Kobe Bryant helicopter accident flight path re-creation

I took the flight radar data from Flight Radar 24 and entered it into Google Earth Studio in order to get a better idea of the flight path in the hopes it could provide a little more insight into what possibly happened. This is by no means factual. I am simply a private pilot looking to make sense of this tragedy.
Note: at 5:31 I mention passing over the 405 freeway. This is actually Topanga Canyon Blvd.
RIP to Kobe and the other 8 victims.

[@Wolficorntv]

Many people are asking about the loss of altitude at the end of the video. First, it's important to remember that this is based on preliminary data. Second, NOBODY knows why at this point. That is certainly one of the main things the NTSB investigation will explore.

[@specter290]

I thought they clipped the mountain just 20-30 feet of clearing the mountains highest point and spiraled down while the copter was in one piece. Kobe Bryant Helicopter Would Have Cleared Hill If 20-30 Ft. Higher, NTSB Says However, there were still surrounding hills that would have required an even higher altitude for clearance

[@johnnagle3094]

Speaking as a helicopter pilot, loss of control is highly likely when you cannot see the horizon and orient yourself. Helicopters are unstable by nature, and require precise pilot input to keep upright. Seems likely that he had vertigo, lost control, and descended rapidly into the terrain. I developed a VR system precisely for the purpose of inadvertent flight into IMC, not a product yet unfortunately, but it is for exactly this situation: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipeqioStrtl8etE (My video is also not monetized, FYI, just thought you would find it interesting. The system works with rotary and fixed wing.)

[@bestoutcomes]

@@specter290 All of what you have stated is correct, I read this same info last night and then verified it via other credible sources.

[@jaywunder13242]

I read because of SD he might not have realized he'd gone into a steep dive until it was too late. Lost control, and that was all she wrote.

[@johnnagle3094]

@@jaywunder13242 that's certainly quite likely in my view. When you can't see anything, your brain will play all kinds of tricks on you. Look up the JFK Jr. accident...exactly the same thing but in a small airplane.

[@justdoit8014]

I wish someone said: “hey let’s just cancel everything it’s too dangerous” 😔

[@ferdrewflores3014]

💪

[@cinderella23queen37]

Brane Tadic, no one could have said it better. Thank you

[@Fefethedesigner]

All they had to do was land on a smaller hill till they radioed backup or the flog cleared the ilot needed to be tested for drugs or a bomb or if it's purposely no maintenance this needs investigation then no terrain warning or black box And Kobe gets on your helicopter was not New enough for you u are worth too much for a old helicopter with no Key factors something needs to be done

[@cynical1877]

Agree. Sometimes you have to just say it's not worth it. That could of been one of them. So sad. 9 ppl just like that. R.i.p.

[@lordoftherims436]

Kobe always wanted it his way. Im sure somebody would have atleast warned him

[@michaelparker6240]

I live in orange county and the fog was so bad that day in the hills I had to pull over..I couldn't even fathom operating a helicopter

[@robertp7209]

Michael Parker - he could have landed on the road after declaring an emergency. Fog will always eventually lift. Easy peasy with a heli. Presuming nothing wrong with the aircraft, and with his experience, instead he took the choice to kill himself and all the others. Gambling with his life is one thing. Let’s see what the NTSB report shows when a pilot confronted with overwhelming fog, what the pilot is supposed to do.

[@michaelparker6240]

@@robertp7209 exactly..well said

[@robertp7209]

Michael Parker - listen to this, speaking about flying and fog, I was out fishing in the ocean not far from an inlet in my 20 ft boat. I was drifting at the time. I live on Long Island, NY. There was a fog layer - very heavy not too far up, but it was very clear down by me. No airports in many many miles. So I’m hearing a plane but don’t see anything, can’t figure direction, all of a sudden a small single engine plane drops down out of the fog almost to the water level them flies back up into the fog in an instant. The plane was coming towards me from the stern but off to the side. I could not believe it. Can you imagine going out in the ocean fishing on a small boat and ending up dead hit by a plane? So help me. 😲

[@carryon2406]

Oh wow!!you would think that pilot wouldn’t of chanced it!!

[@MoneyOverFame]

Do you have any pics of how bad the fog was that day.

[@TheAngelaDuke]

The date was September 26, 1978. I was heading to a Billy Joel concert at Memorial Coliseum in New Haven, CT. We were taking a helicopter from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey to New Haven airport. We get to Teterboro and the pilot said: Would you like to see tomorrow? Then we aren't flying in this weather. It was the same exact cloud and fog coverage as the day Kobe's helicopter went down. Never went to the concert. I thank the pilot to this day.

[@IWantToMature85]

Angela Duke happy that you’re still here. I do want to say that I wouldn’t have thought that you were born then.

[@peacejones7465]

Zechariah Cameron I think Kobe’ helicopter pilot had more confident in his self that’s the sad part about it

[@IWantToMature85]

Zdiddy7 I wasn’t being a creep, you loser. This video is about a sad topic, so I was just trying to be a little nice. Screw you for thinking that! I never said anything about “hitting her up” or sending her a message. I just wanted to be nice and also compliment her. So again, SCREW YOU!

[@IWantToMature85]

Angela Duke I didn’t comment saying that you looked like you weren’t around then to flirt with you. I was just saying that when I initially read your comment I was just surprised to hear you say that you were here on this earth in 1978. I just wanted to be nice and lift spirits. after this needed about Kobe that still hurts me. I wasn’t trying to disrespect you.

[@TheAngelaDuke]

@@IWantToMature85 No worries! Totally understand! Thankfully, I was born with amazing Italian genes that I am forever grateful for! And, thank you.

[@PrimumGenus]

Day 5 after Kobe: so sad. I can't shake off the feeling of loss.

[@tyy799]

@Trevor Johnson how about you just don't exist

[@PrimumGenus]

@Trevor Johnson how?

[@i_concurr8845]

Day 7

[@flonkas]

Yes day 7 still doesn't feel real. I'm torn

[@sarahsilvamartinez772]

It hurts if it's preventable..

[@encinobalboa]

I wish Kobe and the pilot had set down at Van Nuys Airport and called a limo to complete the journey.

[@luminouscreators3951]

was thinking that the whole time, too many things grounded that day.

[@lol-fv7ug]

encinobalboa same

[@mahrog69]

Land on a roof, parking lot, airport any where but that is why hindsight is perfict

[@alexnutcasio936]

@@luminouscreators3951 everyone was IFR that day and there was also a go around, that tells me a LOT!!

[@kasialeparska2480]

If only......😞😞😞😞💔💔💔💔 tremendous loss.....

[@stevieb9399]

A lot of people saying, "I can't believe they flew in the fog" (which is a fair question).Yet how many of these same people text & drive?

[@alexissifuentes3132]

The Real thing is this was common for Kobe he flew in a helicopter like if it was a car. When it's time it's time.

[@edema.3418]

Sounds like a good poll question...

[@Kemet3.0]

Yes... but when the weather is scary I pull over. I drove in fog one time and another car almost hit me... so I pulled over really fast and promise myself I would never do that again. Besides, this area had a lot of deer running around. If I see heavy fog or ice I will pull over. Too many times people don't use caution judgment. I won't be part of those 10 car accidents that happen on icy road and fog condition. That you hear on the news all the time.

[@martinc.720]

Vision L Not the point they are making. Regardless of weather conditions, texting and driving is one of the most dangerous things one can do. Just comparing that with flying in poor visibility.

[@BatmanTC]

Being able to see on occasion is a bit different than flying in fog.

[@hvtevlone]

I remember back when I was a kid my parents and I were about to fly in a small plane, the pilot was a family friend. Suddenly the weather was terrible and right before takeoff the pilot looked back at us and said he'd "rather play it safe than sorry." Just makes me think about what could've happened if we decided to fly that day. RIP Kobe Gianna and all the others.

[@John-xd6oy]

I work in an environment where “Get The Job Done” sometimes outweigh the risk. When you become complacent, it sometimes cloud your better judgement. I’ve learn over the years to stop the job, regardless who’s telling you to keep going. I really believe that’s what happened here. He felt the pressure to perform, even though he should’ve stopped that flight.

[@jeremylevant]

Right because he's flying a celebrity like Kobe

[@edgarpanganiban9339]

True. Probably it goes like, Kobe: " Can you fly?". Pilot ( pressured): "Uhmm, yeah sure we just need this, that "

[@sqwop]

I hate to be the one to say it but maybe he was pressured indirectly because of Kobe's mamba mentality ie. don't quit attitude. It's always the little stupid things.

[@Rjones35]

Bottom line, a pilot should not fly with external pressures

[@NealHill0]

It's called "get-there-itis." It's a real thing.

