The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed on Tuesday the cause of the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of basketball player Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others.
The investigators' conclusion is that the pilot, Ara Zobayan, became disoriented while flying through clouds, in what appears to be a violation of federal regulations, since he was operating under rules that forced him to see where he was going. .
The pilot "may have
misperceived pitch
and roll
angles,
" according to the NTSB document.
"When a pilot misperceives altitude and acceleration it is known as a
somatographic illusion
and can cause spatial disorientation," the report says.
In other words, acceleration can make a pilot perceive that his helicopter is climbing when it really is not.
According to radio messages, the pilot
tried to rise above the clouds
and that he intended to reach 4,000 feet, but the data shows that the helicopter had already started its fatal fall.
It crashed into a hillside, leaving a 24-by-15-foot crater.
The NBA star died on January 26, 2020 at age 41 in a plane crash that occurred around 10:00 a.m. (local time) in Calabasas, Los Angeles County.
His 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people also lost their lives when
the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter
in which they were traveling to attend a youth basketball tournament collapsed on a hill.
[It is one year after the death of Kobe Bryant: what has been clarified about the accident in which he died with his daughter]
The NTSB had reported that there were no signs of mechanical failure and that
the tragedy had been an accident
.
This Tuesday the five members of the board will meet virtually to reach a conclusion on the causes of the accident.
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They are also expected to
issue recommendations
to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to prevent accidents like this from happening again.
One of the recommendations they could give is to equip the helicopters with an alert system that warns the pilot if the aircraft is in danger of crashing.
The aircraft Bryant flew on did not have it, as it is only a requirement for air ambulances.
[The Lakers thrilled the fans with an emotional tribute to Kobe Bryant in his first official game after the athlete's death]
Bryant's death shocked the world, especially sports and basketball fans.
Even a year after the accident, for many it has been difficult to assimilate the death of someone who is a sports icon.
Bryant was born in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania).
He played his entire basketball career on the Los Angeles Lakers team.
He was a five-time NBA champion in a career that began in 1996 and lasted 20 years until his retirement in 2016.
It was 20 years in which he won
five NBA titles,
the most valuable player award in 2008. He was also elected to the All Star 18 times.
In addition, he won
two gold medals
by helping the American 'Dream Team'
win
the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 titles.
With information from the
Washington Post and Los Angeles Times.
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