1 00:00:03,128 --> 00:00:04,212 (explosion) 2 00:00:04,587 --> 00:00:10,051 {\an8}Breaking news. Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash. 3 00:00:10,135 --> 00:00:12,137 (sirens wailing) 4 00:00:12,220 --> 00:00:16,224 NARRATOR: A high-profile aviation accident devastates Los Angeles. 5 00:00:16,766 --> 00:00:19,061 I’m just at a loss for words right now. 6 00:00:19,144 --> 00:00:22,605 NARRATOR: NTSB investigators quickly inspect the wreckage. 7 00:00:22,689 --> 00:00:27,101 All the mechanical systems, electronic systems, appeared to be working fine. 8 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,739 NARRATOR: The data provides a detailed picture of the entire flight. 9 00:00:30,822 --> 00:00:33,116 SEVILLIAN: So they get airborne just after 9:00, and then, 10 00:00:33,199 --> 00:00:35,082 they get held up for 12 minutes. 11 00:00:35,285 --> 00:00:38,413 ATC: November two, Echo X-ray. Hold outside Burbank airspace. 12 00:00:38,496 --> 00:00:40,438 Okay, we'll hold outside Burbank. 13 00:00:40,749 --> 00:00:43,710 HAUETER: Certainly this added to the time of the flight. 14 00:00:43,793 --> 00:00:47,088 ENGLISH: He’s bombing along here at about 140 knots. 15 00:00:47,589 --> 00:00:50,509 NARRATOR: Investigators must consider the unthinkable. 16 00:00:50,592 --> 00:00:52,302 Was he trying to make up for the lost time? 17 00:00:52,385 --> 00:00:54,929 A lot of people wonder if Kobe, being Kobe, 18 00:00:55,013 --> 00:00:57,182 might've put pressure on this pilot. 19 00:00:57,557 --> 00:01:00,727 NARRATOR: But there’s no evidence to support that suspicion. 20 00:01:00,810 --> 00:01:02,516 So what happened to this guy? 21 00:01:04,939 --> 00:01:06,998 PILOT (over radio): Mayday. Mayday. 22 00:01:09,402 --> 00:01:10,403 GPWS: Pull up. 23 00:01:11,946 --> 00:01:16,284 (indistinct radio transmissions) 24 00:01:30,173 --> 00:01:31,007 {\an8}Hey Ric. 25 00:01:33,009 --> 00:01:35,053 {\an8}ZOBAYAN: So I’m gonna go straight north to Dodger Stadium, 26 00:01:35,136 --> 00:01:39,666 {\an8}around Burbank, and follow the 118 to get up and around the weather down here. 27 00:01:39,808 --> 00:01:41,750 What’s the visibility of Burbank? 28 00:01:41,976 --> 00:01:45,388 Broken clouds, with five-mile visibility. We're good to go. 29 00:01:45,730 --> 00:01:51,027 NARRATOR: Ara Zobayan is a helicopter pilot with more than 8,000 flying hours. 30 00:01:51,778 --> 00:01:54,239 They'll be here in about 15 minutes. I'll meet them here and help get them loaded. 31 00:01:54,322 --> 00:01:55,156 Roger that. 32 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:57,576 NARRATOR: He’s the chief pilot for Island Express, 33 00:01:57,659 --> 00:02:01,746 a helicopter charter company based in California’s Los Angeles County. 34 00:02:02,872 --> 00:02:04,916 SCHROTENBOER: Island Express is a family-owned company 35 00:02:04,999 --> 00:02:07,919 that’s been in Southern California for a number of decades, 36 00:02:08,002 --> 00:02:12,757 and they’re known as a company that can provide VIP helicopter service. 37 00:02:14,008 --> 00:02:16,887 NARRATOR: Amongst their high-profile regular customers, 38 00:02:16,970 --> 00:02:18,805 media star Kylie Jenner, 39 00:02:18,888 --> 00:02:21,432 LA Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard, 40 00:02:22,100 --> 00:02:26,020 and today’s client, LA Lakers great Kobe Bryant. 41 00:02:26,896 --> 00:02:30,609 SCHROTENBOER: Kobe Bryant was one of the best basketball players of all time. 42 00:02:30,692 --> 00:02:32,986 He’s an iconic Los Angeles Laker. 43 00:02:33,069 --> 00:02:37,115 He was drafted by the team in 1996, when he was 17 years old. 44 00:02:37,198 --> 00:02:39,451 He became the heart and soul of the team for 20 years. 45 00:02:39,534 --> 00:02:43,652 He won five world championships. He went to the All-Star game 18 times, 46 00:02:44,122 --> 00:02:48,085 and really just became a huge star in his own right, apart from the team, 47 00:02:48,168 --> 00:02:51,463 in that he was recognized simply by his first name, Kobe. 48 00:02:52,630 --> 00:02:54,219 How’s everyone doing today? 49 00:02:54,549 --> 00:02:58,491 NARRATOR: Ara Zobayan has flown Kobe and his family dozens of times. 50 00:02:59,012 --> 00:03:00,307 Well, let’s get going. 51 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:04,893 SCHROTENBOER: Kobe and the pilot of this helicopter had really become friends, 52 00:03:04,976 --> 00:03:08,772 because he had piloted him so many times around Southern California 53 00:03:08,855 --> 00:03:11,107 that they developed a relationship. 54 00:03:11,858 --> 00:03:16,279 NARRATOR: Kobe Bryant flies in a luxury Sikorsky S-76B. 55 00:03:16,654 --> 00:03:19,125 It’s configured to carry eight passengers. 56 00:03:19,449 --> 00:03:23,578 SCHROTENBOER: The Sikorsky 76B is sort of like an air limousine 57 00:03:23,661 --> 00:03:26,789 in that it’s quite common for VIP travel. 58 00:03:26,873 --> 00:03:29,584 I think heads of state use it in different countries, 59 00:03:29,667 --> 00:03:33,491 and it’s also used as sort of an air ambulance in some situations. 