[@THEMANIFESTDIVA]

Dude although you say to take your interpretations with a grain of salt.. this is by far some great information to elaborate on.. thanks for your insight!!!

[@JordysSimpleLife]

Facts 💯

[@m.a.l.l.y138]

Seriously

[@kenrhodes948]

Notice the Temp/dew point spread in weather report and considering the adiabatic lapse rate per thousand feet, they really were IMC in FOG, HAZE and LA Basin smog. Tragic, senseless accident. Squawk 7700, declare and emergency, climb IMC and use FAR 91.3 then worry about paperwork later. In over 38 years of flying planes, helicopters and transports, I’ve never hesitated to declare an emergency when warranted and never once, was asked to write an explanation about it. May God have mercy on their souls RIP plus grant peace and comfort to the grieving families.

[@rythegoat784]

he knows that this is a sensitive topic he got to respect that

[@Mary-80]

I agree it gave me a better understanding.. Also why did he lose altitude so quickly.. Was he suffering massive heart attack

[@trottheblackdog]

An old saying in aviation: "Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make them all yourself."

[@annae4177]

This hit so hard for me becuase this can be used for life in general. Thank you for sharing🙌

[@ferdrewflores3014]

☝

[@progressivelibertarianview8832]

This is insensitive. The ink hasn't even dried on the mortality papers yet....

[@ElsieDee001]

TobyTheBlackDog Another old saying, “ Have an equal number of take-offs and landings”. Crashes don’t count as landings.

[@slwammer]

I’m so confused, why is everyone pointing fingers at the pilot? I understand there was low visibility, but isn’t the verdict still that they have no idea what caused the rapid decent? Fog does not make a helicopter fall out of the sky... correct?

[@goddess_hylia_]

Final conclusion: Pilot was over confident and he underestimated the weather fog conditions.

[@jnicolecollections]

Goddess Hylia yes!!

[@moejones82]

Exactly!

[@user-qz3ls9od9n]

EXACTLY!!! So unfortunate!

[@jeffalfonso1426]

and he made a wrong turn

[@sowhat1191]

That's what I said: The pilot's pride got them all killed.

[@Jugi_boy]

I live in Glendale, I was on my way to work when I heard a helicopter. I thought it sounded awfully low. I didn’t give it much thought. My mind was on the fog, and how thick it seemed. Fog like this is very unusual in la County. It breaks my heart that there hasn’t been fog since that day. I keep thinking if it was any other day this would not have happened. Life is odd. Rip Kobe I’m a huge fan, and you have been on my mind ever since.

[@dockgee3745]

I like your comment , and your spot on about the fog that day in la county, and the fog hasn't come back since, so the cloud claimed it's passenger's and game over! Wow, what's a strange fog that one day

[@misslawless6021]

Meta

[@a.avcier3092]

It turns out to be that foggy day, their fate was sealed,

[@alexlemus2559]

lol fog part la

[@LinTrueCrimeProject]

Funny how its automatically assumed the weather was a coincidence. Very naive.

[@experimentalairplane]

I really like how he makes it clear that the reconstruction is his best interpretation and not to be considered as ‘fact’. He makes it clear that this reconstruction does not (can not) depict what the weather was like. Well done!

[@lonnieutley7343]

cya

[@jimmyjay689]

Doesnt want a lawsuit...lol...just being responsible

[@morisn]

Wonder if with all the tools available one can add the weather conditions at the time. I would like to see if SVFR would make a difference then, I suspect pilot was confident enough to still fly even if it would require IFR.

[@thecoi7672]

Agreed. He should monetize the video just because it was what most of us needed to know regarding such a confusing crash. Confusing to non pilot persons. All of what was being covered in media left so many questions that this video responsibly cleared up with the disclaimer in place.

[@dogpaws9980]

Still trying to fathom Kobe is gone.This all seems like a bad dream. Goes to show one day your here and the next day your gone.

[@hollywooda111]

Yeah it's called life and death.

[@dogpaws9980]

Yes sir

[@josephbishara4791]

Still trying to fathom MJ has been gone since 2009.

[@Shrek-gh4lg]

the Bible says we are like a vapor in the wind.

[@hollywooda111]

@@Shrek-gh4lg yeah the bible talks a lot of shit

[@anthonymontoya8219]

Just like the recreated flight footage shows, it’s 99% sunny in this area all year. Sadly this was the 1% of the time that the weather was terrible. 😔😔

[@jhova1978]

That area around that time is always foggy. when they deported it wss sunny in Newport.. they didnt expect the fog in Calabasas

[@anthonymontoya8219]

jehova chavez they actually departed from John Wayne airport in Santa Ana. I live in Anaheim and was out and about that morning. It was certainly NOT sunny that day out here at all.

[@klam77]

Lord how the Reaper comes!!!!! And what a fog. what a fog!

[@flashbacklebowski]

The days here may end up sunny 85% of the time, but they don’t start out that way. We have dozens of different “micro-climates too. I’ve lived on both sides of the Hollywood Hills and Santa Monica Mountains, as well as the coast (Venice) and Midtown/“Beverly Hills-adjacent” as they say. And there are big climate differences in those neighborhoods: coastal, valley, desert, foothills. Most areas out here get at least some fog in the mornings. I would even say that most LA County areas experience fog up to 50% of our mornings. Some of the costal neighborhoods get fog almost every morning. It happens at night a lot too. People don’t tend to make a big deal out of it because it occurs mainly around 3AM to 7AM when everyone is sleeping. And we have a lot of hills and valleys that trap the coastal fog coming in off the ocean like a big bowl, which is why we used to have such bad smog problems in the 70s. Heck, we even have a mini-season out here in LA that we call “June Gloom,” where we get grey skies and fog every morning for a whole month. During this 4-6 week “season,” it doesn’t get sunny out until around 2-3PM every day, once the sun finally burns off the fog. Of course, as with many places, the weather patterns are a lot less predictable than they were 10 years ago. You used to be able to “set your watch” by the June Gloom and the December rains.

[@jordanjohnson9866]

I would say 75% sunny in this area all year.

[@sarab2015]

RIP Kobe, Gigi, John, Alyssa, Keri, Christina, Sarah, Payton and Ara. 😭💔 Mamba out 2️⃣4️⃣/8️⃣ 🐍

[@anlongtv4736]

Sara beronimo😌

[@map1537]

Changggh...

[@mansgottaeat2932]

lol

[@map1537]

Mamona

[@talkdattrashimmapullyacard4396]

😘

[@derrickpatterson8534]

Though the news of Kobe and his daughter’s passing was horrifying, considering the circumstances, everyone still wants to know what happened - almost like a fly on the wall situation. Your video gives us that. You say this isn’t fact, and I respect that, but with your experience flying in the area and the video being so detailed it’s a perspective to seriously consider. Thanks for posting this.

[@frasierthebichon7422]

Derrick Patterson ......Kobe and his daughter + plus other people, right?

[@ElsieDee001]

Pilots want to learn from any mistakes.

[@nickatrop]

This video shows his flight path, has no information about what caused the crash. There was no reason for the pilot to stop communicating with ATC for the final 5 minutes of the flight and drop altitude so rapidly resulting in an impact with the hillside.

[@1ktrav347]

The Frase shh

[@ThatPolyglotASMR]

Derrick Patterson well said

[@thomaschatman3918]

Thanks for making this. I think we need to hear and see this because our hearts are so heavy and need to know how this could happen to these wonderful people on the flight. This was tragic.

[@Maxdouble07]

Pilot should’ve called Kobe ahead of time and told him hey it’s not safe to fly today Kobe with all the fog and low visibility. I’m so sorry and I apologize. I’ll make it up to you on another day. Let’s just drive up. The tournament can easily be delayed and start when everyone arrives safe in the SUV. 💔

[@SexyAzzHell93]

Yep

[@brandonjoseph1489]

Max stop putting blame on the pilot. You don’t know what was said. What Kobe said. Anyone. Let them rest in peace

[@bendegorro754]

It's not that simple. Pilot have +20 years of experience, this is defo not his first time flying through this kind of weather; Bring VIP passengers; The arrival distance is 5 minutes of flight path; It's not like flipping hand to arrange short notice landing & where the closest landing path; Pilot is not Kobe's assistant, as once they landing, Kobe himself must arrange his own vehicle, which too far from the central city, another wasting of time. If anything need to be updated, is the rule of flight. On this kind of weather & terrain, private airplane & helicopter must not allowed to fly.

