Kobe Bryant Sikorsky S-76B Helicopter Down 26 Jan 2020
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- Some background info from a pilot's perspective of the hazards of low level helicopter operations in poor weather conditions. Update: 9 fatalities.
LINKS:
UPDATE Excellent eyewitness account here:
• Witness Describes What...
VAS Aviation ATC audio:
• Helicopter Sikorsky cr...
Aviation Safety Network Data:
aviation-safet...
Sadly the need to get from point A to point B with important paying customers can pressure pilots into making very deadly decisions.
Yep. No doubt from Kobe it’s get me there now or you’re fired.
When all those people on that helicopter got up this morning. They had no idea it was for the last time. As it will be for all of us one day. That’s why it’s so important that those we love, know that they are loved.
David Goodridge so true. Lost my son in a car wreck. So glad I had a sweet conversation with him the night before.
Carrie McDade, I'm truly sorry... heartbreaking.
You need Jesus.
Carrie McDade pray your memories are of your Son are good.
@@ckmcdade RIP to your son
The media will report this accident happened because of the weather. Aviators know this is pilot error. Flawed decision making. Tragic.
It's both
Definitely both. If the weather was clear, the pilot error never would have happened.
It's a pilot error due to the weather duh 🙄
The old pilot adage applies here .....
IT IS BETTER TO BE ON THE GROUND WISHING YOU WERE IN THE AIR
THAN IN THE AIR WISHING YOU WERE ON THE GROUND.
I rather be in the air
no such thing as an 'old pilot' 8P
Damnn
@@bigbunny6573 the saying is "there are old pilots, and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots"
@@ZC.Andrew I would almost agree with you there , cept I know a couple of old crazy coots flying crop dusters
When you cant SEE anymore put your damn EGO aside and choose SAFETY
Don Don Kobe Bryant caused his own crash. He should not have insisted on flying. If you don’t like what I’m saying that’s ok- facts don’t care about your opinions. Kobe insisted on flying and they all died for it. He failed that day. Let us learn from it.
@@JT0007 according to whom?
@@JT0007 dude. pilot-in-command has final authority. pilot should've refused. pilot's fault.
@@ValiantKnight7983 Also encouraged by boss man paying his salary..
@@JT0007 still the pilot's final decision, that's a federal law. and he knew that. as kobe bryant's helicopter pilot, he assumed the responsibility of kobe's safety, and by choosing to fly in bad weather he was neglecting his responsibility. safety is a huge part of pilot training. doesn't matter how insistent kobe was, kobe was not the pilot-in-command, and therefore did not have final authority.
Got more info about what happened in 7 minutes here then everything I have heard on the news. Plus it’s nice to hear other pilots opinions on what probably happened
100% Agree!
Absolutely!
from CNN you wont get even 1000 year the real news
they blaming aircontrol, and you can expect they going to blame the manufacturer of helicopter too
Tybalt the news just panders an agenda usually without knowing even remotely what the heck they are talking about. Literal robots 🤖 reading off a script that they’re told to read, but sometimes even going off script and still showing they know literally nothing
I found this channel because of the Oroville dam crisis. I spent 15 minutes watching one of the big news channels, after listening to commercials and a couple of hacks blab about the CA budget, I learned nothing. 15 minutes on blancolirio and good ol’ gum shoe reporting and I subscribed.
This is terrible. He was on board with his daughter too. What a horrible way to go man.... feel so bad for his family.
So fucking sad. Uhg what a horrible thing.
Surrounded by “yes” men😞
They are in a better place now
@@Group_Anonymous pilot, Kobe, his daughter, a coach and his kid, who was a yes man?
watchgoose the pilot shouldn’t have flown those conditions, but anything for Kobe right..... or money I guess
The combination of impatient celebrities and too easily intimidated pilots is very dangerous.
Edward Nelson right. Unfortunately money and pressure from the boss can lead to these tragedies
Too many private pilots succumb to employer pressure, they want to go, they go. Growing up I remember that was one thing my Dad's pilots refused to do, and he respected the heck out of them for it.
Yeah, in an aircraft the pilot has the biggest cock or what is the point. I would walk if some tried to make me kill myself. I don't care how much they paid. Can't spend it if you are dead anyway
We don't know this is what happened in this situation, but I'm sure it does happen...
@Paul Slevin he was going to a kids basketball game not a money making engagement
I'm sure he was getting a substantial tip $ to fly him that morning. Money talks but the Grim Reaper doesn't take checks. RIP
I worked on helicopter drilling rigs and flew on helicopters almost daily in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea for 7 years in the 80's. Helicopters flew every sack, pipe, rope, rig, and human being to the site in what I strongly believe is the most treacherous weather and mountainous terrain worldwide for helicopter flight. We never lost a soul, or an aircraft. Good pilots have the courage to say, "We can't fly now because of the weather".
This is why I believe it was a hit on Kobe's life for LeBron to take over the NBA and hold Kobe's title it makes no sense that LeBron broke Kobe's record in his hometown and a day and a half later Kobe is dead
I am 77 and have been flying for 47 years, I met a Pilot many years ago that did the same type flying as you, in new Guinea amazing stories he told me. I have said those same words not only to others but to myself. I have parked an Airplane a few times in those years , waited or rented a car....... I believe we all just have to wait for more information now. Tragic.........
@@reniecejones1729 It is really weird.
@@reniecejones1729 Kobe was retired, Lebron didn't need to kill him to hold his title, you moron.
WWII aviators relate similar stories of the weather conditions there; I don't doubt it.
So basically he was trying to climb over the clouds/fog and went directly into the hillside??
Some mistakes you only get to make once.
Lord have mercy.
