Goeiemore, LA
Just about a year ago, Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, en seven other people are dead in a helicopter crash in Calabasas.
At the time of the accident, it was unclear why or how the accident happened. There was no black box, and those who knew the pilot testifies to his skill and experience, noting that Bryant regularly flew with him.
Yesterday, however, experts from the National Transport Safety Council announced the conclusion of their investigation in the crash: They believe the pilot, Ara Zorbayan, violated policy by trying to navigate the helicopter through clouds and probably became disoriented because he lost visual references, my colleague reported. Emily Henderson. It then appears that he mistakenly turned the helicopter into a descent instead of an ascent, and crashed it down the hill.
In their initial investigation into the accident, federal experts investigating the scene said Zorbayan climbed to 2,300 feet to avoid the clouds but did not provide much more detail. He operated the helicopter under air rules that required him to have a clear view of the ground at all times. An NTSB expert said LAist at the time that flying under these regulations is ‘very common’.
In a minute-by-minute relaxation of the flight, Vanity Fair Reporter Jeff Wise paints a picture of Kobe’s recent journey as one that includes unnecessary – and ultimately fatal – risks. Zorbayan’s attempt to move through the cloud cover was illegal, and he would have known so much about it. A series of decisions, from flying despite poor conditions to a low hill pass, contributed to the crash.
In LA, tributes to Kobe and all those who died on January 26, 2020, in the form of murals, memorials, spoken tributes, light exhibitions, photos in the sand, and much more. Eventually, families lost loved ones, young lives were cut short and LA lost a legend – but one whose legacy will live on.
Read on for more information on what’s happening in LA today, and stay safe out there.
What else do you need to know today
Before you leave … The Oscar shortlist is here
The Academy Awards will only be handed out at the end of April. But to make the selection process a little easier, committees within the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have shortlisted the best works in nine categories.
The shortened lists mean that thousands of Oscar voters will have far fewer submissions to sift through. In the Documentary Feature category, for example, the shortlist has given 238 qualifying films up to 15 titles. In the race for the best international function, submissions from 93 countries were also completed to 15 candidates.
Watch some of the movies that made the cut.
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