[@Maxdouble07]

Brandon Falco I’m just being Monday morning qb bro and saying he had those options but hindsight is 20/20. May they all rest in peace🙏🏽

[@jazzcatt]

I realize that you are comparing what you know to what you don't know. It's really a complicated thing. It's even different from fixed wing aircraft and chopper flying, and both have little to do with driving a car on the ground. I think most of the general public can get a lot more understanding of 'chopper rules' and the HUGE differences between fixed wing flying and helicopter flying by watching the video I will post below. (you fixed wing hobby flyers will get a lot out of this too) It will give you a lot more insight as to the many possibilities of why this accident happened and what more than likely happened. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6rQlHpjjrCCea8

[@gummybear41283]

If I was the pilot, I would have said "Kobe, the visibility is really bad, I can't see shit, I'm gonna make an emergency landing on this parking lot. Go ahead and call a cab to pick you up" It's not that hard

[@debrajames6316]

Thank you, Bob!. That is what someone with common sense would have said!. Experienced Pilots do not proceed like fools. If you are flying in a zone, where you can not see then land on a building or somewhere safe and proceed on land. This is ridiculous, so many lives are destroyed forever by this tragic accident.

[@smaronboruah1921]

U can't say no to the mamba

[@psychomantis8007]

Don't blame the pilot entirely. Kobe and crew could've spoken up and said no. They were just as foolish. Perhaps the pilot asked them and they gave the go ahead.

[@alessandromachi1010]

They were so close. Perhaps a special VFR should only be granted if the pilot has actually performed a land and a take a limo practice once a year. If the pilot has never landed and taken a limo because of bad weather, then they never will start unless they have already done it on an annual basis.

[@amitpalbains9361]

Bob johnson that’s easy to say looking back it. But me personally, I’ve taken risk driving in heavy fog, snow, rain where I know the chances of an accident are much higher but I took the risk thinking it’ll be fine. I’m sure he did the same.

[@robertomedina9824]

I really didn't know Google Earth was THAT detailed. Wow!

[@whitecloud_94]

They can zoom in on you taking a dump.

[@NoName-st7tx]

@@whitecloud_94 seriously?

[@whitecloud_94]

@@NoName-st7tx yep. They can.

[@closingdealz]

@@NoName-st7tx im watching you right now

[@TheRetiredVMP]

strups lol same, this is sick

[@myhalfacent7408]

I don’t know why it’s affecting me so bad, I literally feel like I lost a friend, I don’t even know Kobe but he’s one of the best like J-BONE

[@dockgee3745]

Your right, this just sticks in my mind day after day and at night before and during sleep, it's a strange feeling that I can't explain! A accident pure and simple, the captain of the chopper lost control of his ship and they all perished

[@myhalfacent7408]

I already used 20 of them but thanks

[@jesuswilljudge7296]

They might have kobes public memorial at staples like they did mj

[@brandonregal3357]

Same here. Every since this tragic event happened, i can't even get kobe off of my mind. This situation just disturbs me. It feels surreal.

[@earthinthecomments4944]

This whole thing just makes me realize how sweet life was before Kobe’s death

[@RazgrizStraitz]

*I had a pilot's license, well, still do but my BFR and MC is long overdue so essentially it's expired. One time I was doing a flight like this in low fog, and was a test flight so I was restricted from flying above 1500 feet. It was also in a mountainous area. At one point I basically radioed in saying "yeah fuck that this fog is absurd I'm climbing 500 feet" in professional fashion. They weren't too happy with me about this, disappointed and ATC was kinda pissed because I just went ahead and did it, but to this day I would do it again every time. I flew high above the clouds until near the end of the flight. basically saying "i'd rather fail the test than die."*

[@Darxxxyde]

Can you explain why they want helicopters to stay inside the clouds in an area full of mountains? Is it because the higher flight levels are used by other air traffic or what?

[@humblewarrior6585]

You make the rules up there based on your judgement and present conditions, Great Call !!!

[@RazgrizStraitz]

​@@Darxxxyde Air Traffic control or a number of reason set by the administrator, most helicopters engines suffer serious problems at higher altitude due to the air being so thin, but usually they don't freak out too much about you climbing, they are more concerned about you being too low. You're not supposed to be within 500 feet of ANYTHING that means vehicles, people, generally the ground. but it's all bullshit. I don't care what ATC says in a situation like that, if I was that pilot in Kobe's chopper, I woulda told them "up yours" basically. You ain't making me flying at what was likely under 100 feet of visibility NEAR, NO, RIGHT ON TOP OF, A STREW OF MOUNTAINS (hills, but they're fucking huge.) Imagine flying a chopper in that fog, you turn too hard, and at one point you recognize you are heading into a mountain, and you have 100 feet to get away from that mountain from the moment you see it. Trust me my friend, that is a very short of amount of time, and your instruments only help you so much in a situation like that. Frankly I don't know why the pilot went ahead with the special protocol. If turning back wasn't an option, I would have just been like "oh yeah sure i'll follow the flight path" and then declare an emergency. Give them my position and route, tell them to get everyone out of the way, and **** off. Go ahead and reprimand me or whatever, better to be safe than FUCKIN' DEAD. Especially when other people's lives are in my hands. As a guy commented here, Trinity Soldier, you make up the rules based on present conditions. Much like a soldier, improvise, adapt, overcome.

[@RazgrizStraitz]

@@humblewarrior6585 Thank you soldier! A pilot, just like a ground soldier, must be able to adapt to his many environments and adversities.

[@tpk2316]

Razgriz Straitz Real pilot mentality right there. Respect.

[@vr6535]

One pilot said following highways is crucial and this highway turns white to dark. Looking at this video I see that. Pilot said Kobe’s pilot likely panicked bc he lost sight of highway due to fog and to avoid terrain, lifted chopper up to turn left and due an emergency landing however he didn’t realize there was a hill to their left, became disoriented and accelerated into a nearby hill :(

[@MM-dq2pi]

apparently it crashed at 184 miles an hour when it crashed...the speed confuses me

[@scottfranco1962]

@@MM-dq2pi Normal for this type of heli.

[@ekawijaya7619]

@@MM-dq2pi engine stalled

[@garygrant9612]

Excellent presentation. I flew in the central highlands of Vietnam. During the monsoons we had to scud run often. Knowing the terrain we were flying in was critical. Speed was also important as visibility decreased due to rain and fog. At times our speed would be only 40-50 kts. Why? Because our reaction time to impending danger was increased. Being shot at was the least of our problem at this point going slow and low. When the visibility ahead gets darker that is a clear indication of going into some higher ground. Being able to quickly turn away or climb is critical. Unfortunately this was a killer for many helicopter crews in Vietnam just like this recent crash. Trying to stay visual and losing all reference to the terrain caused this pilot to lose control as many helicopter pilots before him. During these conditions I encountered in Vietnam I always had a plan B, to get on my instruments and climb immediately above the highest terrain I was in when I lost visual to the ground. Info: I flew 1350 hours in Vietnam. Have an ATP in the S76 as well as other helicopters and hold ATP's in 4 jet aircraft. Total flight hours 10.000 + with 5,000 + in helicopters, most are in twin engine IFR equipped aircraft.

[@fractalofgod6324]

Big respect to you sir

[@inglewoodwhb]

Thank you. Lotsa respect for you guys.

[@MrSoccerball100]

Impressive credentials. Thank you for you’re service and input.

[@fladave99]

Pilot is always in charge.He should have called it off regardless of passenger demands. My dad always told me never fly into clouds. I asked him why and he said you cant see. I understood, I was 10. I wonder if the passengers even knew of their impending doom as the passenger compartment looks sealed. They may have had no idea and may even have been sleeping

[@brianrose2487]

Respect sir!

[@stevereisman6872]

I live in Woodland Hills and frequently take the 101 westbound into the Thousand Oaks area. When conditions are bad, the fog can be super-thick like soup in an almost freakish manner. Regardless of everything, it's extraordinarily tragic and words can not even begin to express the sadness that now fills so many people's hearts.

[@albino_virgo2892]

I feel like he shouldn't have flown knowing the weather conditions was not good

[@moniquemonicat]

Christina, you are absolutely right. Any good pilot taking children's lives into consideration would've NOT flown even if there was a 1% chance of a crash, yet with the thick fog in the morning there was already MORE THAN A 1% CHANCE, IN FACT IT TURNS OUT WAS A 100% CHANCE!

[@robaerto8154]

moniquemonicat yall forget its kobe, the man played with a torn achilles. under his mentality nothing stopping him

[@anthonycoleman9593]

Ultimately it's the pilots decision. No matter who you are or how much money you have. He knew his life was at stake also, so obviously he felt safe enough to fly.

[@prodigy2652]

@@anthonycoleman9593 yeah but LAPD helicopters were grounded that day. If police pilots weren't able to fly with all the fog, there's no way Ara should've either

[@flashbacklebowski]

Onyx Storm Wow, I didn’t know LAPD choppers were grounded at the time. That really puts the pilot’s decision in question.