60 00:03:34,214 --> 00:03:38,744 It’s spacious and reliable. It’s really considered about as safe as they come. 61 00:03:40,595 --> 00:03:43,515 NARRATOR: Kobe, his daughter Gianna, and six others 62 00:03:43,598 --> 00:03:47,602 are headed to a basketball tournament near Camarillo, 80 miles away. 63 00:03:50,146 --> 00:03:53,900 Kobe is the team’s coach; Gianna, the star player. 64 00:03:55,860 --> 00:03:58,363 Today’s 30-minute flight will take the helicopter 65 00:03:58,446 --> 00:04:01,908 north past Burbank and then west towards Camarillo. 66 00:04:03,034 --> 00:04:05,787 {\an8}Zobayan will follow two highways for guidance, 67 00:04:06,537 --> 00:04:10,458 {\an8}the 5 northwest and the 101 west to Camarillo. 68 00:04:12,418 --> 00:04:15,183 Hey everyone, it’s about to get loud back there. 69 00:04:15,588 --> 00:04:16,839 (beeping) 70 00:04:21,261 --> 00:04:25,139 Copter seven two Echo X-ray Island Express for east one departure. 71 00:04:25,223 --> 00:04:27,642 ATC 2 (over radio): Helicopter seven two Echo X-ray, 72 00:04:27,725 --> 00:04:31,188 cleared for departure from Island Express, have a good flight. 73 00:04:31,271 --> 00:04:32,919 Good flight, two Echo X-ray. 74 00:04:34,274 --> 00:04:38,403 NARRATOR: Just after 9:00 AM, the helicopter lifts off from Santa Ana. 75 00:04:41,739 --> 00:04:45,076 The destination is Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy. 76 00:04:46,202 --> 00:04:48,261 It’s a regular journey for Zobayan. 77 00:04:48,538 --> 00:04:51,416 He flew this same group there and back yesterday. 78 00:04:53,042 --> 00:04:55,212 BRENNER: He was a very experienced pilot. 79 00:04:55,295 --> 00:04:58,923 He was able to fly the helicopter at speed, 80 00:04:59,007 --> 00:05:04,053 at low altitude, in a very dense airspace, and deal with weather at the same time. 81 00:05:06,514 --> 00:05:08,391 NARRATOR: Since his early days as a player, 82 00:05:08,474 --> 00:05:10,685 Kobe Bryant has preferred helicopter travel 83 00:05:10,768 --> 00:05:13,604 to the crowded freeways of Southern California. 84 00:05:14,731 --> 00:05:18,849 He routinely uses helicopters for his personal and professional travel. 85 00:05:19,652 --> 00:05:21,696 SCHROTENBOER: Kobe loved to fly by helicopter 86 00:05:21,779 --> 00:05:24,603 just because he loved how much time it saved him. 87 00:05:25,241 --> 00:05:28,124 NARRATOR: Kurt Deetz also flew for Island Express. 88 00:05:28,911 --> 00:05:35,918 Flying in L.A. is like nowhere else. There is a large congestion 89 00:05:36,210 --> 00:05:39,881 of multiple type of airspace in a small area. 90 00:05:40,465 --> 00:05:42,925 So you’re always in and out of airspace. 91 00:05:44,385 --> 00:05:46,888 {\an8}NARRATOR: Today’s flight will first need to pass through 92 00:05:46,971 --> 00:05:51,351 {\an8}the controlled airspace surrounding Burbank and then Van Nuys. 93 00:05:52,685 --> 00:05:55,188 ZOBAYAN: Burbank, helicopter seven two Echo X-ray, 94 00:05:55,271 --> 00:05:59,448 Sikorsky helicopter, approaching the zoo for a 101 westbound transition. 95 00:06:00,151 --> 00:06:04,387 NARRATOR: Zobayan requests permission to pass through Burbank’s airspace. 96 00:06:04,614 --> 00:06:09,026 It’s a very busy airport, and the controllers, they know what they’re doing. 97 00:06:09,786 --> 00:06:12,247 November seven two Echo X-ray, Burbank tower. 98 00:06:12,330 --> 00:06:14,919 Burbank Class Charlie is IFR. Say intentions. 99 00:06:16,167 --> 00:06:21,005 NARRATOR: Burbank is only accepting IFR flights, or instrument flight rules, 100 00:06:21,089 --> 00:06:24,325 which requires pilots to navigate solely on instruments. 101 00:06:25,843 --> 00:06:31,474 Zobayan, however, is only authorized to fly using visual flight reference, or VFR. 102 00:06:32,767 --> 00:06:36,271 HAUETER: The threshold for visual flight is normally three miles. 103 00:06:36,354 --> 00:06:39,357 The Burbank Airport was two and a half miles. 104 00:06:40,441 --> 00:06:45,363 NARRATOR: With insufficient visibility for VFR, the controller denies his request. 105 00:06:46,531 --> 00:06:50,285 But Zobayan’s been flying helicopters in Southern California long enough 106 00:06:50,368 --> 00:06:52,703 to know a way around this restriction. 107 00:06:53,037 --> 00:06:56,214 Asking for Special VFR transition to the 101 westbound. 108 00:06:58,543 --> 00:07:00,962 HAUETER: A special VFR allows him 109 00:07:01,045 --> 00:07:06,300 to operate at lower than standard visibilities, down to one mile visibility. 110 00:07:08,469 --> 00:07:11,639 DEETZ: And that’s an agreement you have with the tower saying, 111 00:07:11,722 --> 00:07:16,185 "I'm here. I wanna go there. I'm requesting a Special VFR." 112 00:07:16,811 --> 00:07:20,523 NARRATOR: Special VFR allows Zobayan to navigate visually 113 00:07:20,648 --> 00:07:22,707 through the area of low visibility. 114 00:07:24,610 --> 00:07:27,614 November two Echo X-ray, hold outside Burbank airspace. 115 00:07:27,697 --> 00:07:30,867 I have an aircraft going around and an inbound Citation. 