Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two

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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#561 » by TimRobbins » Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:47 pm

Ambrose wrote:It was Kobe's private pilot. People said Kobe refused to fly with anyone but him.


That makes it even more bizarre since everything we know about the incident suggests a huge pilot error, from the fact chose to fly in bad whether conditions to his mishandling of the situation which resulted in the crash.
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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#562 » by MagicBagley18 » Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:50 pm

lakerz12 wrote:
MagicBagley18 wrote:
lakerz12 wrote:I'm saying this from a humble place and mean no disrespect toward the pilot or his family. And I am not an aviation expert. But:

I don't understand why he thought it was okay to fly at that altitude.

Was he completely ignorant of the fact that there are hills at that altitude?

Seems like a blatant and dumb error. It doesn't add up with the fact that he is supposedly a very experienced pilot.

Maybe he didn't have a lot of experience in that region and was off his normal path. Also, why didn't someone in Air Traffic Control tell him that there were hills at that altitude or did they?

It seems like it would cross anyone's mind that being that low was a risk. Observers have said there was no evidence that anything was wrong with the helicopter.



TMZ has said that he did have experience in that area but again it’s tmz I think obviously we will never know but u have to chalk it up as he just panicked. It happened so quick so fast and you go from visibility to no visibility if he did in fact get caught in a cloud layer. I’m sure on board there was panick as well- children involved etc.

Again there’s no excuses but it’s just a terrible stress filled situation that require immediate decisions which can impact lives


It didn't happen that quickly though, that's the thing.

Not even counting all of the time prior to the final minutes (that he was hovering around Glendale, for example---he could have probably landed somewhere if he wanted to) - - -

If you watch the above video with the eye/ear witness account, the helicopter was traveling at a very low speed (I think he said maybe 3-7 MPH).

There was plenty of time to think that maybe we are at too low of an altitude.

See the Air Traffic Control person that said "you are still too low" - - but it wasn't said with a lot of urgency.

But it's not like the helicopter suddenly dropped and fell to this hill level.

He was traveling slowly at this altitude for a prolonged period of time. My question is why the thought didn't occur that this was a dangerous altitude.

Maybe he was trying to avoid being in the fog. But that was obviously a blatant error.


The decisions the pilot had to make happened quickly. They are split second or decisions that need to be made very much in the fly. I’m not gonna get to much into the back and forth but it’s very easy to villainy the pilot now but in real time those real life decisions when they impact people’s lives are much harder and have to be much quicker than what an eye witness account lays out.
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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#563 » by Dzon Dilindzer » Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:50 pm

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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#564 » by Ambrose » Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:52 pm

TimRobbins wrote:
Ambrose wrote:It was Kobe's private pilot. People said Kobe refused to fly with anyone but him.


That makes it even more bizarre since everything we know about the incident suggests a huge pilot error, from the fact chose to fly in bad whether conditions to his mishandling of the situation which resulted in the crash.


The conditions supposedly weren't a problem for the majority of the trip. The most accepted telling of events right now is the pilot rose up to avoid terrain, realized the fog was too much, turned around to go back the way he came and didn't see that the terrain had risen on the sides and there was an immediate crash.
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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#565 » by dr3am » Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:53 pm

I wish this was really a dream man, this man was my childhood... Never was a fan but respect means everything in life. I fell off the NBA when he retired & when my fav player (the guy in my avatar) retired last year I felt like I did as well.

There will NEVER be another Kobe Bryant. Point blank.
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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#566 » by TimRobbins » Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:54 pm

Ambrose wrote:
TimRobbins wrote:
Ambrose wrote:It was Kobe's private pilot. People said Kobe refused to fly with anyone but him.


That makes it even more bizarre since everything we know about the incident suggests a huge pilot error, from the fact chose to fly in bad whether conditions to his mishandling of the situation which resulted in the crash.


The conditions supposedly weren't a problem for the majority of the trip. The most accepted telling of events right now is the pilot rose up to avoid terrain, realized the fog was too much, turned around to go back the way he came and didn't see that the terrain had risen on the sides and there was an immediate crash.


So why did the police ground it's helicopter fleet?

In any case, every version of the story comes down to pilot error. Tragic and fatal.
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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#567 » by OkcSinceSGA » Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:57 pm

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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#568 » by Ambrose » Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:57 pm

TimRobbins wrote:
Ambrose wrote:
TimRobbins wrote:
That makes it even more bizarre since everything we know about the incident suggests a huge pilot error, from the fact chose to fly in bad whether conditions to his mishandling of the situation which resulted in the crash.


The conditions supposedly weren't a problem for the majority of the trip. The most accepted telling of events right now is the pilot rose up to avoid terrain, realized the fog was too much, turned around to go back the way he came and didn't see that the terrain had risen on the sides and there was an immediate crash.


So why did the police ground it's helicopter fleet?

In any case, every version of the story comes down to pilot error. Tragic and fatal.


Different area and the fog was dissipating pretty much everywhere except that spot for some reason explained that I don't remember. The pilot made a judgement call in real time that works out 9/10 times. I personally don't blame him.
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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#569 » by TimRobbins » Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:59 pm

MagicBagley18 wrote:The decisions the pilot had to make happened quickly. They are split second or decisions that need to be made very much in the fly. I’m not gonna get to much into the back and forth but it’s very easy to villainy the pilot now but in real time those real life decisions when they impact people’s lives are much harder and have to be much quicker than what an eye witness account lays out.