[@yellowcopterjohn1822]

I'm a helicopter pilot in San Diego, and I, too, flew that day, but not until noon when the fog had mostly burned off. Kudos to "Wolficorn" for the re-creation. Although I'm not comfortable second-guessing another pilot, I have to agree that the pilot probably became spatially disoriented and lost control of the helicopter, even though he was instrument rated. Coincidentally, I just got back from attending the HAI Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center, and in one of the safety seminars, the instructor held up a tee shirt that said, "When safety's at stake, land the damn helicopter!" A good rule to follow.

[@GabeClendenning]

Man, hindsight is 20/20 but I wish they had just put it down at Burbank and Van Nuys even if it meant an embarrassing declaration of an emergency. They would have still been alive today.

[@oscarmelgar4164]

You got that right!!

[@zdogg8]

Easy to take Uber the rest of the way....you are completely correct.

[@sethada1846]

The thought I’ve read was that the pilot WAS doing a 180 to exit the conditions. Let’s not crucify the pilot just yet guys. Admittedly it doesn’t look good but as captain of that ship he may have had reason to believe a 180 out was doable. We don’t know guys, just pray for his, Kobe’s, and the other souls on boards family.. please!

[@GabeClendenning]

sethada1846 very true, we have no idea what the pilot was trying to do, he may well had realized VFR wasn’t cutting it and was trying to go above the weather. We also don’t know how the 20 minutes holding over Burbank affected his decisions both on technical and procedural fronts.

[@jonbonesmahomes7472]

@@sethada1846 your prayers mean nothing.. Guy is dead.. His daughter too.. His wife and daughters died with them in that chopter..

[@BrianAz]

I have been flying helicopters for 14 years now and this is a perfect example of what they drilled into me when we talked about flight safety and the Go/NoGo choices we make. Also known as "scud running" or the I.F.R (I Follow Roads) helicopter pilots have flown just like this pilot did hoping their knowledge of the terrain and with the expectation of breaking out of the low visibility. I have used special VFR, as many have, but clearly you can see the risk involved if you, apparently, inadvertently enter IMC conditions. Vertigo can and will happen to any pilot when they lose ground references and it can be disastrous. Spacial disorientation is a freaky thing to experience. You brain will tell you that you are turning or descending when you are not and cause you to make flight inputs that cause you to lose control. Decision making, good choices early, not letting anything influence you to make bad choices like being late, and the list goes on are known by all pilots, but it just takes one time to push the limits you know and cause this kind of disaster. My heart goes out to the families. Thanks for your attempt at the recreation. It may not be perfect, but it gives us a good idea and another real life example of these dangers in flight.

[@soleil2269]

What could have been done differently? Is it possible that they could had survived

[@sidkul3766]

Am not a pilot but you described the pilot situation, possibilities and some basics that I understood and feel.

[@BrianAz]

@@soleil2269 All we can do is speculate here as to the actual conditions, but if this video is accurate at all and the pilot was climbing he should be able to see the cloud level and know that he is nearing them. In VFR conditions you need to remain 500 ft below the clouds but that depends on the airspace (another topic) but you cannot purposely enter the clouds so what he should have done was turn around and land at the airport. Again, we can only guess that he may have been weaving through some clouds or expecting that he would break out of the cloud layer, but once he committed to entering those conditions, the was engulfed or confined by clouds and lost visibility. These are purely assumptions and are consistent with what little we know. The best answer is to turn around. Risking or hoping for the conditions to be clear is a bad thought process.

[@dbaum23]

@@BrianAz I'm wondering if the pilot maybe had a heart attack to all of a sudden lose control like that. They'll probably never know.

[@BrianAz]

@@dbaum23 Awesome questions. I would be with you on the possibility if he was was just flying straight and level and suddenly without any obvious outside influence, crashed. The FAA physical is not a sure thing and its not impossible. In these kinds of accidents we all have those questions, but we have to take into account the conditions as the first factor. Loss of control when being deeply affected by vertigo makes the most sense. Some accidents in weather like this come from pilot controlled flight into an obstacle due to cloud or fog obscurement, night time operations, and even in level flight. We have had to fly off the remains of accidents like this, its very sad. I am sure the pilot was very afraid when he got disoriented, if indeed that is what happened. It must have been a horrible time.

[@RetroDubs]

He was 2 minutes away from actually landing...

[@INNY1888]

RetroDubs And 20/30 feet aprox below mountain range!! Such a small distance but made a huge impact on 9 lives! Even the LA police grounded there own helicopters on the day! You would think the pilot would know this and have a terrain warning system fitted!🤷🏻‍♂️

[@jazzcatt]

@@INNY1888 Yeah, we who do not fly can easily say this.I think most of the general public can get a lot more understanding of 'chopper rules' and the HUGE differences between fixed wing flying and helicopter flying by by watching the video I will post below. (you fixed wing hobby flyers will get a lot out of this too) It will give you a lot more insight as to the many possibilities of why this accident happened and what more than likely happened. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6rQlHpjjrCCea8

[@phillynative2884]

GOD LIKE GENIUS the LA police should’ve told people

[@RetroDubs]

Teasia Newton Haha be the person behind the screen saying big shit but weak asf irl

[@toriboyd6878]

GOD LIKE GENIUS if the pilot would've just kept following the road like he was before they would've made it bc when he was flying low he had no problems . this is so crazy

[@jmqabovetheline]

In cases like this, where fog is blinding, a car should have been used to transport these people. A limo or an elongated SUV would have sufficed.

[@ernestoleal9101]

Jesus Munoz-Quintal Kobe didn’t want that. He said it’s too slow

[@JasonFlorida]

@@ernestoleal9101 your correct, it's sad but I would rather be late than not ever get there.

[@georgecawton5361]

You just never know when something bad is gonna happen, doesn’t matter if it’s heli or a car

[@KillaTrains]

What if a tanker truck flips over on the interstate and kills multiple people and them also?

[@klam77]

maybe the pilot could've radioed for an uber ahead near the 101. The 101 on a sunday shoud've been pretty clear of traffic in the posh calabasas hills area! would've made it just 10-20 mins later!

[@bla855]

It goes to show a pilot has such a high responsibility and should never be taken for granted .. not everyone has the skill or mind set to become a pilot .. god speed all those brave men and wemon of the skys..and bless their souls for getting us to our familys safely

[@tammymcc-n7652]

It’s so sad that they wanted to “save time”, and not get stuck in traffic on the freeway that they all died. The pilot should have either not taken off, or tried to land it when visibility got bad. I can’t fathom flying through canyons in deep fog. Terrible!

[@jamesruffolo4680]

Agreed, or bring the helicopter up to a very safe height and then fly directly to their destination and start lowering the helicopter to the ground. I'm not a helicopter pilot but I fly a drone. When I'm unsure about whether my drone is high enough in the air, I will go straight up into the air until I feel safe again. But perhaps the helicopter dropped down because of mechanical reasons and it wasn't just poor judgement by the pilot.

[@bobbyroberrrt579]

The pilot recommended to Kobe they come down at Burbank and drive from there but Kobe was the one that said no and to keep flying

[@elizabethoest]

Bobby Roberrrt where is that said?

[@tammymcc-n7652]

@BobbyRoberrrt how do you know that? Just curious as I hadn’t heard that.

[@RWayne-nu2fi]

You know, I thought about that...... I can't imagine that the traffic would be that bad on a Sunday morning. Maybe coming home in the afternoon the traffic would be a concern, but it seems a waste to risk all those promising lives for a little convenience on a foggy Sunday morning. This video was very well done, thank you.

[@KennyG_420]

After circling the LA Zoo for 15 minutes, wished they would’ve landed at the zoo, and waited to take off again

[@speakingtruths4215]

Kenny Graddick They weren’t circling the zoo because of the weather. They were circling the zoo because the air traffic was congested and other aircraft needed to land at other airports. Please listen to the audio. The conditions weren’t that bad until they entered the last part of the trip Yes, of course everyone wishes they landed somewhere safely.

[@KennyG_420]

Speaking Truths oh yeah I knew that part. I knew they were waiting for other aircrafts to land. I was listening :)

[@snopesshop1903]

Kenny Graddick or landed and taken a car

[@ladayblues6759]

Wow the helicopter language is like a whole other language lol

[@Janicemar1]

Laday Blues I know right ?!?!?! Lol 😆

[@jaydeneveleigh7280]

Helicopter language?

[@Jayare90s]

😑

[@ladayblues6759]

Alberto Garcia 😁

[@ladayblues6759]

Sgt. Jayden Eveleigh J O K E

[@teamgitusome]

always seems to be a simple mistake or ignorance that causes these things.