116 00:07:30,950 --> 00:07:35,303 NARRATOR: The controller authorizes Zobayan to cross into Burbank airspace, 117 00:07:36,164 --> 00:07:38,749 but under the rules of Special VFR, 118 00:07:38,833 --> 00:07:42,069 he must now wait until the airspace is clear of traffic. 119 00:07:43,087 --> 00:07:45,911 Okay, we’ll hold outside Burbank. Two echo X-ray. 120 00:07:47,592 --> 00:07:50,178 Hey everyone. We’ll have to circle here for a few minutes 121 00:07:50,261 --> 00:07:52,389 while we wait for a few planes to get out of our way. 122 00:07:52,472 --> 00:07:54,296 It shouldn't delay us too much. 123 00:07:56,517 --> 00:07:57,977 Anytime you have a hold, 124 00:07:58,644 --> 00:08:03,350 it puts a great deal of pressure on you as a pilot, because you're gonna be late. 125 00:08:08,905 --> 00:08:11,616 NARRATOR: Finally, after holding for 12 minutes, 126 00:08:11,699 --> 00:08:15,912 the Burbank airspace clears and Zobayan is allowed to pass through. 127 00:08:16,787 --> 00:08:20,583 November two Echo X-ray, cleared through Burbank. Maintain special VFR. 128 00:08:20,666 --> 00:08:24,196 Copy that. We'll maintain special VFR, copter two Echo X-ray. 129 00:08:26,380 --> 00:08:30,968 NARRATOR: From Burbank, the helicopter will follow the I-5 freeway northwest, 130 00:08:31,427 --> 00:08:34,847 and then the 118 around the top of Van Nuys airspace, 131 00:08:35,389 --> 00:08:38,017 then south to follow the 101 to Camarillo. 132 00:08:39,810 --> 00:08:44,273 Landmarks, for flying aircraft in L.A., is really important. 133 00:08:46,359 --> 00:08:48,278 NARRATOR: Kobe Bryant and the other passengers 134 00:08:48,361 --> 00:08:52,656 are anticipated to arrive in Camarillo just a few minutes behind schedule. 135 00:08:54,659 --> 00:08:59,071 Van Nuys, helicopter two Echo X-ray with you for the special VFR transition. 136 00:08:59,205 --> 00:09:01,875 ATC 3 (over radio): Helicopter seven two Echo X-ray, 137 00:09:01,958 --> 00:09:06,045 cleared into Van Nuys along the one 18 freeway westbound. 138 00:09:06,921 --> 00:09:11,510 NARRATOR: The helicopter is cleared to pass through the airspace near Van Nuys. 139 00:09:13,469 --> 00:09:16,881 Zobayan now dials in the final controller for this journey, 140 00:09:17,598 --> 00:09:20,481 the Southern California Radar Approach Controller, 141 00:09:20,643 --> 00:09:23,761 who will handle the flight until it reaches Camarillo. 142 00:09:24,021 --> 00:09:28,485 ZOBAYAN: SoCal, helicopter seven two Echo X-ray with you at five-70 to Camarillo. 143 00:09:28,568 --> 00:09:31,745 ATC 4: Helicopter seven two Echo X-ray, SoCal approach. 144 00:09:32,238 --> 00:09:36,284 Roger, are you just gonna stay down that low all the way to Camarillo? 145 00:09:36,367 --> 00:09:40,037 NARRATOR: The helicopter is flying 570 feet above the ground. 146 00:09:41,706 --> 00:09:44,001 Yes, sir, low altitude, two Echo X-ray. 147 00:09:44,667 --> 00:09:47,712 NARRATOR: Zobayan needs to stay below the clouds, 148 00:09:47,795 --> 00:09:50,384 which are around 1,000 feet above the ground. 149 00:09:51,424 --> 00:09:57,096 The way he went was the lowest route available because of the weather. 150 00:09:58,055 --> 00:10:00,644 Roger. I'm gonna lose radar with you shortly. 151 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:04,479 NARRATOR: But at the low altitude in hilly terrain, 152 00:10:04,562 --> 00:10:08,504 controllers won’t be able to maintain radar contact with the flight. 153 00:10:10,151 --> 00:10:13,504 The controllers would not see him on radar, he was so low. 154 00:10:14,113 --> 00:10:15,643 Copy that, two Echo-X-ray. 155 00:10:28,753 --> 00:10:33,401 NARRATOR: Less than ten minutes from his destination, the visibility gets worse. 156 00:10:34,467 --> 00:10:36,969 HAUETER: In the Los Angeles Basin area, 157 00:10:37,053 --> 00:10:41,974 it’s well known to get this marine layer of colder water temperatures, warmer air, 158 00:10:42,308 --> 00:10:45,956 where you get these low clouds, and you get lower visibilities. 159 00:10:47,563 --> 00:10:52,193 NARRATOR: Zobayan radios in his intention to climb above some low clouds. 160 00:10:53,694 --> 00:10:57,400 We’re gonna go ahead and start our climb to go above the layers. 161 00:11:06,582 --> 00:11:09,043 ATC 4: Two Echo X-ray, uh, where are ya? 162 00:11:09,585 --> 00:11:12,588 ZOBAYAN: Uh, just west of Van Nuys, two Echo X-ray. 163 00:11:14,256 --> 00:11:15,962 ATC 4: Two Echo X-ray, ident. 164 00:11:16,967 --> 00:11:20,138 NARRATOR: The controller hasn’t been tracking the helicopter. 165 00:11:20,221 --> 00:11:25,045 He needs Zobayan to flash his transponder signal so he can locate it on his screen. 166 00:11:25,935 --> 00:11:30,106 You press a button on your transponder that flashes on their radar screen, 167 00:11:30,189 --> 00:11:32,895 - so they know where you are. - ZOBAYAN: Ident. 168 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:40,104 Two Echo X-Ray, say intentions. 