While there have been all sorts of headline grabbing news stories since the start of 2020, one of the first major stories of the new year was the tragic and shocking death of former NBA superstar Kobe Bryant in a helicopter accident on January 26 outside of Los Angeles.
The crash claimed the life of Bryant, his 13 year-old daughter Gigi, and seven other people who were en route to Bryant’s Mamba Academy for a basketball tournament.
And according to a report earlier today, pilot Ara Zobayan may have been disoriented during the fatal flight.
According to documents, Zobayan may have “misperceived” the helicopter’s pitch, a sign of disorientation. He reported to air traffic controllers that the aircraft was ascending to 4,000 feet, when in fact it was actually plunging downwards towards a hillside. Heavy fog was present throughout the area at the time of the crash, leading to limited visibility.
All nine people on the aircraft were killed instantly via blunt force trauma.