@@livefree316 fake
dum ass pilot
Exactly
@@conqururfear seemingly he panicked
the last thing a pilot could make
@@cnccarving he turned 180 to escape, i agree with the "panic" comment, are you saying, I mean they were doomed the moment he decided to t8 off, Once in IMC I guess your saying he "panicked" attemting to rise above the clouds to no avail
The only piece of equipment the "advanced S76 Starship" was missing is a pilot willing to say "we are not doing this".....
Amen. Get-there-itis. Either afraid for his job, or just trying to show off for the boss. That's my guess at this point. If it was mechanical failure of some kind that's a hell of a coincidence. VASA already has the ATC tapes out. What happened seems pretty obvious. He simply flew into the ground in thick fog.
@@mqbitsko25 I agree. He was probably pressured to fly and did so hesitently. I wouldnt want to fly a helicopter in IMC.
So true over 30 yrs flying and yes you just sometimes have to say to your ego not this time.
Not always easy when your supposed to be getting someone as high profile as Kobe to their destination though. Kinda like that airplane crash with Dale jr. Pressure to get there and land so he could be there to call the race that evening etc...
Tragic man I saw a video and the pilot sounded like a young know it all. Just by the tone of his voice he sounded inxperienced, SMH RIP to Kobe and every one involved
Excellent report. Once again, you explain the situation so well; non pilots like me understand.
Very sad for Kobe, his daughter, and the families involved. RIP.
Just think. If he drove he'd still be safely stuck in traffick on 405. :(
CarLuvrSD People still get into accidents everyday. It’s statistically actually more safe to take flight than travel on ground.
I guessed we just can’t win huh.
@@isiahcurry1593 Doesn't that only apply for commercial airplanes though?
Kylo Solo No, because think of common sense. There’s no widespread traffic in the air.......
On a Sunday morning? That's the best time to travel by road. And they wasted 15 minutes circling. So driving this time wouldn't have been much slower.
Best channel for aviation incident/accident news. Way better than the traditional news mediums. Thank you.
Except when his information is wrong. Just factually incorrect.
@@Kafen8d what happened
Agreed. This guy has a unique set of skills you rarely see anywhere.
Another killer channel worth checking out and has nothing to do with aviation is called This is Monsters. Google it. And no I don't work for them.
@@Kafen8d
Always someone who has to kick the other guy down.
@UCgbmpfgZfonufowqLZNXxCg
Dummy - what's your definition of news? Always one in the room who's brain does not think. Do know that if you, me, or the uploader were not there, analysis sometimes can only be speculated. Duh. He usually states this by saying "I can only speculate". Duh.
Excellent explanation of the conditions, and solid theory as to what may've occurred in this terrible tragedy. Let's please also send just a little extra love to the family of the pilot, as this must be an unfathomable burden to carry for them regarding critics who do not understand the nuances of piloting.
Of course, immense love & respect to all involved in the accident. Let us all grieve in peace, and may the victims all rest eternally in peace.
I didn't think about what a burden that the pilots family now has to carry because of this tragic accident. Their father/ husband's legacy may make some people want to tarnish his career because of a tragic mistake. Because that helicopter was carrying an NBA great. My thoughts are with the family.
Well said, I didn't really think about much this until you mentioned it. Thanks for sharing.
I fear for the family because if the investigation finds that there was pilot error and this all could’ve been avoided, people are going to get real angry. They’ll lash out at the pilot and probably even his family, it’s really sad.
Pilot spacial disorientation, not official ,but someone who knows
That sounds to me like a reasonable explanation. Like with John F. Kennedy Junior.
I've been in several different helicopter types and on many flights. The best ones were when the pilot said NO sorry I can't fly today the weather is below my minimums.
ecleveland1 Thats exactly what i was thinking this pilot being an expert. He made his biggest mistake trying to go thru this thick foggy morning.He shoulded had made the turn back to orange county. no matter how good of a pilot you are. you dont mess with bad weather. Especially having passengers.
Brutal accident, Rest In Peace all onboard
Thanks for this report.
First: RIP to those we lost and condolences to the families
Second: we need more people like you covering news stories, a+ delivery, far better than any of the multimillion dollar mainstream media coverage
Good to see the Internet decentralizing the media. Much more genuine and authentic to see coverage like this than some mainstream reporter talking like an uneducated weirdo pretending to be educated
Exactly. I have heard the dumbest things from people reading mainstream headlines
Only the way millions consume TV doesn’t allow for in depth analysis so really it’s the people’s fault
Also there are things in place for a reason
The big media not reporting on accidents before investigation is concluded is done for a reason
It’s unethical to push out false reports on accidents claiming to be thorough when you just don’t know for sure yet and it could rightfully so even lead to legal trouble
Thanks for this video. It's beginning to make sense to all of us who are not familiar with air flight jargon. Not understanding what went wrong weighs heavy on loved ones. I pray for all 9 souls on board, and just wish the autopilot could of picked up the mountain further ahead and either prompted the pilot to take the best possible action or took control of the aircraft and made a life saving maneuver.
My daughter lives right near the crash and called me earlier today to say it was so foggy you could hardly see. So sad they went up today given the conditions.
Yes. I live in the area too, and I had a similar conversation with my wife that morning.
@@Mcbunaen i dont live there or anywhere close so I didnt have a conversation with my wife about it because I am also not married.
camper life1 a basketball game was too dang important though
totally ! a professional pilot should know better! thank GOD FAA grounds passenger flights when needed !
camper life1 so wat Stfu
learned more in seven minutes than all the fake news,,,thank you
Except he got the time of the crash wrong by hours.
We need to stop with this "fake news" crap. Some are better than others, but they all try to get these types of stories right. And they ALL make mistakes. It's a breaking news situation. You start with almost no information and work up from there. Initially reports I had said 5 on board with no survivors, but as better information came in, they corrected it. They can only report on information they have and expert opinion/analysis. You report what you have as you get it. Sticking with ANY single source for news is a bad idea. It limits your view.
michael thompson you said a mouthful! This is exactly why I am a subscriber!!