169 00:11:41,033 --> 00:11:44,092 ZOBAYAN: Uh, we’re climbing to 4,000. Two Echo X-ray. 170 00:11:46,247 --> 00:11:49,542 ATC 4: And what are you gonna do when you reach altitude? 171 00:12:02,930 --> 00:12:04,140 (explosion) 172 00:12:08,686 --> 00:12:10,647 NARRATOR: In the hills near Calabasas, 173 00:12:10,730 --> 00:12:14,730 witnesses see a helicopter emerge from the clouds and hit the ground. 174 00:12:15,693 --> 00:12:19,572 (radio chatter and sirens) 175 00:12:23,909 --> 00:12:28,615 NARRATOR: The team tracking Kobe Bryant’s flight realizes something’s gone wrong. 176 00:12:28,956 --> 00:12:32,074 The helicopter should have landed at Camarillo by now. 177 00:12:32,418 --> 00:12:35,007 It has disappeared from their flight tracker. 178 00:12:36,130 --> 00:12:40,426 We have some breaking news. A helicopter crash in Southern California. 179 00:12:40,509 --> 00:12:44,889 Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies responding to reports of that crash 180 00:12:44,972 --> 00:12:50,019 {\an8}just before 10:00 AM Pacific Time. It’s located in the Calabasas area. 181 00:12:50,603 --> 00:12:55,074 NARRATOR: It doesn't take long before the media is reporting the tragic news. 182 00:12:55,316 --> 00:13:00,196 Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, along with seven other people, 183 00:13:00,279 --> 00:13:02,691 have been killed in the helicopter crash. 184 00:13:03,866 --> 00:13:06,577 It’s just one of those things where you can read the words, 185 00:13:06,660 --> 00:13:09,622 and you kind of process them, but you don't really. 186 00:13:10,664 --> 00:13:15,370 It's hard for it to sink in because you gotta think about he’s never comin' back. 187 00:13:16,295 --> 00:13:17,130 MAN: He was the guy. 188 00:13:17,213 --> 00:13:21,625 He was my icon, my role model who got me into the sport, who got me playing. 189 00:13:22,885 --> 00:13:25,180 I’m just at a loss for words right now. 190 00:13:26,055 --> 00:13:30,114 MAN 3: You won’t see another player like him again. He will be missed. 191 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:34,772 SCHROTENBOER: There is this tremendous outpouring of grief in Los Angeles. 192 00:13:34,855 --> 00:13:39,193 People flocked to Staples Center. Left all kinds of different mementoes. 193 00:13:41,612 --> 00:13:43,906 MAN: This is much bigger than basketball, I think, 194 00:13:43,989 --> 00:13:47,076 Just 'cause, uh, I think Kobe was a real symbol, you know, 195 00:13:47,159 --> 00:13:49,203 of just hard work and dedication. 196 00:13:50,037 --> 00:13:53,583 SCHROTENBOER: Everybody was really just heartsick by what happened. 197 00:13:53,666 --> 00:13:56,877 Love you Kobe. Love you, Gigi. And all the family. 198 00:14:02,091 --> 00:14:05,636 We’re here to conduct a safety investigation 199 00:14:06,387 --> 00:14:09,932 and our mission is not to just determine what happened 200 00:14:10,683 --> 00:14:13,185 but why it happened and how it happened 201 00:14:13,269 --> 00:14:16,647 to prevent a similar accident from ever happening again. 202 00:14:18,774 --> 00:14:22,363 NARRATOR: The NTSB begins its investigation at the crash site, 203 00:14:22,653 --> 00:14:26,824 looking for any clues to explain why a state-of-the-art helicopter, 204 00:14:27,157 --> 00:14:33,163 being flown by a highly experienced pilot, crashed 24 miles short of its destination. 205 00:14:34,790 --> 00:14:37,543 The first thing you do at the crash site is try to see 206 00:14:37,626 --> 00:14:40,462 did all the components make it to the crash site? 207 00:14:41,088 --> 00:14:43,049 Was there any kind of mechanical failure? 208 00:14:43,132 --> 00:14:46,603 You know, did a rotor blade break, or a tail rotor come off? 209 00:14:48,095 --> 00:14:51,307 NARRATOR: The team uses a drone to scan the accident site 210 00:14:51,390 --> 00:14:53,390 and study the shape of the debris. 211 00:14:53,809 --> 00:14:55,520 HAUETER: Looking at this accident site, 212 00:14:55,603 --> 00:14:59,015 it’s very clear this was a relatively high rate of descent. 213 00:14:59,523 --> 00:15:03,319 The helicopter hit and the wreckage then bounced about 90 feet 214 00:15:03,402 --> 00:15:04,991 to where it came to a rest. 215 00:15:05,863 --> 00:15:08,574 So there was a lot more vertical speed here 216 00:15:08,657 --> 00:15:10,599 than you have a horizontal speed. 217 00:15:11,535 --> 00:15:15,300 And all the parts of the helicopter made it to the accident site. 218 00:15:19,835 --> 00:15:24,798 NARRATOR: Investigators study flight control surfaces, the engines, and rotors, 219 00:15:24,882 --> 00:15:27,588 as well as the helicopter’s flight instruments. 220 00:15:28,510 --> 00:15:30,763 HAUETER: Examination components found that 221 00:15:30,846 --> 00:15:35,768 there was no evidence of any pre-impact failures, that all the mechanical systems, 222 00:15:35,851 --> 00:15:40,028 electronic systems, everything at that time appeared to be working fine. 223 00:15:42,566 --> 00:15:45,570 NARRATOR: The NTSB’s Bill English has led investigations 224 00:15:45,653 --> 00:15:49,239 into some of the world’s most notorious aviation accidents. 