I don't think anybody believes the pilot is a "villain". I'm pretty sure he didn't fly into a mountain by purpose, but I'm also sure he made several errors which caused this terrible tragedy. This one is on the pilot. The pilot made the call to fly despite the whether conditions and the pilot made the mistakes which led him to crash against a mountain.
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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#570 » by zshawn10 » Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:00 pm

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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#571 » by TimRobbins » Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:00 pm

Ambrose wrote:
TimRobbins wrote:
Ambrose wrote:
The conditions supposedly weren't a problem for the majority of the trip. The most accepted telling of events right now is the pilot rose up to avoid terrain, realized the fog was too much, turned around to go back the way he came and didn't see that the terrain had risen on the sides and there was an immediate crash.


So why did the police ground it's helicopter fleet?

In any case, every version of the story comes down to pilot error. Tragic and fatal.


Different area and the fog was dissipating pretty much everywhere except that spot for some reason explained that I don't remember. The pilot made a judgement call in real time that works out 9/10 times. I personally don't blame him.


9/10 is not good enough... I wouldn't take a trip in which I would die 1/10 times. There is no way you don't blame the pilot on this one. It was on him.
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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#572 » by OkcSinceSGA » Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:01 pm

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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#573 » by Mikistan » Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:01 pm

TimRobbins wrote:
MagicBagley18 wrote:The decisions the pilot had to make happened quickly. They are split second or decisions that need to be made very much in the fly. I’m not gonna get to much into the back and forth but it’s very easy to villainy the pilot now but in real time those real life decisions when they impact people’s lives are much harder and have to be much quicker than what an eye witness account lays out.


I don't think anybody believes the pilot is a "villain". I'm pretty sure he didn't fly into a mountain by purpose, but I'm also sure he made several errors which caused this terrible tragedy. This one is on the pilot. The pilot made the call to fly despite the whether conditions and the pilot made the mistakes which led him to crash against a mountain.

Kobe made the decision to buy a helicopter and the decision to travel by it whether there was fog or not.
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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#574 » by TimRobbins » Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:03 pm

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**** man. After work I just want to give my daughter a big kiss.

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Both my daughters...

You have 3 young daughters who will have to go on without a father and a sister. That's a scar that can never go away.
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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#575 » by TimRobbins » Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:05 pm

Mikistan wrote:
TimRobbins wrote:
MagicBagley18 wrote:The decisions the pilot had to make happened quickly. They are split second or decisions that need to be made very much in the fly. I’m not gonna get to much into the back and forth but it’s very easy to villainy the pilot now but in real time those real life decisions when they impact people’s lives are much harder and have to be much quicker than what an eye witness account lays out.


I don't think anybody believes the pilot is a "villain". I'm pretty sure he didn't fly into a mountain by purpose, but I'm also sure he made several errors which caused this terrible tragedy. This one is on the pilot. The pilot made the call to fly despite the whether conditions and the pilot made the mistakes which led him to crash against a mountain.

Kobe made the decision to buy a helicopter and the decision to travel by it whether there was fog or not.


No! Kobe can't make that call. Pilot is in charge of passenger safety. He failed.
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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#576 » by alienswon » Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:06 pm

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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#577 » by MagicBagley18 » Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:07 pm

TimRobbins wrote:
MagicBagley18 wrote:The decisions the pilot had to make happened quickly. They are split second or decisions that need to be made very much in the fly. I’m not gonna get to much into the back and forth but it’s very easy to villainy the pilot now but in real time those real life decisions when they impact people’s lives are much harder and have to be much quicker than what an eye witness account lays out.


I don't think anybody believes the pilot is a "villain". I'm pretty sure he didn't fly into a mountain by purpose, but I'm also sure he made several errors which caused this terrible tragedy. This one is on the pilot. The pilot made the call to fly despite the whether conditions and the pilot made the mistakes which led him to crash against a mountain.


you and I have no idea what happened or who made the call so I won’t get into a back and forth. None of us know. You don’t know if he said the conditions are bad and Kobe said let’s give it a go anyways. You have absolutely no idea and unfortunately none of Us will ever know.


The pilot obviously made some mistakes and the word is “vilify” has nothing to do with being a villain but means to speak disparagingly about someone. Now with new information given that Kobe and the pilot may have been close It’s probably more than likely that they both had discussions about whether to fly that day or not. I also don’t think Kobe would allow a pilot he didn’t have great confidence in to fly his children and family in.
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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#578 » by HMFFL » Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:07 pm

^ The pilot requested to be cleared to fly or not.
Someone is always trying to point the blame.

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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#579 » by BlazersBroncos » Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:17 pm

I presume the pilot request clearance from tower control and cant just say 'lets go!'.

Regardless, it seems he was a seasoned, veteran pilot. Even people that are really good at stuff can still screw up doing a task under pressure, even if they are usually excellent at executing said task under pressure. Veterans in WW2 would reach for a grenade that they had reached for dozens of times before only to accidentally pull the pin and blow themselves to pieces. Does that make them bad soldiers? Or just a guy who made a mistake in a moment of panic?
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Re: Kobe Bryant Discussion, Part Two 

Post#580 » by simple_jack » Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:18 pm

Feels like this pain will never go away.

**** that pilot

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