Like or hate him, don’t care about basketball, he is still a prominent figure in popular American pop culture, and his sudden death in a helicopter crash is stunning. Feel badly for his wife and kids

Edit part 2: ESPN and ABC incorrectly reported during the Pro Bowl that all 4 of his children died on the crash. Other sources now say only his 1w year old daughter was with him, along with another girl and her parent. The Sheriff now says that 9 people were on the helicopter

I will try and keep this OP accurate, my apologies for passing along the erroneous abc report

Link coming

https://www.tmz.com/2020/01/26...-crash-in-calabasas/

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kevbo,

Yep, all over the news here in LA. Tragic, they said his wife Venessa wasnt on board, hoping his kids werent either.

Lots of sources reporting this. 41 is very young to die when you have 500 million dollars left unspent. And four kids. Wife. Etc.

quote:

Eyewitnesses also tell us that they heard the helicopter's engine sputtering before it went down.

Especially losing control over bad fuel. In theory you can still land without engines. The 'record' is no-engines autorotation from 12,440 m (40,814 ft).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autorotation

Just heard a report his 4 kids were on board with him.

Looks like the other 4 people in the helicopter with him were his kids

No idea who was flying or their experience level.
Last I heard, could be wrong, but even Ft Rucker(primary training base for Army helicopter pilots) quit teaching autorotation.

quote:

Originally posted by stoic-one:
No idea who was flying or their experience level.
Last I heard, could be wrong, but even Ft Rucker quit teaching autorotation.

No helicopter flight training skips autorotation; it's integral and practiced regularly.

The difference at Rucker for a long time was autorotation to a touchdown, whereas most facilities teach autorotation to a power hover recovery. It's a part of every flight check and test.

All rotor pilots are taught and trained in, and regularly practice, and are required to demonstrate, autorotation, with no exception.

quote:

Originally posted by Kevbo:
Looks like the other 4 people in the helicopter with him were his kids

Horrible. I don’t give a rip about basketball, but that’s just absolutely horrible.

His kids as well? Just awful.

That's rough, that's really tragic.

Bryant commuted regularly via helicopter to the arena and around the SoCal area. Anybody that's flown or, flown-in helos regularly, knows that accidents, mishaps and crashes are not uncommon. this reminds me of concert promoter Bill Graham who also died in a helicopter crash. He also, was a regular helo commuter.

Every single day you are alive is a gift

RIP legend.

I think the report of his kids being on board is incorrect.

One of his daughters is not even a year old and that would assume he was flying the helicopter himself which is unlikely.

Doesn't add up.

https://mobile.twitter.com/AWa.../1221526799542255616

Sources confirm kids were not in board. ABC report was incorrect.

OK. He was a ball player, made millions of dollars.

What about the other four people on board?

God I hope that’s true. And fucking ESPN and ABC

quote:

Originally posted by Scurvy:
https://mobile.twitter.com/AWa.../1221526799542255616

Sources confirm kids were not in board. ABC report was incorrect.

quote:

Originally posted by Scurvy:
https://mobile.twitter.com/AWa.../1221526799542255616

Sources confirm kids were not in board. ABC report was incorrect.

That is great news.

quote:

Originally posted by bashman:
Just heard a report his 4 kids were on board with him.

They keep saying 4 people died. So the pilot, Kobe and two kids? I wonder how many kids he has. Imagine his wife. That’s horrific.

I don’t know how to process this. Absolutely devastating. Sad, sad day.

Reporting going on at Fox News right now.

Tragic that 4 lives were lost. I don't regard Kobe Bryant as being more important than the others--more famous, certainly, but not more important.

flashguy