@@Joanner04 He was stating the approximate east coast time for the accident
Mike Morgan When it comes to aviation unfortunately most non aviation news outlet have horrible and misleading coverage.
Juan - FYI...accident time was 09:47 today, not 1300. I have been speaking with two aviation friends of mine who live in Calabasas and they report that NO aircraft should have been flying at the time of the accident. The ceiling was incredibly low and they report dense fog and low ceiling at the time of the accident. In addition, they report a large debri field with no recognizable piece of the helicopter left. This was clearly a high speed CFIT situation. Very, very sad. Scud running will bite you in the ass every time. I don't understand why good pilots get themselves in these situations.
It was 1 pm Eastern Time zone. 10 am Pacific time same thing in different states
@@dionwillis6381 We are both in CA so your point is moot.
I also heard, but I don't think Juan mentioned it, that the helo caught fire after crashing. That would explain why there's no recognizable piece left. The same thing happens with airplane crashes too.
Your friends cannot be very "aviation" to say NO aircraft should be flying. They must be very new to aviation.
Good pilots dont put themselves in these situations, they say sorry boss you will need to drive today not fly....
Makes me wounded if these pilots are afraid to say no to a celebrity when it’s beyond not safe to fly. All the other helicopters were grounded. Do to the conditions. This reminds me of what happened two aaliyah.all 9 lives could have been saved by just saying no today you and your family and friends are going to have to be driven to where you need to be.
I don't think the celeberty is in charge since when is the celeberty in charge over a pilot
The celebrity had ALL the say in it because he could've said no and not went on it at all.
Its not a coincidence this was all predetermined a sacrifice wake up
Ichigo4girls Lmaoooo. Was wondering when the crazies would show up. FOH
How do you know this plz? Source?? Ty.
I drive trucks for a living (sadly I cant afford my Commercial pilots certificate yet but working on it...) on my terminal’s exit gate there’s a sign. “No matter how expensive, no matter how new, the best safety device is you” cheesy, but its so important that anyone in the transportation industry remember to stop and think before they decide to operate in weather like that.
So true, both the LAPD unit and the L.A. County Sheriffs air unit were grounded the morning of the crash.
Former Navy helo pilot and former S-76 Gulf of Mexico pilot. Correct, IFR approved helicopters have minimum IFR speeds... I believe the S-76 was 65KIAS. Also correct, most (if not all) helicopters can’t hover IMC (ie, without visual reference). The S-76 is a very capable IFR platform. Assuming pilot was qualified and current on instruments, he should have been able to get on instruments and climb above the terrain. Of course the better option was to not have gotten into inadvertent IMC in the first place.
tpbh46: Totally agree. You and I know, that at some point, you just have to say "no"..... go get into your limo. I don't know who the helo pilot was, but sure hope he wasn't someone I knew. RIP Kobe, and all the others on the S-76 and on the ground.
All fatalities are from Helo, none from ground.
So, you're thinking VFR into IMC, bailout climb, disorientation and rapid spiral in?
@@ljfinger observer on the ground stated they were low and almost hovering like they were going to land. Then Helo went up and disappeared in the clouds then came the sound of blades hitting rock.
@@ljfinger just like the other R44 in Brazil that was carrying newlyweds to their wedding party and the pilot tried to scud it along the mountains .ran into bad IMC and crashed.poor beautiful young lady died in her wedding dress.you can still see that video on UA-cam.
That was my first thought, inadvertent flight into IMC. Will not make a final judgment until all the facts are in, but please people, when your passengers get aboard your aircraft they are trusting you with their lives. I am a VFR only pilot and have had to disappoint people a few times. You just have to explain it's not safe to fly today. Thank you Juan once again for the facts.
Ron Moore It’s a tough call to make. But not nearly as tough as the phone call the surviving family will get. Fly smart.
Good attitude, and please do your IR if feasible anyway... it's rewarding.
I follow allot of flight incident reports and just like on the ground, there are a tremendous amount of people who are more concerned about embarrassment (their ego) rather than admitting their is a problem or they made a mistake and asking for help from ATC or others. I can only remember one incident, a women pilot, who insisted ATC listen to her concerns and got out of a sticky situation. It’s that old familiar situation when on a road trip the wife says pull over and get directions and the husband brushes her off and says I got this.
Pilot must have had a contingency plan for IMC conditions with the weather being as it was, how many hours did the pilot have IFR, probably the minimums
Can someone please explain VFR to me please? I'm just some noob on here looking for what really happened.
Well done. Very well said. No zero airspeed ever IFR. Crash site half way up in a blind canyon . How many times have we seen this. How & why was pilot down in a valley ? Again, great first report.
Because he came down the Calabasas grade following the freeway. I saw this in person today
It wasn’t a CFIT if that’s what you’re implying. The helicopter had a huge uncontrolled downward fall prior to crash.
@@imamasome
That video footage is NOT of this flight. The conditions are clear and the terrain is desert. Someone is clickbaiting with the wrong video.
fazole I’m not referencing the footage I’m referencing the flight data....
fazole it had a -5000 FPM rate which is not controlled (www.flightradar24.com/blog/kobe-bryant-believed-dead-in-helicopter-crash/)
Pilot was very experienced,sometimes that can lead to a false sense of"been there done that",I can handle it.We've all fallen into that trap before.
Yep...False pride could have been a contributing factor to this horrible event.
Scud running works, only when it works.
@@Nostradamus_Order33 so does skating on thin ice.