225 00:15:49,323 --> 00:15:51,794 We need to cover all our bases on this one. 226 00:15:52,785 --> 00:15:55,746 HAUETER: Knowing there’s a high-profile person onboard, 227 00:15:55,829 --> 00:15:59,750 obviously NTSB responded with a major investigations team. 228 00:16:00,584 --> 00:16:04,838 Okay. He takes off at 9:07. He flies northwest. 229 00:16:05,881 --> 00:16:07,800 {\an8}NARRATOR: To better understand what happened, 230 00:16:07,883 --> 00:16:10,970 {\an8}investigators piece together a detailed flight path 231 00:16:11,053 --> 00:16:14,890 {\an8}from an ADS-B system that’s onboard the Sikorsky helicopter. 232 00:16:17,351 --> 00:16:20,729 ADS-B data is like transponder data. 233 00:16:21,522 --> 00:16:24,900 Controllers can see it, it's recorded your airspeed, 234 00:16:24,984 --> 00:16:30,781 altitude and headings, other information. And so you have this plotting capability. 235 00:16:31,323 --> 00:16:34,368 Looks like there’s some kind of hold here at Burbank, 236 00:16:34,451 --> 00:16:39,164 then he follows the I-5 to Van Nuys and then south to the 101, 237 00:16:39,248 --> 00:16:43,377 which he follows until he makes this U-turn, straight into a hillside. 238 00:16:44,336 --> 00:16:48,215 HAUETER: You see this turn to the left, where he’s coming back around 239 00:16:48,298 --> 00:16:49,842 or doing something. 240 00:16:49,925 --> 00:16:52,470 And that question is now in the investigation. 241 00:16:52,553 --> 00:16:54,930 What’s exactly the pilot doing here? 242 00:16:55,681 --> 00:16:57,799 Let's take a look at the visibility. 243 00:16:58,517 --> 00:17:03,047 {\an8}NARRATOR: They study visibility reports from weather stations along the route. 244 00:17:03,981 --> 00:17:06,025 He did manage to avoid the worst of it here. 245 00:17:06,108 --> 00:17:10,520 A bit socked in near Burbank and Van Nuys, but nothing he can't get through. 246 00:17:13,574 --> 00:17:15,284 {\an8}HAUETER: He had four miles of visibility. 247 00:17:15,367 --> 00:17:19,497 When he got near Burbank Airport, it was two and a half miles visibility. 248 00:17:19,580 --> 00:17:21,415 That's still totally flyable for him. 249 00:17:21,498 --> 00:17:26,263 In fact, by his operation specifications, he could go down to one mile visibility. 250 00:17:26,712 --> 00:17:30,174 Okay. I get it if the visibility was down to zero, 251 00:17:30,966 --> 00:17:34,143 but this wasn't that bad. So what happened to this guy? 252 00:17:35,429 --> 00:17:39,558 HAUETER: Why do we have a high time pilot in an aircraft that's capable of flight 253 00:17:39,641 --> 00:17:44,396 and visibility conditions he should have been able to handle, either lose control 254 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:47,951 or somehow inadvertently fly his helicopter into the ground? 255 00:17:48,192 --> 00:17:51,016 That becomes the key piece of this investigation. 256 00:17:52,029 --> 00:17:54,853 We need to figure out what he could actually see. 257 00:18:02,498 --> 00:18:04,500 We have a request for the public. 258 00:18:04,583 --> 00:18:11,507 We’re looking for photos of the weather in the area of the crash. 259 00:18:11,757 --> 00:18:17,471 If you could send those photos to witness@ntsb.gov. 260 00:18:18,639 --> 00:18:21,350 NARRATOR: Investigators make a plea to the public for evidence 261 00:18:21,433 --> 00:18:24,561 regarding the Island Express helicopter crash 262 00:18:24,645 --> 00:18:27,645 that took the lives of Kobe Bryant and eight others. 263 00:18:29,441 --> 00:18:33,195 They’re looking for clues to explain how the pilot, Ara Zobayan, 264 00:18:33,821 --> 00:18:36,821 ended up hitting a hillside on a route he knew well. 265 00:18:38,575 --> 00:18:45,582 More than 8300 flying hours, instructor on the S-76, Chief Pilot at Island Express. 266 00:18:46,542 --> 00:18:48,542 Apparently, Kobe’s favorite pilot. 267 00:18:49,086 --> 00:18:50,212 Bit of a superstar. 268 00:18:51,588 --> 00:18:52,673 Yeah. 269 00:18:53,966 --> 00:18:57,555 BRENNER: This pilot was not a rookie who just got his license. 270 00:18:57,761 --> 00:19:00,472 He was one of L.A.’s top helicopter pilots, 271 00:19:00,764 --> 00:19:06,145 working for one of its top companies with some of its most high-profile clients. 272 00:19:07,187 --> 00:19:10,649 NARRATOR: Records show that at 7:00 AM on the morning of the flight, 273 00:19:10,732 --> 00:19:15,237 Zobayan checked the weather for his pre-flight risk assessment and determined 274 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:18,824 that even though there were low-hanging clouds blanketing the area, 275 00:19:18,907 --> 00:19:20,450 the flight was low risk. 276 00:19:22,369 --> 00:19:26,790 A risk assessment is weather, anxiety, sleep, 277 00:19:27,666 --> 00:19:30,019 all these factors that go into a flight. 278 00:19:30,919 --> 00:19:34,173 NARRATOR: But a low-lying cloud layer surrounding Los Angeles, 279 00:19:34,256 --> 00:19:39,553 known as a marine layer, forced Zobayan to alter his regular, more direct route. 