[@adityasrivastava6428]

One mistake from the pilot and 9 lives lost Same with last year emiliano sala's disappearance,pilot wasn't licensed to fly in the night and the plane has a bad track record of flying undee the influence of sleet Rip

[@ThereAreTwoGenders]

@@adityasrivastava6428 the pilot has been Kobe's pilot for yearsssss and this is how they have traveled for yearsssss. Stop pointing fingers.

[@adityasrivastava6428]

@@ThereAreTwoGenders Doesn't mean he can't something stupid?he made the decision to go ahead without probs consulting it with anyone on board I sure as hell am gonna point fingers because one mistake led to 9 deaths

[@nofurtherwest3474]

The Kross this just in. Pilot’s iPhone data indicate he was swiping on tinder when they lost control

[@bassfrk402]

Most helicopter mishaps are a combination of human error rather than one mistake. For instance, were they late? Was he pressured to get there on time, because he had to wait 15 minutes for special VFR? Was the helicopter inspected, were the instruments calibrated, who was the Co pilot, what was the pilots experience together, have they flown the route before, and obviously... the weather

[@southamptonbythesea]

They should have set down in a field, tennis court or ball diamond, anywhere they could have. I'm a Commercial Helicopter Pilot and have had to do that on more than one occasion. That's one of a helicopters best features!

[@janetstone236]

Wow, and you lived to tell us about it. So wonderful that you took the copter down out of the bad weather on those occasions. Good for you! So sad this guy did not!

[@Alex-nq8nq]

Also couldn’t see jack

[@mymusic8414]

Looking at that terrain as the altitude got lower, was there any safe space to land?

[@generalpopcorn6427]

Trying to land a helicopter in an urban area with no visibility is quite perilous; power lines and helicopters don't get along very well.

[@cazondraholmes7112]

I'm not a helicopter pilot at all. I try very much to not board an airplane when weather is challenged. But I would have due to bad weather landing in safe ground.

[@dwaynerandolph3565]

Very well explained. I’m a 31 year Veteran here in Los Angeles as a Bus Operator. There are times when I’m sitting in a layover zone & the adjacent Bus is reversing and I get the illusion I have brake failure and my bus is rolling backwards, when in fact I’m sitting still with the engine off and the bus properly secured with its emergency brakes applied. In piloting I here sometimes it’s hard to distinguish the horizon from the ocean, sending some pilot’s into a state of panic and delusion. In my opinion I believe the thick fog that blanketed his aircraft so suddenly, caused him to eventually panic And not having instruments to navigate him safely, he relied on his visual by turning back into his original flight pattern that was no longer there because of the fog, became so disoriented he no longer knew the mountain side from the fog. Sad situation indeed.

[@EDWARD196767]

I realize I am late, but you are so right. Perception, our minds, what we see, and feel is so misleading. Peace. Hopefully life is still good in Cali.

[@dwaynerandolph3565]

@@EDWARD196767 Not so bad, thanks & likewise

[@eddougherty6087]

I think it's remarkable what you've done here. You appear to call on about eight or so distinct skill sets in aggregating multiple data points to offer this presentation. And that's not even folding in your aviation experience that allows you to add that critical perspective. Finally, I am admiring of several caveats that you put out at the beginning and then at the end. Namely, that this is *not* a monetized effort, and, two, the high respect you accord the NTSB here when you emphasize - and then emphasize again - that the NTSB's reporting (interim and final) is the word we must await here. Great respect here, for everything you've done.

[@N224DW]

Inadvertently flying into IMC followed by loss of control due to spatial disorientation and loss of situational awareness.... #1 killer for pilots Very sad......

[@Wolficorntv]

it sure seems that way. It can happen to anybody, regardless of experience.

[@markscarborough7580]

Wolficorn Isn’t it more likely if you are deliberately flying in horrible conditions?

[@my-yt-inputs2580]

Doesn't leave a lot of confidence in the pilot training who I hear repported was a CFII.

[@adidas20zero]

Agreed..I've seen lots of video on helicopter crashes and it seems as if they get off balance then start to spiral down.

[@garrycompton7214]

Yep, he waited too long to make the decision to turn back - the other side of the pass was probably good VFR - this type of flying is normal in Alaska , but following rivers instead of hiways. You have to practice a lot at turning around fast and relying only on the instruments. You have to go through a few of these terrifying moments- in order to get the experience. Terrible tragedy no matter where one fly's.

[@DUBSTEP_KUSH305]

RIP KOBE and Gigi and everyone else on board

[@zebunker]

No

[@highlyfavored4595]

...and everyone else onboard!, Omgosh, give the other victims the respect that they deserve and at least mention their names or something!

[@lizcastro1436]

Ze Bunker Smh weird as fuck

[@richforever6231]

Ze Bunker weirdo

[@jchampion1116]

@A Design What you said...that one sentence...is probably the most stupidest thing I have ever seen.

[@DarKKnightt07]

The pilot's poor judgement is what killed everyone not the fog. He asked permission from the flight tower to fly in the fog and they gave the okay. If he had just turned back or made an emergency landing, Kobe Bryant and everyone else would still be alive.

[@ernestoleal9101]

If Kobe is paying you and he tells you to keep going you do it. No one could have predicted this. It’s like when I ride my bike. I have lots of experience but sometimes you can’t prepare for the worst. Rip the dead 🙏

[@sareneharmony4718]

Wake Up, this was a occult sacrifice that was planned with predictive programming signs and everything!

[@gummybear41283]

ya the pilot screwed up!!! he should have landed the chopper when he realized he couldn't see shit!!!!!!!!

[@jpkas1853]

@@sareneharmony4718 details plz

[@marifercastillo4971]

Sarena Harmon explain plz?

[@ericaj5508]

That 15 minute delay with them circling in Burbank to me was the first sign that things were not going good. I would of just told pilot to land especially with the fog that day. Sad part is will never really know what really happened 😔

[@canoelicker]

I have been scouring all the comments on videos of this sad event as I am a problem solver and for some reason need to know what happened. Realizing this is preliminary, it is still so great to read comments from experienced pilots and people like me that don't fly. It has given me a boatload of situational awareness in regards to this accident I wouldn't have had without them and videos such as this. Thank you all very much for helping me understand and answer questions I didn't even know I needed answers to. I think for me, it's the way I grieve in these incidents. My extreme sympathies to Kobes remaining family & friends... as a father myself I can't even fathom their recent and future days.

[@morrisrich1430]

C Drought but how did the helicopter go down so fast from jus turning around

[@canoelicker]

@@morrisrich1430 I can only guess / assume that he didn't know he was flying straight into the ground OR he lost control of it & it fell out of the sky because the NTSB said his rate of descent was over 2000' / min.

[@MichaelBSteeleAviation]

Such a sad event. You did a great job of presenting the data that had been recorded. Prayers going out to all who were involved in this tragedy. God bless 🙏🏻

[@celinemartin4686]

This loss still doesn't feel real, I tell myself I'm done crying, but I cried everyday since it happened. I can't even finish this video, everything about this situation is so sad.

[@LaleArpaci]

It is very sad

[@eridians.]

I agree. And it still is today, over 2 weeks since it happened.

[@PoorFamz]

Thank you gracefully for putting this together. Still can't believe this happened. And to think it was all just predicated on what seemed like a simple every day decision. RIP to all

[@greenmile9496]

@Wolficorn thanks for taking the time to put this together in a respectful & professional manner. No need to show the path all way to impact. Thoughts & prayers to all the grieving families. 💔

[@2BachShakur]

Imagine how terrifying those last few seconds must have been as they plummeted. The thought that you suddenly realize that you’re probably about to die is very hard to grasp.

[@anasg2419]

thats what i was thinking about :/

[@dobattlers]

Theres a good chance they didnt realize it and just ran into the hillside

[@jasonwong9071]

i wonder where kobe was seated and if he had chance to embrace and comfort his daughter, guessing he sat in back along with his daughter. Hovering / circling for 15mins prob agitated the group including pilot who felt pressure get the group to the game, knowing the fog was risky.. RIP

[@philtymcnasty9994]

They should have just pulled off and abandoned the trip or go by limousine. If the fog was hugging the mountains, and you as a helicopter pilot is supposed to fly BELOW the fog, then the odds were set against you right from the get go. No wonder the pilot wanted to fly visual, i.e. not depending on any on-board instruments. They were at that material moment doomed. He forgot that on-coming objects can be closer than what they appear to be in the air. May their souls Rest In Peace. I love Kobe. I lived in Chester PA near where he grew up (Marcus Hook and Trainer PA). I was so mad at him one time, when he wouldn’t join the struggling local team, the Philadelphia 76ers under Allen Iverson, and went all the way to LA Lakers. I forgave him later as he flourished over there. I guessed he didn’t want to share space with eccentric Iverson. RIP bro.