Kobe Bryant caused his own crash. He should not have insisted on flying. If you don’t like what I’m saying that’s ok- facts don’t care about your opinions. Kobe insisted on flying and they all died for it. He failed that day. Let us learn from it.
@@JT0007
*Who do you think you helped with this comment*? 🙄 *How about putting in some prayers for the Bryant family like the rest of the world* !
The LAPD Helicopters were grounded that day due to weather conditions. Im wondering who gave his pilot special clearance to fly?
The tower in Orange County more interesting who asked the pilot to ask the tower
@Hey Mister DJ - Not a dumb question, really. Most non-pilots are unaware that you can generally fly anywhere, anytime without permission from anyone. He needed permission to over-fly Burbank and Van Nuys airports because they have control towers, but once he was 5 miles west of VNY, the controller said 'bye' and he was free to do as he chose.
As far as I know, and I'm no pilot obviously, private own has different rules or rather standards when it comes to flying. Besides, the pilot was told to maintain special vfr which basically meant follow the route, highway on this case, as long as you have visual of the ground etc. There were other aircrafts flying in that area so just because the police grounded their choppers doesnt mean everybody did.
Given the weather conditions he shouldn't even have asked for clearance.
It's up to the pilot to recognize what he needs and aks ATC for the appropriate resources or assistance. There is no law that says you can't fly in fog
Ego seems to have played a part in this. The pilots should've said it was too dangerous.
Mistakes kill people...this will never change as long as the Earth is spinning...we will all learn and make flying safer because of it...my prayers go out to all the people involved...
Spinning lol
@@Cory555 Yes, Earth spins.
Earth rotates to its axis and revolves to its orbit
But wait, the Earth is a doughnut!
@@officejamz3160 The word spin is like a tropical cyclones
R.I.P Kobe! We will remember you every time we throw something into the trash from across the room... KOBE!
Such a heartbreaking story and i feel with the guys who lost their lives and with their families and friends. Although i was only a fixed wing VFR pilot, my FI teached me how to get out of clouds by striktly trusting my Instruments. This was an illegal lesson and i could never imagine to fly into clouds unintentionally. But it happened the other day. After take off from a small airfield i had so much wind on the nose that my little katana DA 20 climbed like a lift in a skyscraper and was sucked into a layer of clouds. I lost orientation immediately and thanks to my FI i was able to deal with the situation and came home safely. Watching bank, heading, airspeed and rate of climb is your life insurance. Another important lesson my FI told me: if in doubt leave it out. That means if you are in doubt about the weather conditions stay on the ground. Your delay will be shorter than eternal death.
nightwolf bingo, I got my PPL years ago in fixed wing. We did some training in the night obviously and an IMC scenario. I used a hood to make sure my eyes were glued to my instruments and my FI made sure I didn’t look into the clouds cause it’s so easy to get disoriented.
Seems like pilot should've spent more time landing as oppose to trying to climb
Exactly turn around and go home but try telling that to celebrities
1990758 Kobe never pushed pilots to fly, you can listen to the statement from his previous helicopter pilot. Kobe trusted few pilots for this very reason and their judgement.
Did you live with him all the time I never implied that he did
1990758 huh? I’m talking about his previous pilot. He stated in an interview Kobe never pressured him to fly.
@@thebanksfilms4426 really are you serious you think that pilot would say anything negative about him come on now if there were anything to say smh
My IP always told me "Son this aircraft can land anywhere so don't be afraid to land if you get in a bind". Thanks again Juan. God bless the families of the pax and crew.
That's why you land BEFORE you hit cumulogranite.
They all can land anywhere. The trick is not to.
A controlled landing at an uncontrolled site beats a crash any day.
It can't land on the moon. Boom! Busted!
LAND BEFORE YOU FLY INTO IFR. THAT IS HOW YOU DONT CRASH
As soon as I heard the news, the first thing I thought to myself was that Juan will be uploading soon with the best information so far about what went wrong with the aircraft.
I pretty much tuned out what mainstream media was saying.
And I as well.
Same
Brendan Stanford Same
Juan's the MAN!
Thank you!
Excuse my ignorance...The Helicopter looks like it was blown to bits. Why would that be? I do not see from the footage where the Helicopter could of hit a Mountain. I am only asking an honest question. I am not looking for any conspiracy.
Thank you for reporting on this Juan. I heard it was 9 souls including his daughter.
Yes and a baseball coach his wife and daughter which is friends with Kobe’s daughter. And 4more.
This why every one should Pray before leaving their house every day.
And even that wont help
lol, and what would that do?
@@eddiebenzz lmao what human said this
@@eddiebenzz THERE IS NO GOD. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF A GOD. PRAYERS HAVE NEVER BEEN PROVEN TO WORK. THERE IS NO INVISIBLE/OMNIPRESENT FORCE THAT MAGICALLY AND ARBITRARILY FIXES THINGS. *IF PRAYERS WORKED WE'D ALL BE BILLIONAIRES.*
SCIENCE! here's what would have saved their lives, if the pilot hadn't overrode VFR safety standards and convinced kobe and his passengers it wasn't safe.
Everybody doesn't believe in God
Flying "Alaskan IFR" (I follow rivers / roads).. Always dangerous, but in a fixed wing has saved my life more than once. My heart goes out to all souls on-board. I literally just heard about this standing in line to pay for my fuel , came home and
Blancolirio already has the the best and most accurately detailed coverage of the tragedy posted. Thank you Juan, for your hard work and dedication to the unbiased truth!
