Sad news, Kobe Bryant Dies in Helicopter Crash

[TC215]

I think that is a strawman argument. Until the NTSB makes a ruling, it is premature to state why the helicopter was flying to begin with, but you're in effect arguing that the helicopter company that owned and operated this helicopter knew better. But did they?

The company in question was involved in another fatal helicopter crash in southern California in 2008 - while it appears that the conditions were more favorable - it brings into question a number of issues with the company overall. A private charter company that has two fatal accidents in a 12-year period should be viewed as suspect - https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.a...08MA136&akey=1

There are still known facts, even without an NTSB report.

The pilot had to get a Special VFR clearance, meaning that the weather was below VFR minimums. The pilot requested flight following from ATC at one point, but was too low for radar coverage. The helicopter impacted a hillside.

The whole thing screams of controlled flight into terrain, fueled by get-there-itis.

[JAD]

So we are all going to bash Taren but forget that Kobe raped a girl in 2003?

Kobe was publicly known to be a faithful Catholic. Like all living Catholics he was a sinner, but he appears to have worked through some of his shit, stayed married, and to have done the best he could. It’s appropriate to pray that he and his family will receive God’s mercy and it gives me reason to think about how I’m living my own life and working on my stuff.

There are lessons to be derived from what we know about Mr. Butler as well.

I think it’s productive to reflect (maybe not comment, too much) about things that happen to public figures, not because it matters what judgement we might form on those people but because they provide examples for how we can ourselves live (and die) better.

[Guinnessman]

Here is a video that shows the flight path of the helicopter carrying Kobe and his family. Listening to the ATC recording you can hear the reports of low ceilings and visibility.

[Joe in PNG]

I would propose that common decency would dictate waiting until after the funeral before bringing up unpleasant things from a person's past.

Give the families a chance to mourn their loss.

[vcdgrips]

"She perused a civil suit against him and settled for money. Why pay her if she was full of it?"

To echo others, Companies/entities settle civil law suits all the time regardless of the facts/fault/actual liability in a given case. In Kobe's case, I would speculate (note the choice of words) that peace in his house, some likely insurance coverage and what it was costing him in lost endorsement and/or sales revenues, all counseled for settling the matter.

Perhaps a difference in degree than in kind vis a vis KB v TB, KB's victim was absolutely an adult, was not his employee and was not underage when she first came to his attention. KB 25 v 19. TB 45+ v 16+.

[David C.]

"She perused a civil suit against him and settled for money. Why pay her if she was full of it?"

To echo others, Companies/entities settle civil law suits all the time regardless of the facts/fault/actual liability in a given case. In Kobe's case, I would speculate (note the choice of words) that peace in his house, some likely insurance coverage and what it was costing him in lost endorsement and/or sales revenues, all counseled for settling the matter.

Perhaps a difference in degree than in kind vis a vis KB v TB, KB's victim was absolutely an adult, was not his employee and was not underage when she first came to his attention. KB 25 v 19. TB 45+ v 16+.

And Jade Struck did not file a criminal complaint alleging rape, while KB's victim did.

[HCM]

I think that is a strawman argument. Until the NTSB makes a ruling, it is premature to state why the helicopter was flying to begin with, but you're in effect arguing that the helicopter company that owned and operated this helicopter knew better. But did they?

The company in question was involved in another fatal helicopter crash in southern California in 2008 - while it appears that the conditions were more favorable - it brings into question a number of issues with the company overall. A private charter company that has two fatal accidents in a 12-year period should be viewed as suspect - https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.a...08MA136&akey=1

As TC215 mentioned there is clear information indicating the pilot and charter operator should have known better than to fly in those conditions.

Which then begs the question why ? Why fly in weather in which emergency service helicopters considered to risky? The obvious answer to to accommodate someone they considered an influential client.

Mistaking athletes and other entertainers for people of importance is a defect in our culture, not a slight against the late Mr. Bryant himself. In fact, it appears he is a victim of this cult of personality. If the pilot or charter operator had followed their professional standards and told him no instead of indulging in America's cult of personality he would be alive today.

[peterb]

I’ve talked with the head of our regional medical helicopter service. They’ve developed some interesting safety policies.
One is that everyone on the flight has a say in the decision to launch. If any one of the crew —pilots or medical personnel — says they’re not comfortable with the conditions, they don’t go.
Another is that the crew is not told what the call is until they decide it’s safe to fly. They’re just given the location. That takes a lot of pressure off their shoulders.

[mmc45414]

Another is that the crew is not told what the call is until they decide it’s safe to fly. They’re just given the location. That takes a lot of pressure off their shoulders.

A friend flew for years as a flight nurse and said their pilot was never given any specifics about the accident victim so that it would not factor into any go/no-go decisions. Dunno if that is still a common practice.

[David S.]

Which then begs the question why were they flying when others deemed it unsafe to do so ? I believe the answer is Bryant’s so called “celebrity” status ? I believe made the common mistake of confusing athletes and other entertainers for people of importance and made an extremely bad decision in an attempt to accommodate that false status.

Isn't the primary purpose of LEO helicopters to see bad guys and catch speeders? Presumably both require good visual conditions. LE rotor aircraft is way out of my lane but, I can imagine plenty of reasons why a private or charter aircraft would be flying in conditions that would ground LE aircraft from routine activity.

I don't know the pilot, but presumably he/she was qualified and trained to fly that particular helicopter in those weather conditions. The fact that he was flying in clouds/fog, in and of itself, doesn't seem unreasonable or out of the ordinary.

ETA: Special VFR is questionable as F$@%, especially single pilot. A safer choice would have been full IFR, but I could understand why, in SoCal, one would choose not to wait for the safest choice. (Not an endorsement of doing so, just understandable)