“The decision was made out of respect for the Lakers organization, which is deeply grieving the tragic loss of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven other people in a helicopter crash on Sunday,” the NBA said.
In addition to the Bryants, the crash devastated three other families linked to the Mamba Sports Academy on their way to a girls’ basketball tournament: a husband and wife with their 13-year-old daughter; a mother and her 13-year-old daughter; and a basketball coach who was also a mother.
The ninth victim was the pilot, Ara Zobayan, an experienced former flight instructor who was instrument-rated, or qualified to fly in fog, according to multiple U.S. media accounts.
Witnesses recounted thick fog over the foothills where the helicopter went down. The fog was so bad that both the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department grounded their helicopter fleets, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing officials.
Air traffic controllers gave the pilot “Special Visual Flight Rules,” or clearance to fly in less than optimal weather around the Burbank airport.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) official noted a pilot “does not get a general, or blanket, clearance from the FAA to fly in these conditions. A pilot is responsible for determining whether it is safe to fly in current and expected conditions.”
Moreover, the pilot apparently requested “flight following,” or constant tracking from controllers, but was informed he was flying too low to be picked up by air traffic control radar. It is unclear if the pilot heard the comment as it came near the end of the doomed flight.
“Two echo x-ray, you’re still too low level for flight following at this time,” an air traffic controller told the pilot, according to publicly available audio of the conversation that was posted by several aviation websites.
More Coverage of Kobe Bryant's Death:
- Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash
- LeBron James heartbroken hearing the news of Kobe Bryant
- Remembering Kobe Bryant
- Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant’s Most Memorable NBA Moments
- #RIPMamba: NBA community reacts to passing of Kobe Bryant
- Remembering Kobe Bryant: Spurs-Raptors Open Game With Intentional Shot Clock Violations
- 7 other victims of the Calabasas helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and his daughter, identified!
- Lakers game cancelled in respect to Bryants' death
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