[@vandshome]

Philty McNasty where you going to land?

[@shockj2000]

I would have drove the lambo

[@losheroes6076]

I heard kobe finally passed

[@corylyonsmusic]

Griffin what do you mean finally?

[@thomasw4506]

Someone always has to die in order for things to improve. I bet helicopter protocol is gonna step up a notch after this incident. I guess even the most experienced professionals make small mistakes that can lead to big impact.

[@stalex801]

No, these rules exist to operate in tough conditions exist for a reason. It's unfortunate but not uncommon. You're just hearing about it now because of who was onboard.

[@stalex801]

Apologies for the sloppy grammar I just saw this before bed haha

[@T1Earn]

as sad as this sounds this accident saved thousands of lives in the future

[@undeadsniperrr4455]

Steven D your reasons to his comment kinda doesn’t make sense. He wasn’t talking about the rules. He’s just saying how it’s sad how things only improve off of bad things that happen.

[@MuffinmanBlueberry]

@@undeadsniperrr4455 You are exactly right; Things do improve off of bad things happening. Not linked to the accident, but we are all human. Most of the things we have in this world are made by humans. Things will keep happening good or bad no matter how we improve whatever it is off of tough circumstances. The fact of the matter is that I believe Spatial Disorientation became a huge factor with the pilot. As a pilot myself I can completely understand loss of control in the situation, confusion, and the feeling of "Macho" an Aviation term in regards to hazardous attitudes.

[@maxx_thedragondominator]

In other words, it wasn’t safe to fly period let alone through mountains.

[@skybright1000]

Basicly

[@skybright1000]

@Ivan Makedonski Exactly he must've wanted to turn around but couldn't see because of the clouds hindering his vision omg

[@Contagious93812]

@Ivan Makedonski it's kobe's fault because he insisted to fly on that day + he brought his daughter with him. let's be honest.

[@MrRedsi]

Flamer Pilots have the last decision. Their word is the last authority

[@Willtellthetruth]

No, that’s a bit extreme. It wasn’t safe to fly visually, but if the flight operated under instrument flight rules, it could have finished the journey as it would have operated at an altitude well clear of ground obstructions.

[@yhird]

Excellent video. While the pilot was holding for 15 minutes outside Class C airspace, I don't understand why he did not simply request a local IFR clearance directly from the ATC controller and flown an instrument approach to the airport. As a flight instructor once told me, "The first step of getting yourself out of a hole, is to stop digging."

[@hziemba]

I was wondering the same thing myself. Of course that would have meant a longer flight under IFR, but at least he would have gotten there.

[@tjmatthews461]

Whatever it took it to make it safely longer or not didn’t matter, because it was sadly no survivors

[@wadesworld6250]

I think their destination was off-airport, so an IFR clearance could not have been issued all the way to the destination. That said, he could have gotten IFR to whatever the closest airport was and either set down there, or if luck was with him, it might have been clear enough to cancel IFR and proceed visually from there.

[@rich6867]

Because they did not want to be told what to do, where to go. If you're VFR you have freedom on movement and probably save much time. Pilot did not put safety first. It's a human condition but you must fight the urge to get there at all costs.

[@FairladyS130]

Let's face it, the pilot made multiple errors of judgement, because he has responsible for the lives of his passengers he hopefully went to that nasty place where well qualified pilots get carried away with their own importance and act like dickheads go.

[@AndreDaughty]

As sad as this tragedy is, your video was very informative and I thank you for it.

[@Awakendabeast13]

It just seems the weather was getting worse and the pilot just pressed on no matter what. The pilot was familiar with the path he knew there were mountains. All pilots know the dangers of flying in thick fog. The pilot should have maybe thought about the bad weather when he flew in circles for 15min.

[@conorbarry9201]

Awaken dabeast in retrospect, yeah they all should have. But to them, this is normal. They have probably flown in bad weather conditions before and were just comfortable by this point. We all wish someone would have decided to change course or turn back, but that didn’t happen. We can’t get hung up on the “what if’s”

[@4ransom437]

Conor Barry facts when your time comes it comes nothing u can do about it

[@saulgarcia1405]

@@4ransom437 very true and there is a saying, that when it's your time. you can try moving death will find you. And when it's not your time you can get in the way of death and you won't die

[@dillionwon6587]

I feel the pilot was losing patience and just wanted to go ahead flying no matter the situation,he just took the risk upon his hands knowing is not right because the weather was bad for flying that day, just so sad.

[@seekingserenity1209]

Awaken dabeast He wanted to make that 💰 money and winded up killing everyone. Kobe would've respected him and probably still paid him if he put his foot down and told them straight up " The fog is too thick and I don't want to risk our lives or these kids getting hurt"! Stand up for the truth and it will pay off in the end.

[@jlvandat69]

Thanks much for re-creating (as best you could) the flight path. As I watched, I kept thinking how much worse the experience would be if actual cloud cover at the time was included in your video. My understanding (based on preliminary flight data and eyewitness accounts) is that the aircraft slowed to a very low speed as it ascended into the clouds, and if so, would have possibly contributed to the accident due to loss of control. I am not trained in rotorwing, but understand those aircraft are extremely difficult to control at low speeds and IFR conditions. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, and I hope all those who fly learn from this tragic accident.

[@jodhas]

Been 5 days. Still devastated. I'm still stuck in stage 1 of Stages of Grieving

[@natgmac6625]

joshua kim u may need therapy

[@stevencoardvenice]

@@natgmac6625 it's tough for us in l.a that grew up with kobe since the 90s

[@cinderella23queen37]

Joshua Kim, I will keep you and others in my prayers along with myself

[@samhouston2000]

You must be very close to him.

[@cinderella23queen37]

@@samhouston2000, koby was like family to alot of us

[@jameswells755]

I’m sure at somewhere during his route he had enough visibly to see far enough ahead and could have just landed.to me when you keep circling around and asking for help from the towers and with that bad visibility it would have been wise to let your passengers know that it’s too risky and we must land somewhere ASAP.

[@kamilahlena]

Exactly! What was so hard about just saying, “It’s not safe to proceed.” He had 15 minutes to think about it. Ugh! 😩

[@raoulcruz4404]

At the time he was circling, the weather around the aircraft was really pretty decent. He was circling because they made him wait for aircraft operating at the Burbank airport.

[@joseluisflores6170]

@@raoulcruz4404 that is correct, the pilot did what an expert does...have confidence.

[@herhairfetish1]

This was my exact thoughts...when you're in over your head sometimes you just have to throw in the towel 😫

[@jlpowell8432]

Anyone agreeing to the comment doesn’t understand. The weather there was fine, clouds 800ft ABOVE the chopper at 1500ft. It wasn’t until elevation increase into the hills

[@CrunchyCelery]

SO GLAD that I found your channel! I absolutely love every video I’ve seen. Thank you for showing us so many of your flights.

[@Wolficorntv]

Glad you found my channel. I’ve been a little slow making content lately but I have some interesting new ideas in the works.

[@BoStErO1905]

Man, flying over that golf coarse for a long period of time. Makes you think. Could have made emergency landing there.

[@rkan2]

Could've landed it literally anywhere... Even on the hillside they crashed, even if it would've meant a writeoff for the helicopter

[@DaveBailey18]

Everybody should already know the reason why there wasn't an emergency landing. A stupid basketball game of them not wanting to arrive late to it was more important than their lives. Great they are dead because they didn't want to be late. Now they're in a place where time doesn't exist!

[@ElsieDee001]

Something happened very quickly. Vertigo resulting in disorientation and loss of control?

[@theobvu]

it's peer pressure of going to the basketball game as u don't think of this thing to happen and dying u think you're safe.

[@KevinP32270]

@@theobvu agreed. oh i love your movies.

[@oddzandns6877]

Great job! This is one of the best insights on this tragedy so far!

[@rosemaryhood6561]

This man who saw the helicopter frying over his house and he took picture..And you he can see the helicopter clearly...The helicopter was making circle in the air..The home owner could not understand why the helicopter was doing that..Minutes lately the helicopter started falling and falling fast....Another home owner took pictures while the helicopter was falling...The helicopter did not hit a mountain when the helicopter hit the ground it was all together...Very High Impact...

[@YOitsPOP]

This video gave me chills. So sad what happened.

[@k.matthewfaleye8410]

It’s a terrible blunder! This is helicopter not a jet and the last time I checked helicopters don’t need runway to land. Even planes tries to land on free highways, cornfield, etc on emergency.