That was his plan but etc routed him north.. & delayed him quite a bit.. He was planning to fly along just below the cloud.. but it became blocked so tried to stop & circle while in a cloud. Tough to do
Feedback4Utoday...Were you there? Just curious. All of us pilots have a pretty good idea of what happened, but it’s important to have the FACTS and not just make assumptions...especially today when the media will run with anything. Next it will be the rotor came off or whatever they want to make up...utterly pathetic. However, don’t think that I don’t agree with you. I’ve learned my lesson with the media about a crash near my local airport. (I shouldn’t have done an interview in the first place, but happened to be right there and wearing my captain uniform) Many of these people (media and bystanders) barely even know the difference between a fixed and rotor wing aircraft. Terms like IFR and “scud running” they don’t have the slightest clue. Say “scud running” and next thing you know, it was a Iraqi scud missile that shot them down.
Yes, or I follow rails. The only problem, of course, is the train has the option of clearing a mountain via a tunnel. You don't.
I'm not a fan of NBA being from Aus, but there are names, that unless you've been living under a rock, you know. Like Jordan, Johnson and Jabaar, Bryant is up there among them.
From what I've read, he was not only an outstanding player, but also a good man, something that doesn't kind of go hand in hand these days. A true tragedy that his eldest daughter was also onboard at the time...not to mention to other souls.
I look forward to your ongoing posts of this event, in true Juan style, truth, fact, and no bs embellishment...the MS media I'm sure will bleed the hell out of the fact it was Kobe Bryant (which I don't dismiss either)...you just manage to remove that element from it, in your own special way.
May he & his daughter RIP, and condolences to his wife, other kids, the rest of his family and the others involved at this terrible time. 😢😢😢😢
Yep. A little bit different from our Bryant named Martin.
@@glennllewellyn7369 total polar opposites, we as people are weird being.
Guessing at what happened in a accident just doesn't mean anything. I look forward to the results of a actual investigation.
@@darrenkastl8160 let him rest in peace for christ sake!
@@darrenkastl8160 let him RIP for christ sake
Aircraft owners can become unreasonable if they miss too many appointments/events. Pilots that fly for private aircraft owners (and want to remain employed) have to be careful about throwing down the stop card.
Glenda Medlock I think this applies to everyone. Most people hate delays and getting stuck at the airport. And get upset with the airlines/pilots. Someone it’s more about getting to places than safety... but we forget it’s better to be safe than sorry 😢 this is such a tragic event. My heart goes out to his family.
If that the case here, he couldn't say no. Oh, I thought maybe this was like a charter, but if the guy was his pilot, I didn't think of that. A fair point.
I don't for one minute believe Kobe didn't understand the risks and was ready to jeopardize all souls aboard to get there no questions asked. He probably flew with the pilot often and trusted his judgement. The pilot wanted to get them there and realized, too late, that it absolutely wasn't going to happen and made the decision to turn back.
I would rather be fired than be responsible for losing lives on board an aircraft that I was PIC. They are hired because they can make the decision to fly or not to fly. Just about anybody can learn to fly a plane or helicopter, that's the easy part. The hard part is learning when it is safe to fly or not safe to fly. This is why so much emphasis is on the weather.
Which is exactly the kind of aeronautical decision making that will lead to this outcome. If your employer is not giving you the option to say no to flights, let them find someone else that will fly them to the scene of the accident.
Make sense when i go out with my uncle he always fly high in stay out of nasty weather or we just wont fly
I’m an ATP, CFII, MEI. I also hold 6 Jet Type Ratings. No rotor type but I do know many who are. My first thought was a wire strike and second was scud running. LAPD, LASD and VCSD flight ops were below approved minimums. I’m going to guess “Getthereitis” was a factor. Too many high profile types have hired pilots who cannot say no to the boss. The car drive from SNA to Thousand Oaks on a Sunday should have been the way to go. This will be chocked up to “Pilot Error” with flight into IMC, and CFIT. Damned tragic.
you don't hit wires if you don't fly into clouds or have getthereitis
i thought the same i drove from riverside to winetka in 1:15 minutes to bad such a tragedy so many families devastated!
My wife showed me the article on fb I told her will wait for Juan's update to get the real scoop. Thanks for keeping us all updated.
When I saw the first pictures I thought of weather, fog on particular. Another very preventable accident. RIP to all aboard.
Chuck Eberth same I thought the same. I’ve gotten on a helicopter before and the pilot and I talked about the weather he taught me things that I literally realized today that If someone with that knowledge and took it serious maybe no one would have died. But what now
Many years ago I learned a saying about flying in general. Eternity is forever, why rush it. I've never forgot that either.
As a retired Captain of S76A++, C+ and C++ as well as the S92, I can say the S76B with those PT6 twin pack engines produce enough horsepower on single engine to get it out of trouble. Being retired for 6 years now, I can't remember the exact airspeed for autopilot engagement for IMC flight, but I think you are correct at it being 65 knots. There is also an altitude restriction for autopilot engagement of 120 AGL. With dual autopilots, I don''t understand why the altitude was not set to a safe level and if you want to fly lower, just disengage ALT HOLD. This aircraft is a very stable IFR aircraft. I have shot approaches 125 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. We were qualified to do approaches to 200 feet and 1/4 mile advisability anywhere in the Gulf of Mexico on nothing but a GPS location.
He was flying Special VFR, you have to see the ground and be away from clouds, probably did not do both at time of the crash.
How about the flight altitude and speed? they went up 1000 feet in 1 second??? then down with increasing speed... crash site shows a spray with initial impact - like a bug splatter up a windshield - that's got to be engine failure....
@@mahfl22 I'm well aware of Special VFR. The proper thing to do in that situation is collective up, autopilot engage, then ATC this is helicopter N1234 declaring an emergency. We are inadvertent IFR. They will help you.
@@mahfl22 that begs the question of why he was flying special VFR when state police had grounded their aircrafts (that require VFR) and why there might have been initial pilot who refused to fly in those conditions.
