Last Moments Of Kobe Bryant’s Flight Raise Perplexing Questions On Cause Of Crash

Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and eight others, including his daughter Gianna, lost the life in a helicopter crash. His helicopter left the San Fernando Valley and federal investigators are trying to find out what happened up in the clouds. There are several reconstructions in the last flight Kobe had and the crash that killed him.

The helicopter left the Valley and approached series of hills near Hidden Hills. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board didn’t make any comments on a report by The Times. Kobe’s helicopter climbed 875 feet in less than a minute and slowed down to 125 mph. Ara Zobayan, 50, made a decision that made everyone ask questions. According to federal investigators, the pilot was ascending to avoid clouds in the final minutes of the deadly flight.

Zobayan diverged from the westbound path he reported and went to the south. There was a rapid descent over Las Virgenes Road. At this point of the flight, Zobayan lost contact with the air traffic control, and crashed into the hillside, going at 175 mph.

Kobe Bryant’s final flight ended up with an unexpected crash

Kobe’s Sikorsky S-76B departed from John Wayne Airport for Camarillo Airport. It has flown between the two spots two dozen times since 2018. However, the pilot took a different route Sunday due to visibility issues.

Bryant was traveling to a basketball tournament at the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks. The Lakers legend was supposed to coach Gigi’s Lady Mamba team.

The Black Mamba was traveling with John Altobelli, 56, longtime baseball coach at Orange Coast College; his wife, Keri, 46; their daughter Alyssa, 13; Christina Mauser, 38, an assistant basketball coach at the Mamba Sports Academy; Sarah Chester, 45; Chester’s daughter Payton, 13; and Zobayan.

NTSB investigator Jennifer Homendy revealed that the aircraft was at 2,300 feet when the communication broke, adding that it was going down rapidly.

“So we know that this was a high-energy impact crash, and the helicopter was in a descending left bank,” she said.

Even if Zobayan flew above the hilltop he crushed in, he would have hit other higher hills in the surrounding. Investigators are still trying to determine what happened in Calabasas.