Kobe Bryant and 3 others killed in Helicopter Crash.

His own private helicopter too.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...licopter-crash

I meant to put this in Sandbox. Can a mod please move it? Thanks!

Sad, four daughters, one less that a year old.

omg. And I was just hearing that LeBron surpassed his record.
The man really changed and evolved through the NBA and after.
He didn't just try to live on the laurels of his career.
Won an award for a book he wrote/helped write.

Truly sad.

Wow that sucks. Koby was a class act with no hiv like majic

I am hearing unconfirmed news that one or more of his 4 daughters may have been with him.

Report I read said his oldest daughter, 14, was with him. Made no mention of the additional 2 or 3 occupants, as various reports saying with 4 or 5 dead.

Tragic end for a superior talent and young lives cut short.

Looks like it was confirmed that Kobe's 2nd daughter Gianna Maria, one of her basketball teammates and one of her parents were the other occupants (other than pilot) of the helicopter. Devastating for all concerned!!! Gob bless them all!

WOW.... update says 9 people on board!!! This just gets worse!

It's a Sikorsky S-76.

Twin engined, 4 bladed main and tail rotors.

$13 million each.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_S-76

It seats 8-12 people in the back depending on the model and configuration plus the pilot and copilot or pilot and passenger in the front.

More info on Bryan't helicopter:

https://www.businessinsider.com/kobe...ky-s-76-2020-1

This is so damn devestating. He and his daughter lives lost.

9 died
Ca Collage Baseball Couch and his wife and child was o the fight

Sad news. RIP to all

Idiot reporters want to be the first even if it means they are saying the wrong things.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/o...-bryants-death

From TMZ Sports

4:30 PM PT -- L.A. weather was extremely foggy Sunday morning, and law enforcement sources tell us even LAPD air support was grounded because of it. Flight tracker data shows Kobe's chopper appeared to first encounter weather issues as it was above the L.A. Zoo. It circled that area at least 6 times at a very low altitude -- around 875 feet -- perhaps waiting for the fog to clear.

We know the pilot contacted the control tower at Burbank Airport around 9:30 AM PT, and the tower was aware the pilot had been circling for about 15 minutes. The pilot eventually headed north along the 118 freeway before turning to the west, and started following above the 101 freeway around Woodland Hills, CA.

At around 9:40 AM they encounter more weather -- as in seriously heavy fog -- and the chopper turned south. This was critical, because they turned toward a mountainous area. The pilot suddenly and rapidly climbed from about 1200 feet up to 2000 feet.

However, moments later -- around 9:45 AM -- they flew into a mountain at 1700 feet. Flight tracker data shows they were flying at about 161 knots.

I hate to sound like a complete ass but Buddy Holly, Pasty Cline, JFK Junior and countless others all died in small aircraft during bad weather. Now Kobe. You would think the pilots and the FAA would just say no. Nope. We are not flying today and that’s that.

I agree.

Not only that.

Those folks had money.

Why are they being stingy with it (Kobe exempted, he went all out and bought a big twin engine chopper) when they charter or buy an airplane.

JFK JR with all his money buys a little one engine 3 blades Piper prop plane and he wasn't even instrument rated to fly it.

He could had waited for the weather to lift or at least pay a rated pilot to fly it but nope, he flew it himself.

If I had their money, I would be buying something with at least 2-3 engines.

Look at Travolta.

Now he is smart!

He has his own 707 and many others and he is certified and licensed and rated to fly them.

https://beam.land/aviation/the-full-...-jet-fleet-942

Or these other celebrities:

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/th...pilots-4050360