Kobe Bryant RIP

[MR.MAGOO]

Just saw headline that Kobe Bryant was killed in helicopter crash in Calabasas, CA, all on board died. Bryant was 41.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yeah just saw a brief story, his private helicopter apparently. 4 other people I think it said.

ps Not much info here, more a summary of his career. Saw elsewhere perhaps a daughter was on board. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-26/aircraft-slams-into-hillside-explodes-in-flames-near-calabasas

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

He’ll be missed.....

 

[little wing]

Heart breaking. Being from Philly, I had a chance to go see him play in High School. Me and a couple of friends just had to go and see this Kobe kid that everybody was talking about.

I heard at least one of his daughters was on the helicopter as well. Really sad...

 

[Gmoney]

Wow!

 

[davidscott]

Sad. Just goes to show that when your time is up your time is up. Doesn't matter who you are. RIP Kobe I really enjoyed your days with Shaq on the Lakers.

 

[TheWarrior]

This is turning out to be one of the worst January's in recorded history.

 

[panteragstk]

Truly terrible.

 

[Tomorrow]

It is truly sad for everyone involved. But let's also keep in mind the thoughts of the woman Kobe admittedly raped.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I am sure all of you follow this in the papers.
If I remember, 8 people died. The helicopter belonged to a private company, Koby happened to use them as others have also used them.
Company had previous crashes with injury and or deaths.
The pilot had 8000 hours. Impressive for a helo pilot.
The weather was not really VFR and possibly disorientation may be part of the crash. If so, sounds like the pilot may not have been instrument rated.
Similar to that Kennedy and his private plane crash a good number of years ago.

 

[lovinthehd]

I am sure all of you follow this in the papers.
If I remember, 8 people died. The helicopter belonged to a private company, Koby happened to use them as others have also used them.
Company had previous crashes with injury and or deaths.
The pilot had 8000 hours. Impressive for a helo pilot.
The weather was not really VFR and possibly disorientation may be part of the crash. If so, sounds like the pilot may not have been instrument rated.
Similar to that Kennedy and his private plane crash a good number of years ago.

9 people total. FWIW the pilot was not only rated but also instructed others in that respect. Doubt we'll ever know particularly what happened....

 

[snakeeyes]

I remember mostly watching him back when he wore #8 and had Shaq, but that 3-Peat of championships was special. RIP #24

 

[mtrycrafts]

9 people total. FWIW the pilot was not only rated but also instructed others in that respect. Doubt we'll ever know particularly what happened....

One could be an instructor without having instrument rating, I believe.
And, if he was instrument rated, he should not have fallen victim of spacial disorientation but call control agencies and get an IFR flight to destination or an alternate airport.

ps. yep, he was instrument rated. Even more troubling.

 

[lovinthehd]

One could be an instructor without having instrument rating, I believe.
And, if he was instrument rated, he should not have fallen victim of spacial disorientation but call control agencies and get an IFR flight to destination or an alternate airport.

ps. yep, he was instrument rated. Even more troubling.

Definitely one of the big question marks, if not the biggest. Why did he continue the way he did? Seemed he may have thought he was higher up, too by his request for radar following (which he was denied for being too low).

 

[mtrycrafts]

Definitely one of the big question marks, if not the biggest. Why did he continue the way he did? Seemed he may have thought he was higher up, too by his request for radar following (which he was denied for being too low).

And, apparently his rate of descent was 4000ft/min, very fast, and 184 MPH. An instrument rated pilot cannot see this?
Hard to accept a catastrophic failure. Single engine? At his airspeed, weight may not be a factor.
But then, we don't know.

 

[lovinthehd]

And, apparently his rate of descent was 4000ft/min, very fast, and 184 MPH. An instrument rated pilot cannot see this?
Hard to accept a catastrophic failure. Single engine? At his airspeed, weight may not be a factor.
But then, we don't know.

It was a twin engined craft so one early comment was doubting mechanical failure...at least that kind. Saw this in one of my bike groups https://www.bikemag.com/news/mountain-biker-recounts-witnessing-the-kobe-bryant-crash/

 

[highfigh]

I am sure all of you follow this in the papers.
If I remember, 8 people died. The helicopter belonged to a private company, Koby happened to use them as others have also used them.
Company had previous crashes with injury and or deaths.
The pilot had 8000 hours. Impressive for a helo pilot.
The weather was not really VFR and possibly disorientation may be part of the crash. If so, sounds like the pilot may not have been instrument rated.
Similar to that Kennedy and his private plane crash a good number of years ago.

Kennedy didn't trust his gauges and became disoriented at night- it wasn't fog. This is more similar to the crash that killed Stevie Ray Vaughan.

 

[Gmoney]

I worked in the oilfield for over 15 years flew in choppers a lot, the one thing chopper Pilots never did was take off in Bad Weather! Fog, or winds at or above 40 knots chopper didn’t fly! Also any and all cell phones had to be turned off! We where told it Interfered with the instruments in the chopper. Makes me wonder with teenagers on that chopper with how everyone knows you can’t Pry a cellphone from a teenager girls hand.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Kennedy didn't trust his gauges and became disoriented at night- it wasn't fog. This is more similar to the crash that killed Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Yes, one was at night, one was in day and foggy weather. Same disorientation can take place.
Why would Zobayan not trust his instruments? Neither did as they were disoriented. One pilot had lots of flight time, don't know how many actual instrument hours or instrument approaches or landing he had. The other, Kennedy most likely was a casual pilot with few hours and even less or non instrument time if he was even rated for that. Private pilots don't usually have instrument ratings. Zobayan doesn't have a commercial pilot rating on record.

 

[Tomorrow]

I (unfortunately) rode in a Life Flight helicopter during a dark, heavy nighttime storm. It took the pilot several tries to find and then land atop the large hospital roof...finally slamming it down within ONE FOOT of the roof's edge. These birds are certainly not the most rigorous flyers in the sky...for any pilot.

I hope...never again for me.........