280 00:19:41,722 --> 00:19:45,546 Because of the weather, he flew more inland than he normally does, 281 00:19:45,726 --> 00:19:48,668 sort of a backdoor way in to where they were going. 282 00:19:49,354 --> 00:19:51,766 Based on the forecast, his plan was okay. 283 00:19:52,482 --> 00:19:56,445 Pretty good visibility all along the way. So what went wrong? 284 00:19:57,404 --> 00:19:58,322 (sighs) 285 00:19:58,572 --> 00:20:03,077 NARRATOR: Investigators need to understand the exact conditions Zobayan flew into 286 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:05,219 in the final moments of the flight. 287 00:20:07,623 --> 00:20:11,293 These are three separate cameras, all facing south toward the 101. 288 00:20:11,376 --> 00:20:13,462 {\an8}ENGLISH: Couldn't ask for a better view. 289 00:20:13,545 --> 00:20:17,193 {\an8}NARRATOR: The NTSB’s plea for pictures of the weather pays off. 290 00:20:17,341 --> 00:20:20,469 {\an8}A nearby baseball facility had surveillance cameras 291 00:20:20,552 --> 00:20:24,670 {\an8}pointed at key sections of the flight path as the helicopter flew past. 292 00:20:25,057 --> 00:20:27,646 Let’s see what this one shows on a clear day. 293 00:20:29,144 --> 00:20:33,607 {\an8}NARRATOR: Investigators compare images from the same camera taken on a clear day 294 00:20:33,690 --> 00:20:36,396 {\an8}to images recorded at the time of the accident. 295 00:20:37,236 --> 00:20:41,323 {\an8}Yeah, perfect. Okay, so one minute before the accident, 296 00:20:41,406 --> 00:20:44,952 the helicopter would be bombing along here - can’t see it. 297 00:20:45,535 --> 00:20:47,594 How close did it get to the camera? 298 00:20:48,038 --> 00:20:53,001 {\an8}Best view of it would be here. That’s 4400 feet. 299 00:20:54,044 --> 00:20:58,257 {\an8}NARRATOR: The helicopter is less than a mile from the camera but isn’t visible. 300 00:20:58,340 --> 00:21:00,426 {\an8}ENGLISH: Okay, so what about larger objects? 301 00:21:00,509 --> 00:21:02,469 {\an8}These hills, for instance. 302 00:21:04,012 --> 00:21:07,307 Visible on a clear day, but not at the time of the crash. 303 00:21:08,475 --> 00:21:10,435 That hilltop is 8,000 feet away. 304 00:21:11,853 --> 00:21:15,206 So visibility beneath the clouds was less than 8,000 feet. 305 00:21:15,607 --> 00:21:17,078 That’s a mile and a half. 306 00:21:17,567 --> 00:21:19,695 NARRATOR: The video study tells investigators that, 307 00:21:19,778 --> 00:21:21,071 around the time of the accident, 308 00:21:21,154 --> 00:21:25,784 Zobayan would not have been able to see any further than one and a half miles. 309 00:21:27,703 --> 00:21:31,957 You are only allowed to fly in visibilities one mile or greater. 310 00:21:34,293 --> 00:21:40,257 A mile-and-a-half? Pretty low, pretty minimal. 311 00:21:41,466 --> 00:21:45,012 NARRATOR: Investigators know Zobayan would have been able to fly safely 312 00:21:45,095 --> 00:21:48,154 below the clouds with one-and-a-half-mile visibility. 313 00:21:48,849 --> 00:21:51,614 {\an8}So what if he was actually above the cloud base? 314 00:21:52,060 --> 00:21:56,064 But he was only... 450 feet above the ground. 315 00:21:57,691 --> 00:22:00,819 NARRATOR: The cloud ceiling, the base of the cloud layer, 316 00:22:00,902 --> 00:22:03,947 was reported to be 1100 feet near Van Nuys. 317 00:22:05,657 --> 00:22:09,328 {\an8}But Zobayan was flying about 450 feet above the ground, 318 00:22:09,411 --> 00:22:11,882 {\an8}which would put him well below the clouds. 319 00:22:12,456 --> 00:22:15,692 These are images from the camera on the 101 facing west. 320 00:22:18,628 --> 00:22:20,839 ENGLISH: Okay, you can just make him out here, 321 00:22:20,922 --> 00:22:23,334 actually heading into fairly heavy cloud. 322 00:22:24,259 --> 00:22:27,201 Same camera, three seconds later, he’s disappeared. 323 00:22:28,347 --> 00:22:31,350 And then we have a witness who said that she saw the helicopter disappear 324 00:22:31,433 --> 00:22:34,669 into what she described as a thick wall of heavy clouds. 325 00:22:36,855 --> 00:22:40,326 The NTSB had quite a few very good witnesses, in my opinion, 326 00:22:40,567 --> 00:22:42,903 and they also had cameras in the area. 327 00:22:42,986 --> 00:22:45,989 So they could collect data in real time of what 328 00:22:46,073 --> 00:22:48,426 this pilot would have been encountering. 329 00:22:49,284 --> 00:22:53,038 The surveillance data shows him only 450 feet above the ground. 330 00:22:55,415 --> 00:22:58,877 So the cloud base was no more than 450 feet above the ground, 331 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:02,464 not the 1100 feet which was being reported along its route. 332 00:23:05,509 --> 00:23:09,054 The report at an airport five miles away 333 00:23:09,137 --> 00:23:12,141 can be greatly different than what you’re encountering 334 00:23:12,224 --> 00:23:16,107 because of uplifting winds and that type of thing around the hills. 335 00:23:17,479 --> 00:23:21,009 NARRATOR: The area near Calabasas has its own unique climate. 