The helicopter crash that claimed the lives of basketball star, Kobe Bryant, 41, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant, and 7 of their friends (minors included), will ikely be heavily contested in court. There are liability issues present. The bereaved families will likely sue the Bryant estate, pilot Ara Zobayan's estate and his employer, as well as the insurance companies Bryant and Zobayan used.

It was Bryant's private helicopter, a Sikorsky S-76, which crashed into a Calabasas hillside in Los Angeles this past Sunday. The helicopter maker may also be sued, though this really was not their fault. It can be argued the crash was caused by pilot error in flying in thick fog and slamming into the hillside. The pilot was also flying so unsafely low that he fell off air traffic control's radars. The pilot also unsafely sped up moments before the helicopter crashed.

Gianna Bryant and Kobe Bryant

Maybe the pilot saw the hillside too late and tried to pull up by accelerating upward. Maybe he became disoriented and delirious in the fog. Either way, pilot error and negligence unquestionably played a role in the decision to fly in milky fog that was so bad the Los Angeles Police Department suspended all helicopter flights concerning their fleet.

This incident somewhat reminds me of the crash that killed singer Aaliyah in 2001. She flew to the Bahamas to shoot a music video. Upon completing the video earlier than scheduled, she sought to return to America on an earlier flight. They decided to charter another plane, rather than wait for the one other music video crew members were using. A pilot flew from Miami, Florida in an unscheduled flight to collect Aaliyah.

Gianna Bryant and Kobe Bryant

Aaliyah and her personal entourage demanded they all be flown back to America and with over 900 pounds of luggage on a small aircraft. Airport officials in the Bahamas and the pilot from Florida informed them they were over the luggage limit and had too many people for the aircraft they were trying to board.

However, they insisted they all wanted to return to America immediately. They overrode the airport staff and pilot. In what was a fatal error, the pilot gave into their demands, as celebrities are often given special treatment. However, it turned to tragedy with all onboard dying moments after takeoff. The Bahamian and U.S. governments ruled in their reports that the small plane was overloaded with luggage and had too many people onboard. 

Ara Zobayan

Bryant's pilot, Zobayan, certainly did not want to disappoint the basketball star, his daughter, her fellow teenage teammates and their family and friends. He was an experienced pilot of 20-years. He knew and was warned that flying in extremely foggy weather posed a substantial risk, but he took it anyway, due to giving a celebrity special treatment in wanting to please him. Contrary to what some believe, rules are not meant to be broken.

In 1999, John Kennedy Jr and his wife, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, died in a similar manner. There were fog issues present, he did not have many years of experience flying planes and was warned by airport officials not to go out in said bad weather. However, he took a chance and sadly the plane crashed into the sea near Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, when the horizon merged with the water and Kennedy Jr became disoriented. Some rules are in place to protect people, not to be a burden.

STORY SOURCE

Pilot of Kobe Bryant flight 'was warned he was too low' before helicopter crashed in thick fog

Air traffic controller warned helicopter he could no longer follow it on radar

7 hours ago - The pilot of the helicopter carrying basketball legend Kobe Bryant was warned he was “too low” before the aircraft crashed into a California hillside, it emerged today. Audio between the pilot and air traffic control revealed the efforts made to guide the aircraft before contact was lost in thick fog. All nine on board, including Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna, died in the fireball crash.

As an investigation was launched into yesterday’s accident, tributes poured in for the NBA star who played for more than 20 years for the Los Angeles Lakers before retiring in 2016 and was considered one of the greatest in the game’s history...

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