I have flown on that very helicopter back when the state of Illinois owned it. Spoke with another copter pilot who said he would never fly on it because it was so underpowered. Back then it even had one less seat in it then it did when it went down. When we fueled up we had to get out on a runway and getting a rolling start to get up in the air
Juan, the thing is admitting you're IIMC. It's not a rotary wing or fixed wing thing, it's a aircraft scud running thing. Many pilots don't learn to admit they are IIMC, and are the ones who kill themselves and their passengers in accidents like this one.
As soon as I saw the video footage from the scene and saw that cloud cover, I knew it was an IMC related issue. Such a shame. Why were they even following highways to begin with? Why not just climb to altitude clear of the terrain and follow a vector like everyone else?
Unfortunately the only logical conclusion is that the pilot was either not comfortable or not rated for IFR. That helicopter could have been 1000' higher following a direct heading with flight following and none of this would have happened. 150 kts at 1400' through the SoCal mountains following a highway is nuts.
WildcatEngineer15 I recall hearing, in the radio contact recordings , that air traffic control directed the pilot to stay under 2,500 feet altitude. Must be because of traffic for large planes in higher altitudes? ATC rules and regulations are strict.
WildcatEngineer15 air traffic control told him to follow the freeway going through the mountains so he wouldn't hit a mountain. He was safe until he made that turn. He was surrounded by mountains so that was the worst move to make.
been waiting for you on this tragedy. i have cone to relyin tour take on all things aviation. bless you!
Thanks, Juan. I can see how hard this was getting to you,, but you soldiered on. WELL DONE!
You gave us more straight skinny than all the MSM combinerd.
So sad. Wow. Between the S76 model, A, B, C, and C+, ( the D is a different beast) the B is the most powerful with PT6 engines. It has the Honeywell Mark XXI EGPWS which has some very serious terrain awareness capabilities. It also has dual AP and 4 - cue flight director, but only the SAR versions in MOT mode can approach to a hover completely automated, though you never take your hands from the controls, you must remove your feet from the tail rotor pedals for the yaw channel to work. Also minimum crew is two rated pilots, Part 135, and I think Part 91 as well. As you said, very top of the line helicopter, withh all the bells and whistles. Looking forward to learn the details. RIP to all souls.
Mo River the pilot might not have been up to par with the instruments
Is he allowed to take off with just one pilot?
@@Ricardo.S.Araujo If the flight was operating under Part 91, rules could be bent. Under Part 135, there's more control. On the S76, all the engine controls are overhead therefore having someone else manage engine and fuel when things go wrong, while some else flies. On Bel helicopters all control are on the collective, allowing single pilot opreations.l
I believe the pilot got disoriented but due to the fact that he had done this route numerous times he figured he could play it off memory
I make 250 miles everyday the same route with my car for 9 months, so up today 180 times. Few times has been so foggy that visibility is 50 feet, and guess what , I get disoriented about the moment I should take the turns and leads to late brakings. Here the speed is different , I think if you can’t concentrate and you don’t have second pilot, it starts to be very thin margins
Thanks Juan for your excellent report on this sad, tragic event. We appreciate your reports on these events. God bless you and we are praying for your return to excellent health.
So I know nothing about helicopters and I was so curious about why you simply couldn't stop it and hoover where you are and go straight up above the clouds. I thought that was one of the benefits of helicopters but now I know. You answered all the questions I had and more.. Excellent video! RIP everyone on-board
You don't have any reference points.
Can't vacuum just anywhere.
I said the same exact thing. If u can't see them hover or do a 180 and turn don't keep going straight. Now this man said he made and attempt to do a 180 and they hit a mountain.
Thanks again Juan for your clear, perceptive way. I hadn't known before that helicopters in closing-in weather can't just hover in the clouds and/or on autopilot.
Thank You Captain Juan. I’m sorry we so often have to turn to you to explain yet another tragedy.
Sadly up to 9 killed now :(
It’s weird that the man flying Kobe’s helicopters 🚁 crashed because he couldn’t see, but moments right after the crash there were helicopters everywhere videoing the wreckage?? In the same visibility!? Hmm. Sketchy
No, The Kobes Helicopter went down around 9:45-9:47am and the news where there til around 12pm flying.. By then the fog had decreased.. I live in 15 minutes from the cash site
But if you look at the videos of the news helicopters 🚁 they were still experiencing extreme fog. Probably not as bad but still.
@@kolynkaefindley Kobe's helicopter was higher up in the fog, came down with high speed to where the crashsite is located
Gee how long is the flight from John Wayne airport- Camarillo airport?
So the series of events as reconstructed by the flight path and flight data seems to be: they were flying low to maintain some visibility, following the 101. As they entered the hills they would be hitting the fog ceiling, which as you mentioned was about 1100 feet. Right after entering the hills the pilot seems to have made the decision to turn around; he gains altitude rapidly, probably to give ample clearance as he circles back over the hills, then starts to turn. Then he descends and seems to have crashed right at the fog line - the crash site was right around 1100' elevation. What I don't understand is why he lost altitude after the turn - wouldn't an altimeter have told him he was descending? Could he be descending that rapidly and not realize it?
Rated to carry 13 pax, not overloaded. Pilot error VFR in low cloud higher terrain.
I was hoping to God it wasn't pilot error
HUGO FUGUSEV that’s not even the correct mountain terrain/weather conditions. Nice try.
@@CRG_AMK why do ppl do this?
Metal fatigue, flying at low knots, not getting the optimum airflow to cool parts, changes the rating.
HUGO FUGUSEV that’s from a 2018 crash in the UAE.
Thanks Juan, condolences and respect to all those families affected, regards from Australia.
I didn't know that about hovering IMC. I knew that IMC was very challenging from what the Army pilots told me. Thanks for the timely update.
