Investigation finds pilot in Kobe Bryant helicopter crash likely violated federal standards

The National Transportation Safety Board has determined that pilot Ara Zobayan likely violated federal standards by flying through clouds, which may have been the cause of the crash that resulted in the deaths of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others on Jan. 26 of last year.

Robert Sumwalt, the chairman of the NTSB, said that Zobayan was flying under "visual flight rules," meaning that he needed to be able to see where he was going. But Zobayan ended up elevating the helicopter until it nearly reached the clouds before it quickly descended into the Calabasas hills below and killing everyone instantly.

The NTSB found that the crash appeared to be an accident and was not caused by any sort of engine failure, while blame has been spread all around. Bryant's widow, Vanessa, has criticized the pilot for flying into the clouds, while the pilot's brother has said that it was not Zobayan's fault. The new findings seem to indicate that the crash most likely was caused by the pilot trying to fly through clouds.

As a result of the investigation, the NTSB, which is an independent federal agency that has no actual enforcement powers, could recommend that the Federal Aviation Administration require all helicopters to have terrain awareness and warning systems, which are meant to signal when aircrafts are at higher risk of crashing. Currently, only air ambulances are required to have these systems and the helicopter piloted by Zobayan did not have it.