336 00:23:21,441 --> 00:23:25,362 The Malibu Canyon can channel fog up from the Pacific Ocean. 337 00:23:25,904 --> 00:23:30,826 That fog is known to pool precisely where Zobayan was seen flying into clouds. 338 00:23:31,535 --> 00:23:34,329 The fog gathers here, at Mureau Road, 339 00:23:35,455 --> 00:23:38,750 and this is where our witnesses saw him enter the clouds. 340 00:23:39,251 --> 00:23:41,253 NARRATOR: Investigators have determined that, 341 00:23:41,336 --> 00:23:43,631 just over a minute before the accident, 342 00:23:43,964 --> 00:23:48,788 Zobayan flew into dense clouds that would have reduced his visibility to near zero. 343 00:23:50,262 --> 00:23:53,140 That clinches it. He flew into IMC. 344 00:23:55,851 --> 00:23:59,271 NARRATOR: IMC, Instrument Meteorological Conditions, 345 00:23:59,354 --> 00:24:03,649 is when visibility is so poor that pilots need to fly only on instruments. 346 00:24:06,069 --> 00:24:08,989 They were only authorized to fly under Visual Flight Rules. 347 00:24:09,072 --> 00:24:11,700 BRENNER: Legally he’s not allowed to enter it. 348 00:24:11,783 --> 00:24:15,607 He’s only allowed to go in visual conditions only, and yet he did. 349 00:24:16,413 --> 00:24:19,291 NARRATOR: In aviation, there’s a term for VFR pilots 350 00:24:19,374 --> 00:24:21,751 who fly into low visibility conditions. 351 00:24:22,085 --> 00:24:25,213 It’s called an “Inadvertent Encounter with IMC.” 352 00:24:26,173 --> 00:24:30,219 HAUETER: It can happen at night where you fly into a cloud that you didn't see. 353 00:24:30,302 --> 00:24:33,472 It can happen that you’re choosing to avoid something, 354 00:24:33,555 --> 00:24:35,791 and you inadvertently go into a cloud. 355 00:24:36,057 --> 00:24:39,469 Unfortunately, it’s an accident that happens way too often. 356 00:24:39,644 --> 00:24:43,440 NARRATOR: Inadvertent IMC is a leading cause of aviation accidents 357 00:24:43,523 --> 00:24:47,319 over the past ten years. More than 80% of them are fatal. 358 00:24:48,153 --> 00:24:49,988 BRENNER: You can’t see where the horizon is, 359 00:24:50,071 --> 00:24:52,542 and you can't see the sky from the ground. 360 00:24:52,866 --> 00:24:55,690 You don't know visually, which is our main sense. 361 00:24:55,952 --> 00:24:59,706 You have to rely on secondary senses, such as sense of balance. 362 00:25:00,290 --> 00:25:02,467 And there are illusions that come up. 363 00:25:03,418 --> 00:25:06,046 NARRATOR: An Inadvertent Encounter with Instrument Conditions 364 00:25:06,129 --> 00:25:07,881 is so potentially dangerous, 365 00:25:08,632 --> 00:25:12,103 that pilots are trained to do whatever they can to avoid it. 366 00:25:15,055 --> 00:25:17,761 How did he let himself get into this situation? 367 00:25:23,396 --> 00:25:25,455 Let’s see his speeds and altitudes. 368 00:25:26,691 --> 00:25:29,486 NARRATOR: The data from the ADS-B gives investigators 369 00:25:29,569 --> 00:25:33,240 a detailed picture of the helicopter’s altitude and speed 370 00:25:33,323 --> 00:25:34,991 as it approached Calabasas. 371 00:25:35,367 --> 00:25:38,537 If Zobayan tried to avoid the worsening conditions, 372 00:25:38,703 --> 00:25:40,056 the data would show it. 373 00:25:40,705 --> 00:25:44,417 He’s bombing along here at about 140 knots. 374 00:25:44,501 --> 00:25:48,172 Visibility is getting worse and worse but he’s not slowing down, 375 00:25:48,255 --> 00:25:53,176 he’s not turning around, he just keeps going. Why? 376 00:25:58,473 --> 00:26:02,227 HAUETER: He could have turned around, landed at Van Nuys. 377 00:26:02,310 --> 00:26:04,813 He could have circled for a while near the airport, 378 00:26:04,896 --> 00:26:07,399 waiting for the conditions to improve. 379 00:26:07,482 --> 00:26:11,306 For whatever reason we don’t know, he chose none of those options. 380 00:26:12,904 --> 00:26:15,532 NARRATOR: The team now considers the widely held belief 381 00:26:15,615 --> 00:26:20,412 that Zobayan was pressured to continue the flight by his high-profile passenger. 382 00:26:22,414 --> 00:26:24,541 SCHROTENBOER: A lot of people wondered after the crash happened, 383 00:26:24,624 --> 00:26:25,917 if Kobe, being Kobe, 384 00:26:26,001 --> 00:26:29,296 might have put pressure on this pilot to get to where he wanted to go. 385 00:26:29,379 --> 00:26:32,341 Because that’s the whole reason that he was taking a helicopter in the first place 386 00:26:32,424 --> 00:26:36,777 is to get from Point A to Point B and do it without any unnecessary delays. 387 00:26:38,096 --> 00:26:42,096 The same passengers take the same flight the day before the accident. 388 00:26:43,101 --> 00:26:47,230 They’re scheduled to take off at 9:45 but Kobe changes that to 9:00. 389 00:26:50,066 --> 00:26:51,652 They moved it up by 45 minutes 390 00:26:51,735 --> 00:26:54,738 so that Kobe could watch another team or teams play 391 00:26:54,821 --> 00:26:58,645 in preparation for his daughter’s basketball tournament on Sunday. 392 00:27:00,285 --> 00:27:03,997 So they get airborne just after 9:00, and then this happens. 