Kobe Bryant Killed in Helicopter Crash

[JeffInDFW]

The flight track follows the Ventura highway into a slight canyon, turns left between hills and continues this left hand turn into the hillside. Reports of fog in the area. ----- Evan wondering about fuel exhaustion.....If you look at the flight track you will see they spent time circling an area half way through the flight, burning fuel.....

[Evan]

Here is the same registration N72EX in a livery that resembles the wreckage. N72EX was owned by Island Express Holding Corporation d.b.a. IEX Helicopters. This is a 1991 build S-76.




N76ILL (this could be the same aircraft under a previous registration - N76ILL is not currently in the FAA database ).

[Evan]

The wreckage in the crash photo does not appear to be the same helo as the one he is seen standing in front of. It might have been a charter.

[Gabriel]

Reportedly, the 5 fatalities are Kobe and one of his 4 daughters (they were going to a basketball game where she would play), a teammate of her daughter, her father, and the pilot.

[Evan]

One witness mentioned that there was no dense black smoke, only thin grey smoke as in this photo. I also see no signs of significant fire. Fuel exhaustion?

[Evan]

Reportedly an S-76. It crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California around 10am today. 5 reported dead. No word on the suspected cause as of yet.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51256756