Glynn Knox I could fly a Bell 407 GX down to 100 ft and 1/8 mile visibility easy
Glynn Knox I can fly in very bad weather VFR but can only fly at 2 or 3 mph . I sprayed on days that I could not see the other end of a half mile long field but I had the rows and GPS to follow and I knew that the field was free of wires and obstructions . I just needed to not enter the clouds in my turn
sorry what's IMC? I thought there was VFR and IFR
@@TicTac2 IMC = Instrument Meteorological Conditions, conditions that you would reference your flight instruments, such as fog, dust, snow, etc.
Mountains, dense fog, and low flying aircraft....
Very risky situation in any/all aircraft.
🤪😖
There are old pilots, and bold pilots, but no old bold pilots.
So what you’re saying all the old bold ones are dead
@@darriobyrd9296 the bold ones don't get to get old silly...
This one hits a little close to home also. Of the confirmed fatalities Coach John Atobelli, his wife and daughter. His nephew Bo Atobelli played baseball here at Texas Tech. Prayers for all the families affected by this tragic event! This is happening a little too often!!🙏🙏🙏🙏
So sad :( They said 9 souls total onboard, no survivors :(
Yes his 13 year old daughter was one of them. At least they are together and had a good life
Dear God I hope it wasn't his entire family on board. I know one of the daughters was on
his grandma was there too. She was just in the middle of cooking Ravioli. sad.
Only Kobe and 13 yr old daughter of family.
It was 5 stop spreading shit
Twenty years ago I was on a cross country flight on a Boeing single aisle aircraft as I did every month and dinner service had just begun. The plane was encountering turbulence and all of a sudden the plane violently started falling from the sky. The serving cart was floating in the air and I had enough time to think 'this is it...' One feels helpless as there is absolutely nothing you can do. Suddenly there was a loud bang, carts, dishes, and luggage went everywhere BUT the plane stopped falling. We arrived at our destination afraid yet thankful.
I pray the pilot and passengers did not suffer long as they probably took this same route many times before but did not know minutes into the flight 'this is it'. My prayers for those on the helicopter and extended families.
Anthony C Brown how comfortable have you been with flying since?
What was going through your mind? Family, friends, memories, God?
Bruh shutup no plane does that
Downdraft?
@@bobdicc6633 yes they do, i fell out of the sky on a commercial airliner once... it felt like for a good solid long 5-10 seconds... microburst, downdrafts happen.
RIP all. Shouldn’t have happen. Hopefully we survive our bad decisions.
You are so right. I look back at my life and how many times MY bad decisions almost cost me my life. It can happen so fast you don't even have time to blink.
@@ecleveland1 most people are overestimating themselves
my bad decisions are a big mac and fish sandwich at midnight...not things where my lifes on the line..flying is not ssafe...i barely trust Delta
in VFR the pilot should be able to come to a stop and if he has the power he can hover. one doesn't go into IMC and then try to hover.
a big issue is if you are flying too fast in marginal weather is that you enter IMC trying to slow down, but that requires a series of errors to get to that point.
I am a VFR helicopter driver.
Sad. As an 18 year army air traffic controller, I saw the identical thing twice. Proper procedure should be climb to MSA and declare an emergency due to in-advertant IMC conditions. Certainly in that type aircraft one of the 2 pilots had a current instrument rating. And this guy's description of army vs. air force IMC procedures is correct.
From the plot Juan posted in the video it looks like the were climbing very quickly in the end.
Todd B: This is why I think he suffered some sort of spatial disorientation and then suddenly realized where he really was.
@@toddb930 but if they were climbing quickly at the end, wouldn't they be safe? Or did they crash in the mountains?
so we know he needed to climb due to IMC conditions. Why would he make extreme left turn instead of just remaining on his path and climb? I am confused why experienced pilot would make such drastic turn with almost no visibility?
@Carl Heading back to Burbank airport where he had come from?? But, too late and over too far from original path due to his speed...
Juan, thanks again for the professional and intelligent briefing on the events of the day. It is nice to know that there is someone to get this info from.
BAD DECISION LEAD TO DEATH NEVER SHOULD OF FLOW IN THIS WEATHER...GOD BLESS.
A tragic accident in poor weather conditions and possible pilot error to attend a basketball game! Sad 🙏
@@davidpoirier2504 The heli can fly comfortably at 8k+ feet in altitude, why fly so low,,,
@@svenmohamad8646 They were almost to Thousand Oaks where the game was. No need to fly that high. At the end of the day, the pilot made a tragic error by trying to do an emergency climb with those conditions.
It wasn't that bad of conditions until he dropped into Las Virgenes canyon. He didn't know until it was too late.
@@davidp2707 Oh, he knew. He just terribly misjudged. That chopper was equipped with the best of the best as far as technology goes.
My guts say chicken out if there's fog or bad visibility....
well thanks a lot but now it doesn't help! kobe is already dead!
I love to watch helicopters fly over my house in Fullerton and about 9:30 am I heard the CHP helo north on the 57 and maybe a P.D or private hrelo over my house and both were low ,loud and slow and I could not see either one of them on Sunday..Then I found out later what happened. Why is there not a mandatory grounding on days like that...it must of been nasty.all the way up from John Wayne.. If it was that bad, why didnt he just set it down...this is where our ego takes over and bad stuff hsppens
The pilot is the ultimate law and noone is above him on deciding if safety is an issue or not so if you say ego has to be his.
Should've taken the Cadillac. But hey what can u do, what's done is done they didn't wake up knowing today was their last day. So sad.
Cleary s...great contribution...!
I heard 5 fatalities and other reports say 9 fatalities. Either way sad news. Condolences. Guess as Jaun said he was doing 180 deg turn to go back.
Thanks for your timely report. Casualties have been updated to 9
Nailed it Sir exactly my summation after looking at the ADSB data and listing to ATC communications. High pilot workload in rapidly diminishing weather conditions in a helicopter equals spacial disorientation controlled flight into terrain. Another outstanding video sir.
