR scenarios.

This. I liked Kobe. He was a nice guy, with lots of charm, but this idolatry is getting old. Who was applying the pressure to keep going? Most likely Kobe. Kobe had several opportunities to make a safer albeit longer duration choice but instead insisted on taking the helicopter. The cause of death for Kobe should be listed as "hubris."

People can feel pressure without anyone consciously exerting pressure. The pilot may have decided himself that it was very important to get Kobe to his destination. Kobe could’ve been chill about the situation. We don’t know though.

Possible but not probable. The employer certainly had the ability to tell the employee, no, we'll drive today. If you have to go back to Air Traffic Control for a second attempt to get clearance, it is a strong indicator that you shouldn't be flying that day.

The LA area has low clouds VERY frequently. The difference between that day and many others was a small matter of degree, not a major difference.
The pilot is the one going to make the call about how to get to destination in those cases, not higher ups at the company.

ATC put the pilot in a hold pattern (around Burbank airport?) on the way, which also probably contributed to pilot feeling pressure to get there on time.

I expect the NTSB (if still functioning and not fully corrupted by Republicans by then) to issue a report saying that this tragedy was due to a combination of factors: slightly worse clouds than usual, slightly worse delays than usual, a pilot that was instrument-rated but did not frequently practice IIMC (entering clouds), and pilot’s familiarity with route and with customer that made him feel like taking slightly more risk than normal was ok.

Sad event. RIP to the pilot and all passengers.

[Anonymous]

The difference in the weather on that day and other days was materially, not marginally, different. Talk to some pilots from the area before you pontificate. Further evidence is that the pilot filed a flight plan, it was rejected, and then he went back to appeal with modifications. That is not a normal sequence of events for them … The point is that there was pressure on the pilot to take them up. I am sure the pilot's ego was involved but it was also the desire to please Kobe. They should not have been flying. Then once they were in the air they were given options to land but chose to muster on. A really bad set of choices and, in this case, the customer was wrong!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The difference in the weather on that day and other days was materially, not marginally, different. Talk to some pilots from the area before you pontificate. Further evidence is that the pilot filed a flight plan, it was rejected, and then he went back to appeal with modifications. That is not a normal sequence of events for them … The point is that there was pressure on the pilot to take them up. I am sure the pilot's ego was involved but it was also the desire to please Kobe. They should not have been flying. Then once they were in the air they were given options to land but chose to muster on. A really bad set of choices and, in this case, the customer was wrong!

I know the conditions in the area quite well, thank you.

You’re right that this was pushing the limits. It’s just that marine layers in LA area happen a lot and this kind of flight plan happens a LOT more than one might think. Most pilots survive. This one did not.

We’ll see what NTSB says in about a year or so. My prediction is on record: cause was IIMC, and pressure to get there from the customer, implicit or not. I’ll also predict not too much changes from the FAA. They could try to enforce much stricter rules on who gets to fly if IMC threatens, but there’s no good way to do that without incurring heavy costs and forcing down a LOT of flights. About the only thing they could do is make all helo pilots in the area practice IIMC in the sim much much harder. Again that would be a big change in pilot training requirements and very expensive.

Let’s see what NTSB and FAA say in the future. For now barring those reports I’ll step away. Sad situation for everyone.

[Anonymous]

In risk analysis parlance this would be a "low probability/high impact event". Very unlikely to happen but when it does, catastrophic.

The pilot was extremely experienced and probably 100% convinced that he could do it. We'll never know who made the bad call to keep flying in the risky conditions.

Kobe was well aware of the risks of flying in a helo, as evidenced by the pact he had with his wife to never fly in one together. Too bad the pact didn't extend to his children.

[Anonymous]

The memorial is live streaming on Yahoo right now.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/live-updates-kobe-and-gianna-bryant-memorial-service-at-staples-center-152140533.html

[Anonymous]

Suit filed. I would expect other families to follow suit.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/vanessa-bryant-files-wrongful-death-suit-after-crash-killed-kobe-n1141741

[Anonymous]

I was really sad about Kobe Bryant’s death and it’s clear he was admired and loved by many and was a great dad. But I don’t really understand all this talk about him and his wife’s amazing love story. He cheated left and right and they were on the brink of divorce. I could understand if he cheated once and spent the rest of the time repenting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was really sad about Kobe Bryant’s death and it’s clear he was admired and loved by many and was a great dad. But I don’t really understand all this talk about him and his wife’s amazing love story. He cheated left and right and they were on the brink of divorce. I could understand if he cheated once and spent the rest of the time repenting.

I assume he cheated a bunch, but they had 2 little kids... including a just-older-than newborn. What makes you think they were on the brink of divorce? Seems unlikely to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was really sad about Kobe Bryant’s death and it’s clear he was admired and loved by many and was a great dad. But I don’t really understand all this talk about him and his wife’s amazing love story. He cheated left and right and they were on the brink of divorce. I could understand if he cheated once and spent the rest of the time repenting.

I assume he cheated a bunch, but they had 2 little kids... including a just-older-than newborn. What makes you think they were on the brink of divorce? Seems unlikely to me.

Sorry meant they were once on the brink of divorce. I believe she filed years ago and then they reconciled, she alleged he cheated with 105 women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The difference in the weather on that day and other days was materially, not marginally, different. Talk to some pilots from the area before you pontificate. Further evidence is that the pilot filed a flight plan, it was rejected, and then he went back to appeal with modifications. That is not a normal sequence of events for them … The point is that there was pressure on the pilot to take them up. I am sure the pilot's ego was involved but it was also the desire to please Kobe. They should not have been flying. Then once they were in the air they were given options to land but chose to muster on. A really bad set of choices and, in this case, the customer was wrong!

I know the conditions in the area quite well, thank you.

You’re right that this was pushing the limits. It’s just that marine layers in LA area happen a lot and this kind of flight plan happens a LOT more than one might think. Most pilots survive. This one did not.

We’ll see what NTSB says in about a year or so. My prediction is on record: cause was IIMC, and pressure to get there from the customer, implicit or not. I’ll also predict not too much changes from the FAA. They could try to enforce much stricter rules on who gets to fly if IMC threatens, but there’s no good way to do that without incurring heavy costs and forcing down a LOT of flights. About the only thing they could do is make all helo pilots in the area practice IIMC in the sim much much harder. Again that would be a big change in pilot training requirements and very expensive.

Let’s see what NTSB and FAA say in the future. For now barring those reports I’ll step away. Sad situation for everyone.

I personally felt that morning was very different than typical marine layer or morning fog. It was soooo hard to see. I remember driving in the early morning hours and having hardly any visibility on the freeway. That is NOT common. Just my personal opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was really sad about Kobe Bryant’s death and it’s clear he was admired and loved by many and was a great dad. But I don’t really understand all this talk about him and his wife’s amazing love story. He cheated left and right and they were on the brink of divorce. I could understand if he cheated once and spent the rest of the time repenting.

I think it's just social and news media going on about it. IRL no one really believes it's amazing that people who got married at 17 and 21 would be able to stay "in love" through years of adultery, 4 kids and millions of dollars.