[@SexyAzzHell93]

I agree

[@sonquatsch8585]

i mean helicopters can go up and down and stop in the air. why didn't he just stop and go straight up till he could see and get back in touch with atc?!

[@GreenEnvy.]

I typed in "Kobe Bryant flight simulater" hoping this type of video existed. And I'll be damn, here it is.

[@Bootes_Void]

Simulator

[@KoolKeithProductions]

Bruh, it's youtube. Everything's here. I bet if you typed in "blue rabbit licks anus of beardless santa clause", about 318 vids will pop up showing you exactly that. lol

[@emperorpalpatine8943]

😂

[@zz234lol9]

I searched it 🤣🤣🤣😂😂

[@ahmadabdullah6415]

Thanks a million! This was so informative, I can tell by the number of views that allot of people were seeking this explanation. We appreciate the disclaimers

[@jaguarsrcfamily101]

👏👏👏👏👏👏thank you for taking the time to help us understand just a little more about what happened. Much appreciated ‼️

[@sdgsdg9534]

That was a really interesting perspective. Also, shows how unsafe the route truly was in fog.

[@zephyrhills5620]

premier entertainment tv -Yes, considering the way the terrain rises up in that area, the route looks to be dangerous on an overcast day, particularly for a pilot who was used to flying helicopters that were licensed for visual reference flights only. During his ascent to avoid the fast rising terrain, I believe that the pilot experienced rapidly deteriorating meteorological conditions. He may have tried to go above the cloud layer to recover and plan his next move, but the top of it was higher than expected and he never flew out of it. Instead, while he was in the middle of making his ascending left turn, the pilot suddenly entered a wall of blinding fog even more dense than the clouds he was trying to escape. So, instead of straightening out his ascending left turn to meet Hwy. 101’s path (his VFR plan), he continued to turn left. He went too far because, in an instant, he lost all visual reference and became disoriented. Flying from VFR to IMC is dangerous and requires an instrument only backup plan that can be implemented immediately. It appears that the pilot didn’t have one. As a result, he quickly found himself in an unrecoverable situation. Chances are high that the pilot and whoever was sitting next to him (Kobe?) are the only ones who knew that they were in a serious situation. The seconds following that realization probably felt like an eternity to those in the cockpit, but the passengers in the cabin probably didn’t know what hit them.

[@ezmoney1896]

@@zephyrhills5620makes sense, sounds reasonable👍

[@Dominion-1]

Even though it was an interpretation, it was done very well.

[@1handsmoke565]

Liberty Yes Sir💨💨💨Very well

[@eddiew2325]

1HAND SMOKE hi liberty can I kiss u

[@AshleyMurphyArt]

Liberty yes, it was!

[@Pw6872]

Never fly in helicopter when there is fog or prediction of it. Period. Recall that this was the issue with Stevie Ray Vaughn's helicopter as well.

[@88997799]

Gianni Giumpup it’s not an issue if the chopper was equipped with a ground avoidance system. Also would help if the company had a license to fly in low visibility however they didn’t. I can say however much money that company has they might as well just hand it over to his wife.

[@kyletaylor6290]

The pilot was very very good at his job and flew a lot of people around. Was kawhi Leonard pilot too. He made some very bad decisions to fly in thick fog and to speed as well as flying too low. I don't understand the major mistakes a seasoned pilot made like this. Like elementary mistakes for a man with his experience

[@leekohuncho3912]

Riddick tonn Kobe’s chopper didn’t have a g.a.s as it was built in 1991 they didn’t start putting them in until 1996

[@jwb2814]

Gianni Giumpup Yep Not worth it Ever

[@jasonw342]

No. SRV's circumstances were completely different, as were all of the crashes at Alpine Valley. The wind swirls in all directions coming into the bowl, with very large up and down drafts almost simultaneously.

[@NovaRedCRG]

Thank you for your time and effort in recreating this horrible accident. Much respect

[@BradThePitts]

The fog was so thick that morning the sun didn't wake me up.

[@lisadiconti]

Yes. The whole day was like that. What a depressing day.

[@abudhabi5546]

I couldn’t see shit at 4 am that’s when it came in

[@dockgee3745]

It's called a death cloud. It was her to collect what is fate! We would like to die of natural causes, but in the grand skeem of life, one must pay attention to your life. We all take risk every day, and sometimes accidents like this will happen! Cars planes and trains, all kill people, but we make are death traps and use them

[@BlueflagAlpha]

@@dockgee3745 anything can kill us ay any time?

[@renagtz]

It was so foggy those few days and misty it was so low I barely was able to see the street lights

[@cunn9305]

Can clearly see when the 101 started to twist thru the rising hills that he panicked and tried to climb out .. lost orientation in zero viz clouds and then descended ... RIP :(

[@DigitalRaider1]

Lost orientation, fine...but why did he descend? Up and down is still the same on the flight controller.

[@kee7678]

@trueman mann THAT is a beyond stupid and wrong statement. PS I'm a pilot and live in the OC and I know his former co pilot buddy.

[@TheShelbyCANAM]

cunn9305: You have it exactly and it will come out to prove you right.Spatial Disorientation happened very quickly. Don't forget about "White Out" being a factor.

[@kee7678]

@trueman mann LOL you're too stupid and confident in your ignorance to argue with.

[@mymusic8414]

There was good reason to panic because going into the clouds was the absolutely last option he wanted.

[@Polo22546]

Thank you for doing this. I, like many people, needed to understand how this tragedy took place.

[@gregorylagrange]

speculations will abound, so mine is he was flying so low following the freeway is because visibility had gotten so bad that he needed to be low to the freeway so that he could see it and use that to know where he was going. Maybe the quick decent was him deciding that the fog was too think and he was going to turn back. But since he couldn't see, he made the mistake of not being level and his attempt to turn around was actually a turn into the ground. At 7:14 where the freeway curves, since the elevation is above the cloud level, and the pilot is so close to the highway, I'm getting the feeling that he was having a hard time trying to follow the freeway like a car because of those curves. Having a hard time or doesn't want to fly with VIPs like he's in a dog fight trying to shake somebody. So he doesn't want to weave around all those hills and possibly hit one of those. So he elevates and goes right into making what might be another fatal mistake. Thank you for this video.

[@dracul4u]

my theory is that he mistook the Las Virgines road as the continuation of the 101, since they mix at that spot, and his flight path curves to the left matching the off-ramp exit from the 101 curve and then he keeps going. at a certain point he wanted to go 'over the clouds' , he guns it to full power, but then realizes he's heading the wrong way, turns, but for some reason i cant come up with a satisfactory explanation, he applies full power while dive-bombing, even if there wasnt a hill there, eventually he would have reached the ground -at some point- if he continued with that same angle, plus he kept going like this for 12 seconds, which is more than enough time to recover.... its also possible that at the point he got scared at the top of the climb, there was a burst of andrenaline, and with nothing around him to gauge his speed by, the hormone "speeds up" the passage of time because now you're accelerated in your processes - so his own sense of how fast he was moving through space was warped, and with nothing but fog around you, if he wasnt looking at his instruments and -only- his instruments... then it was like he lost his anchor in space-time and all his movements or angle or speed were exagerated or reduced from normal reactions

[@a.armstead549]

@@dracul4u man, what the hell are you talking about.....🤦🏾‍♂️

[@dracul4u]

@@a.armstead549 which part(s) are difficult for you?

[@scottfranco1962]

The heli descented at 4,000ft/minute. That is loss of control.

[@teemadarif8243]

so you mean when he turned around his perception was off to the point he just turned downward at full speed? That means his sense of direction got turned around to that degree??

[@BrokeJoker04]

It looks like to me, that the pilot thought he circled back to the freeway, so he dropped his altitude to regain visual confirmation of the freeway, but by the time he realized he wasn’t back over the freeway it was to late. But, who knows.

[@Powerduo88]

But why did he he speed up and by so much? Like someone else theorized, he was probably disoriented and when he made that turn maybe thought he was ascending but actually was descending. The undulating hills didnt help matters.

[@geekaleek]

Are there not tools on the helicopter to tell you you're close to the ground or an object? Why the sudden RAPID drop in altitude? Why not answer the air traffic controller? FISHY FISHY!!!

[@EmazingGuitar]

Adrian it’s not a conspiracy

[@arthurashbeats]

I thought the EXACT same thing

[@itsNRC]

Adrian i heard there was no TOMS system in the aircraft which 95% of all aircrafts are equipped with. basically tells you how far objects are from below you

[@shoconnor2k]

Tasteful and very well done, excellent work.

[@Wolficorntv]

thx steve.

[@encinobalboa]

And thank you for displaying the sensitivity not to monetize.

[@69FOSTER]

@@Wolficorntv Yes, excellent job.