Juan, thank you for your informative report. Americ needs a great many more persons that possess the same calibre as your good self.
Did you see any reports that all police and emergency helicopters had been grounded prior to Bryant's takeoff because it was deemed unsafe flying conditions?
And yet a chopper was flying over the site while wreckage was still smoldering and fog was still visible.........?
@@saymyname8573 I saw that later too... time difference?? Don't know if you have ever been there but I have witness a fog actually roll in and roll out an hour 1/2 later. Sun heats up the air and it thins out quick. And maybe because of who was on the crashed chopper?
@MaVeRiCk MoDe Normally, in emergency services helicopter operations... the decision chain for making a flight goes like this.
The pilot checks the aircraft and the weather, and makes a GO-NO GO decision.
The emergency service workers assigned to that aircraft, shut their pie holes and ACCEPT the pilot's decision.
What type of an emergency call comes in, or who is the subject of that emergency call, generally does NOT factor into a go-no go decision for an emergency services pilot.
REASON: Crashing an aircraft automatically means "Mission Failure and fatalities in the aircraft and on the ground". Dead responders can't help anyone... and a smashed emergency services helicopter doesn't do anyone any good... while actually making the problem WORSE.
@Saymy Name Yeah, more people go put themselves at risk to go see if they can save someone... Happens all the time.
@MaVeRiCk MoDe no they dont break those rules.
As a weather forecaster I like your explanation of the effects of met on flight ops.
Thanks Juan. I stayed away from the MSM waiting for your video. A sad thing, It reminds me so much of Stevie Ray Vaughn.
CFIT got my brother and his good friend in a fixed wing while scud running 11 years ago almost to the day. Sad part is pilots still continue to make that same mistake. The NTSB records are full of crashes because of VFR flight into IMC.
Sorry to hear about your brother, Jim. We lost several pilots that I knew here in the midwest this summer. CFIT.
The fog was so thick at the location of the crash. I knew someone 2 miles away, and they said that they had never seen it so foggy outside as it was that morning. Such a tragic event and loss. RIP everyone on board.
Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI) was strong the day before the crash.
It was as seen on Jeffrey Star snap that day. He even said he feels like he’s in top of the clouds
Fog always is bad in the Valley. I live a hour and a half from there in the valley. So your friend obviously has no clue.
In not so technical terms...common sense dictates...
The #1 cause and most overlooked fact of fixed wing and rotor aircraft not making successful flights...(wait for it)...
*GRAVITY*
Thought there was a 3rd recent crash where someone flew into a building in NY in low clouds.
Onto a building. I live about 1.5 miles away. My take was that he was trying to transition from the east side of Manhattan to the west side and the Hudson River, that he was in and out of the base of a low ceiling, saw a clear roof area and dove for it with tragic results. We'll see what the NTSB says.
that was in June
Yep... From VFR to inadvertently entering IMC in the mountains... The party is over. 😔
Thank you for the explanation that a helicopter needs to keep moving. I was wondering why the pilot couldn’t have just hovered and said May Day
I guess the only good thing to come from this is that they all had no idea they were in danger and were killed instantly when it slammed into the mountain and exploded. RIP to all onboard.
They sent pilot North to the 118 past Van Nuys Airport, then he was allowed to come down to the South. He more than likely dropped below the deck trying to get a visual on the 101. And that was that. No one was flying there helicopters in this area until early afternoon because of the soup. When the fire department isn't flying, and they know the terrain like the back of their hand, you have to question the Pilot's judgement.
Witnesses claim the helicopter was struggling to maintain altitude and its engine sounded "odd" before impact.
@Hal 9000 I agree, with airplanes. The sound of stalling rotor blades make a pretty distinct sound though (descending with power?). The account I read didn't specifically state that, but it was the impression I got of what the witness was trying to convey.
9 souls lost. Keep up the detailed reporting!!
The moment I saw the first pictures of the crash scene today, I knew that weather may have played a factor. Terrible. May they all rest in peace and may the families of the victims find comfort and peace in this situation. BTW, thanks for this video, I got here from that VASAviation video that you referenced.
1 mile visibility requirement for SVFR only applies to fixed wing. Still probably not enough for that terrain. Likely, CFIT 😔
The pilot was in a hurry to get his passengers to their destination. He was running at 140 knots in bad conditions. He should have stuck to the road, slowed down and if need be set it down. That is the advantage of the helicopter over an airplane. Nine people's lives were extinguished yesterday, very sad.
Thanks for the update, Juan. Our sincere condolences, prayers, and thoughts go out to the families of everyone lost today. 😭💔🙏
Your earlier reference to VASAviation was an excellent one. They also have a video about this including the conversation between the chopper and the various controllers. Thanks again for another excellent video.
Juan should have listened to this before this video
@@dalestephan6777 juan commented on that very video before he recorded this video
ua-cam.com/video/B0pQfgi9ZqU/v-deo.html
@@veritasetlibertas7889 Thanks. I should have posted a link but wasn't thinking!
Based on Lirio's observation it was due to pilot error. Then when flying these kind of vehicles they need to ensure pilots are trained to handle these aerial machines. I recall a report from 5 years ago that indicated most aircraft pilots due to complacency with auto pilots no longer know what to do in case of an emeegency. This looks like a case of this pilot
I've got all his albums, what a great guitar player he was. Will miss his music.
Well done, Juan. There is a fine line, and you know where it is. Report the facts. Hint at what MIGHT be some very probable contributing factors.... but that's it. Hold to the facts. Well done, sir !
Thank you, Juan. Surely I'm not alone when I say you can always be counted on for informative expert analysis without hype or drama. A treasured resource.