Page 6 of 6

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:07 pm
by TheGreenGoblin
I meant former... i.e. medical ops in heli's etc.

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2020 10:24 pm
by TheGreenGoblin
More legal action...
Kobe Bryant’s widow is suing the owner of the helicopter that crashed in fog and killed the former Los Angeles Lakers star and their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, last month.

The wrongful death lawsuit filed by Vanessa Bryant in Los Angeles on Monday said the pilot, Ara Zobayan, was careless and negligent by flying in cloudy conditions and should have aborted the flight. Zobayan was among the nine people killed in the crash.

The lawsuit names Island Express Helicopters Inc and also targets Zobayan’s legal representative, listed only as “Doe 1” until a name can be determined. Vanessa Bryant’s lawsuit asserts that Zobayan was negligent in eight different ways, including failing to properly assess the weather, flying into conditions he wasn’t cleared for and failing to control the helicopter.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/ ... pter-crash

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Sat Feb 29, 2020 9:20 pm
by Boac
It is re-assuring and memory-triggering to occasionally glance at the thread in Rotorheads on TOP, where, despite the efforts of a mod to 'control' the dross, there is still constant introspection on what colour underpants the pilot may have been wearing or some other trivia (although the particular shade at the end of the sortie is not in doubt.) It reminds me why I am pleased to be allowed to roam here.

The guy crashed, killing himself and his pax. No recorders, nada. End of.

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Sat Feb 29, 2020 10:09 pm
by FD2
Neatly summed up Boac. Now up to 750+ posts of opinion, speculation, argument and insult on TOP...and the NTSB findings are still to be released. It will start the shouting all over again when it is, because I don't think the NTSB will find a positive cause for the crash. No CVR, no FDR, probably nothing to be gleaned from the wreckage, so most likely nothing but speculation, which some expensive shysters, sorry, lawyers can get their teeth into.

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2020 10:50 am
by TheGreenGoblin
FD2 wrote:
Sat Feb 29, 2020 10:09 pm
Neatly summed up Boac. Now up to 750+ posts of opinion, speculation, argument and insult on TOP...and the NTSB findings are still to be released. It will start the shouting all over again when it is, because I don't think the NTSB will find a positive cause for the crash. No CVR, no FDR, probably nothing to be gleaned from the wreckage, so most likely nothing but speculation, which some expensive shysters, sorry, lawyers can get their teeth into.
And the lawyers are very busy...

http://www.avweb.com/flight-safety/acci ... ant-crash/

Island Express Helicopters has filed a lawsuit alleging that two air traffic controllers are responsible for the crash of a company Sikorsky S-76B helicopter that killed retired NBA star Kobe Bryant and eight others last January. The cross-complaint asserts that the accident was caused by “a series of erroneous acts and/or omissions” committed by the controllers, including a “… failure to properly communicate termination of radar flight following … incomplete position relief briefing, and … lack of knowledge of current weather conditions.” It further claims that a controller contributed to the crash by “monopolizing the Pilot’s attention during the critical phase of the flight by making multiple radio calls, requiring transponder ident, and requesting the Pilot to state where he was and what his intentions were.”


Island Express’ lawsuit (PDF) was filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. The individuals listed in the filing are employed by the FAA as air traffic controllers at the Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility (TRACON). To date, four lawsuits related to the accident have been filed against Island Express, including one by Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, which alleges negligence by the pilot for flying in unsafe weather conditions.

As previously reported by AVweb, Island Express holds a Part 135 operating certificate for on-demand, VFR-only operations. A preliminary report (PDF) released by the NTSB last February stated that no evidence of mechanical failure had been found in the crash, which occurred on Jan. 26, 2020, in Calabasas, California. It further noted that visibility was poor in the area of the accident due to low clouds and mist. According to the report, the pilot had requested and received a special VFR clearance. The final NTSB accident report has not yet been issued.
I think Island Express are grasping at straws here.

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2021 12:09 pm
by TheGreenGoblin
In the year since the helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant crashed into a hillside on a foggy morning, killing all nine aboard, there's been plenty of finger-pointing over the cause of the tragedy.

Bryant's widow blamed the pilot. She and families of other victims also faulted the companies that owned and operated the helicopter. The brother of the pilot didn't blame Bryant but said the NBA star knew the risks of flying. The helicopter companies said the weather was an act of God and blamed air traffic controllers.

On Tuesday, federal safety officials are expected to announce the long-awaited probable cause of the crash that unleashed worldwide grief for the retired basketball player, launched several lawsuits and prompted state and federal legislation.

"I think the whole world is watching because it's Kobe," said Ed Coleman, an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University professor and safety science expert.
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/us- ... 99555.html

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2021 4:22 pm
by TheGreenGoblin

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2021 7:13 pm
by TheGreenGoblin

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 11:56 am
by TheGreenGoblin
Probably the fairest synopsis of the video above, I have read to date...

Self pressure to fly...
NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said the accident illustrated that even good pilots can make bad decisions.

“Here is a case where a pilot who is well regarded apparently got into a very bad situation,” Sumwalt said. “The scenario we believe happened he is flying along, he realizes that he’s sort of getting boxed in with visibility and then he must have made the decision, ‘You know what, I’m just going to punch up through these clouds and get on top.’”

The board said it was likely he felt self-induced pressure to deliver Bryant to the destination.

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 12:18 pm
by Boac
aka He cocked up and killed people?

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 12:21 pm
by ian16th
Pushonitus?

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 3:19 pm
by Boac
Tgg -
that even good pilots
I've just looked briefly at the video you linked - it was 3hr 54 minutes long to (basically) say he screwed up. I would dispute the annotation 'good pilot' since he was apparently unable to transition to instruments and in that case should NOT have been attempting the flight at all in that weather where there was a very high probability he would need to do just that. Overcast at 1000ft?!!! The 'good pilot' is the one who says 'no way, Jose'.

I have not laboured through all 3hr + of it, but i would have expected the chair to qualify a 'good' annotation - if that is what he pronounced.

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:37 pm
by TheGreenGoblin
Boac wrote:
Mon Feb 15, 2021 3:19 pm
Tgg -
that even good pilots
I've just looked briefly at the video you linked - it was 3hr 54 minutes long to (basically) say he screwed up. I would dispute the annotation 'good pilot' since he was apparently unable to transition to instruments and in that case should NOT have been attempting the flight at all in that weather where there was a very high probability he would need to do just that. Overcast at 1000ft?!!! The 'good pilot' is the one who says 'no way, Jose'.

I have not laboured through all 3hr + of it, but i would have expected the chair to qualify a 'good' annotation - if that is what he pronounced.
The video is turgid I admit.

As for the pilot, I guess even "great", let alone good pilots, can have one bad day at the office, man is mortal etc. Even the best of people can make a mistake under financial, corporate, and emotional duress ( in this case, the pilot clearly knew and was liked by Bryant and his family and may have felt under obligation to get them where they needed to go and erred in his judgement about this flight).

No doubt this whole sad affair will drag on through the courts and the lawyers will grow fatter on the ensuing mental carnage to the victims, including the pilot's family.

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:41 pm
by Boac
Yes, but after a really 'bad' day at the office the 'good' placard drops off. You know what they say about sheep shagging :))

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:43 pm
by PHXPhlyer
Who is "they"?

PP

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:55 pm
by Boac
They are the ones who always say things, PP.

Re: Kobe Bryant dead, private Sikorsky S-76 down

Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2022 5:42 am
by TheGreenAnger
What is wrong with police et al that they compound the grief and misery of the families by behaving in such a disgusting way.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/ ... ash-photos