New details surrounding the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of NBA icon Kobe Bryant and eight others emerged on Thursday.
Initial reports revealed that harsh weather conditions did play a factor in the helicopter crashing. The helicopter collided to a fogbound mountainside in Calabasas, California last Sunday.
But as it turns out, the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter was not certified to fly under instrument conditions, per a New York Times report written by Dave Philipps and Sarah Mervosh.
The helicopter's Pilot Ara Zobayan, who was among the nine people who perished, was certified to fly under instrument conditions.
However, The Island Express Helicopters, which owned the helicopter, had a limited operating certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. The company's pilots were only permitted to fly visual flight rules (VFR). That includes at least three miles of visibility and a cloud ceiling no lower than 1,000 feet above the ground.
Zobayan was a veteran pilot who also happened to ferry Los Angeles Clippers' superstar Kawhi Leonard with the same program as Bryant's. He was more than capable of handling the chopper's sophisticated instruments onboard.
But since he had to follow the company’s certification limitations, Zobayan was forced to fly only in conditions of sufficient visibility to navigate visually.
Moments before the crash, Zobayan communicated with air traffic control and claimed he was climbing to avoid a cloud layer.
Eyewitnesses near the scene claimed that they did witness the helicopter enter a layer of clouds and fog. This was just seconds before it crashed and caught fire.
The NBA, meanwhile, continues to honor Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and all the families of all the victims. The league has altered the format of the upcoming All-Star Game next month in honor of the fallen superstar.
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