Pilot in Kobe Bryant Crash May Have Experienced ‘Somatogravic Illusion’

Pilot in Kobe Bryant Crash May Have Experienced ‘Somatogravic Illusion’
Investigators work at the scene of the helicopter crash that killed nine people, including former NBA star Kobe Bryant, in Calabasas, Cali., on Jan. 27, 2020. James Anderson/National Transportation Safety Board/Getty Images
Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
|Updated:

Documents from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicate the pilot of the helicopter that crashed in January, killing nine people including NBA legend Kobe Bryant, may have become disoriented in foggy conditions.

While federal investigators have not yet determined the cause of the crash, details found in a newly-released docket indicate that the pilot, Ara Zobayan, may have “misperceived” the helicopter’s position amid bad weather and not realized the craft was losing altitude.
Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.
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