[@jacquelyngabriel3837]

absolutely

[@painterboy454]

@@Wolficorntv, another way to make a video like this in the future is to simply replay the flight on the Flightradar24 app in 3D mode cockpit view.

[@whosaidthat84]

Man, I'm from Oxnard and I used to work in the Valley and Calabasas. I recognize certain buildings and landmarks in this video (that Lamborghini dealership at 6:42) and it gives me some chills. I'm still sad and heartbroken! RIP Kobe, Gigi, and all the others!

[@chetstrawn3648]

Thank you for this! This is the best information/video I’ve seen explaining the crash

[@coltimusprime2518]

why on earth would you fly into fog while in mountain ranges.

[@1320fastback]

Overconfident, feeling like nothing bad can happen to me, pressure to get a VIP job done.

[@msegura021]

@Auckland357 There are, but maybe this copter wasn't equipt or because the pilot was flying visually and suddenly found himself unable to see, it's not easy to transition to instruments, especially on rapid decent or possible engine failure and stall.

[@squatch545]

@@msegura021 True, it was an older Sikorsky.

[@Kodousinx]

@@1320fastback yeah but he couldve request ifr tho like why wasnt this done instead vfr. Skud running is insane when u factor it's all mountains

[@marinetodd06]

Get there itis.

[@caramelapple3526]

They were so close to landing too 😞

[@angelcarrillo2394]

Caramel Apple they did land tho. Not where they wanted too

[@jesusgalindo6707]

@@angelcarrillo2394 no shit idiot

[@therealfastmoneyjay]

MR. SUCC NUGGET brooo no 🤣🤣🤣

[@jerry85g7]

@@angelcarrillo2394 Not the way they wanted to either.

[@tonytom5242]

It was reported they crashed going 175mph.... I'm assuming they stalled in air for a second and lost controll

[@scottiesmalls1317]

This is the best re-creation of that Sunday tragedy I have come across.

[@MegaBpop]

Your video and explanation really helped me visualize their routes

[@nuclearbum9858]

this makes me sick just thinking about being in that thing and not being able to see....anyone thats ever ran through a white out in snow know what i mean its extremely scary

[@shelbya.everett3355]

I live in North Dakota and I know exactly what you're talking about. Scary as hell if another driver doesn't know what they are doing.

[@nuclearbum9858]

@@shelbya.everett3355 im upstate ny

[@tobeyntucker]

I’m from NY - Long Island but moved to North Carolina.. first time I ever drive through the snow in the dead of night - white out conditions was here, strange as it sounds. The roads are not thoroughly treated in the winter and especially when it snows. I’m on the coast - near SC border. We do get snow maybe once every two years. That night I was doing shots of whiskey when I got home. I never been that frightened.

[@PGohranson]

I have been in white outs in snow blizzards where I couldn't see 5 feet in front of me so I know how conditions can change rapidly. They obviously made 3/4 of the trip ok the last few minutes conditions deterioated

[@nuclearbum9858]

@@tobeyntucker i been in a white out and stuck in a confined space man talk about blood pressure spike and panic attack

[@bobmorgan1762]

Best hypothetical analysis I’ve seen. Yes, it was extremely foggy that morning in the OC

[@isaacpullen6752]

Thank You for posting this RIP Kobe😔🏀

[@FunkyBruja]

Thank you for taking the time to create this.

[@WBGKnox1]

*So the conditions were bad and the pilot STILL requested special permission to proceed the flight? He should’ve landed the helicopter right away instead of continuing. This tragedy could’ve easily been prevented*

[@msbrown92]

WBG Knox my thoughts 💭

[@Lgp2324]

More like Kobe requested that. If the pilot landed that helicopter & made Kobe late to their game he would’ve never flown Kobe again

[@omsaber77]

💯

[@raoulcruz4404]

When the weather at the time he requested special VFR was actually quite decent. It wasn’t until the rising terrain near Casabalas (spelling?) that it became a problem. Note the comment from the guy posting this video.

[@Taylor-ls8kv]

Devin Ellis Its funny you say that. I saw in another interview from a man whom also flew Kobe before and distinctly said Kobe wasn’t the type to push a pilot to make rash decisions like flying in bad weather.

[@slackerhai]

The fog was extremely bad through the night and every morning in the San Gabriel Valley since the Friday night. The fog lingered further into morning every day, Sunday being the worst. They should not have been flying that morning.

[@tsurek]

Every pilot they have interviewed has said its not uncommon to fly in heavy fog, so its not like it was super dangerous to do so... LAPD had its fleet grounded but they operate under different rules than the helicopter Kobe was flying in

[@moniquemonicat]

@@tsurek That's not true. There were lots of pilots that said he should NOT have taken such a chance and flown in that fog. One of them said it was very irresponsible. What you say would be true only if the pilot was flying ALONE thus if alone he can take chances with his own life. But he didn't have the right to take chances with other people's lives. The pilot gambled not just with his own life but the lives of children and other people.

[@shane-irish]

Another 2 morons thinking thinking they know what happend👆👆

[@keithlott5146]

@@moniquemonicat yet helicopters flew to the scene after the crash, guess they were irresponsible too.

[@kirkrogers6968]

I think he was following the 101, then suddenly hit a fog bank. When he went into the clouds he probably made the decision he should climb rapidly and maybe was trying to make a 180-degree turn and go back. However, making those maneuvers inside a cloud when you can’t see anything would cause disorientation and he may not have realized he was in descending flight.

[@dracul4u]

he said he was going to climb over a cloud patch, the question is, why gun it at full power and go up, only to stop and bank left then down...

[@teemadarif8243]

descending flight?

[@teemadarif8243]

@@dracul4u which is the question I've had this entire time. I just can't wrap my head with that one.

[@thelazyalgorithm8164]

@@dracul4u engine stalled when he tried to go up too fast....that would explain the rapid descent.

[@dracul4u]

@@thelazyalgorithm8164 another theory i have is that an andrenaline hit from a panic attack made the pilot accelerated in his actions and time-discertion, with only fog around him, what felt like straight might have been a different direction with ears pounding from the pulse, plus your speed sense is different, so perhaps that played a factor, but what caused that initial panic attack? an engine stall? apparently this chopper has 2 engines, so thats not likely...

[@faithy1985]

Sir, this was amazing. Thank you for your work.

[@lionsnipe7233]

a lesser detail, but you mentioned that the video was not monetized. I caught that, and I have a lot of respect for that.

[@dannyspears514]

Clint Eastwood once said “ a mans got to know his limitations”. So sad for so many souls to be gone over a moment of bad decision. We will never know the conversation in the helicopter . Human error begins in the mind .

[@robertosantos-vx6pn]

This was well worth the watch. Thanks man

[@Whopcap]

Thank You for sharing and putting together this video!

[@Kevin_747]

One of the reasons this happened was the pilot has done it before and had success. Thanks for the overview.

[@LeeAnn20008]

That's what I've been thinking. He's flown in similar conditions before successfully but it didn't work this time. Got complacent.

[@LilliLamour]

Kevin 747 Yep, and arrogance made him think he could do it again.

[@uniaguilar]

The fog this day was super super super bad yo,

[@taftkid7365]

I feel the same!him and kobe has been in this situation a few times,to feel so confident....Kobe,easy could've said HELL no sit it down!!!

[@jdbaker82]

Totally agree with you. I bet this seemed ordinary for Kobe he has flown 100s of times through the areas.

[@proraptor4146]

I was in Orange county that day and the fog was really really bad. Doesnt explain the sudden loss of altitude, almost as if they had a failure or something happened to the pilot

[@804arob2]

Exactly.. it doesn't make sense. Even the witness said it fell from the sky and seen where it landed. The coptor didn't hit a mountain from the witness statement. However, they say the crew had to hike to the wreck. Then why was a witness there when it that wasn't hiking ?

[@jeffreyjuliano2835]

He thought he was over the last hill. Decent was quick to get into vfr so he could see again.

[@chrispafrieddreamaster4085]

The same Orange County that they took off from? Makes me wonder if they should have flown at all...So sad

[@shanesharpshooter]

Maybe the pilot is disoriented due to lost of visual. Trying to get visual as fast as he could

[@tjeastcoast4669]

I keep asking that question to

[@klam77]

Thank you! The amount of citizen resources and made available is FANTASTIC. Thanks for not monetizing too.

[@brikshoe6259]

Thank you. That is the best explanation I've seen of the challenges the pilot was facing at the time. Seeing the helicopter navigating through the mountains in what we understood to be foggy conditions, it is easy to imagine the disorientation that likely occurred as he tried to escape the situation that he was in. My own opinion is that allowing Special VFR contributed to this accident.