393 00:27:05,707 --> 00:27:07,531 They’re held up for 12 minutes. 394 00:27:08,668 --> 00:27:11,547 November two Echo X-ray, hold outside Burbank airspace. 395 00:27:11,630 --> 00:27:14,866 I have an aircraft going around and an inbound Citation. 396 00:27:15,258 --> 00:27:17,135 NARRATOR: Investigators know that Kobe’s helicopter 397 00:27:17,218 --> 00:27:20,263 was held up at Burbank for 12 minutes, 398 00:27:20,347 --> 00:27:24,059 while Zobayan waited for traffic to clear the controlled airspace. 399 00:27:24,142 --> 00:27:26,966 Okay, we'll hold outside Burbank. Two Echo X-ray. 400 00:27:30,523 --> 00:27:32,859 NARRATOR: A little more than ten minutes later, 401 00:27:32,942 --> 00:27:37,656 Zobayan flew into thick cloud cover at a speed of 160 miles an hour 402 00:27:37,822 --> 00:27:39,411 as he approached Camarillo. 403 00:27:40,950 --> 00:27:44,079 HAUETER: In my opinion, 140 knots is probably twice the speed 404 00:27:44,162 --> 00:27:46,582 he should have been operating in those visual conditions. 405 00:27:46,665 --> 00:27:48,254 He should have slowed down. 406 00:27:49,459 --> 00:27:51,930 Was he trying to make up for the lost time? 407 00:27:52,045 --> 00:27:55,757 NARRATOR: The team digs into Kobe Bryant’s previous flights with Island Express, 408 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:59,546 to see if there’s any history of him putting pressure on pilots. 409 00:27:59,636 --> 00:28:02,460 He took 26 flights with Island Express last year. 410 00:28:02,764 --> 00:28:05,470 Not once did he pressure a pilot to keep going. 411 00:28:09,729 --> 00:28:14,234 Kobe would never put pressure on a pilot. I flew him for two years. 412 00:28:14,651 --> 00:28:20,323 Not once was there ever any amount of pressure from him. 413 00:28:21,658 --> 00:28:25,036 NARRATOR: Investigators find no evidence that Kobe Bryant 414 00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:29,582 or any member of his team put pressure on Zobayan to continue the flight. 415 00:28:29,874 --> 00:28:30,992 They had a history. 416 00:28:31,918 --> 00:28:35,547 NARRATOR: They scrutinize Kobe Bryant’s relationship with Ara Zobayan, 417 00:28:35,630 --> 00:28:38,342 for anything that could have affected the pilot’s behavior 418 00:28:38,425 --> 00:28:41,678 - on the day of the accident. - More than a history. 419 00:28:42,220 --> 00:28:46,850 The Director of Operations says that Kobe’s relationship with Ara was, quote, 420 00:28:47,350 --> 00:28:51,409 "Warm and friendly, that he trusted Ara with his girls and his family, 421 00:28:51,938 --> 00:28:53,644 that they always wanted Ara." 422 00:28:54,315 --> 00:28:59,070 The company’s VP says that their relationship was more like a friendship. 423 00:28:59,988 --> 00:29:02,532 And that Kobe would call him Mister Pilot Man. 424 00:29:02,615 --> 00:29:04,204 These guys sure were tight. 425 00:29:05,452 --> 00:29:08,705 The relationship may have been pressure enough. 426 00:29:11,541 --> 00:29:13,130 How’s everyone doing today? 427 00:29:13,334 --> 00:29:14,711 NARRATOR: Investigators conclude 428 00:29:14,794 --> 00:29:17,756 that Zobayan’s close relationship with Kobe Bryant 429 00:29:17,964 --> 00:29:21,926 may have led to self-induced pressure to get him to his destination. 430 00:29:23,386 --> 00:29:24,721 BRENNER: Part of the concern here is that 431 00:29:24,804 --> 00:29:30,393 the pilot was trying to complete the mission in part to satisfy the client. 432 00:29:32,771 --> 00:29:35,941 NARRATOR: Investigators soon find another important factor 433 00:29:36,024 --> 00:29:38,966 that may have influenced Zobayan’s decision making. 434 00:29:39,152 --> 00:29:40,237 SEVILLIAN: Six minutes before the crash, 435 00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:42,850 he clears Van Nuys airspace and heads south. 436 00:29:43,448 --> 00:29:47,244 He tells controllers that he planned to stay low all the way to Camarillo. 437 00:29:47,327 --> 00:29:48,798 To stay below the clouds. 438 00:29:49,579 --> 00:29:51,581 ATC 4: Helicopter seven two Echo X-ray, 439 00:29:51,664 --> 00:29:54,501 are you just gonna stay down that low all the way to Camarillo? 440 00:29:54,584 --> 00:29:56,879 Yes, sir, low altitude, two Echo X-ray. 441 00:29:57,921 --> 00:30:00,590 SEVILLIAN: Two minutes later, he starts following the 101, 442 00:30:00,673 --> 00:30:03,321 which should lead him straight into Camarillo. 443 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:08,598 He bombs along the 101 for two more minutes until he hits this wall of clouds. 444 00:30:12,101 --> 00:30:15,730 24 miles to go. He was almost there. 445 00:30:16,314 --> 00:30:17,148 Almost. 446 00:30:17,524 --> 00:30:20,152 NARRATOR: Zobayan was less than ten minutes away 447 00:30:20,235 --> 00:30:23,059 from getting his passengers to their destination. 448 00:30:23,238 --> 00:30:24,489 BRENNER: When you’re close to finishing, 449 00:30:24,572 --> 00:30:26,950 you have a tendency to be willing to tolerate conditions 450 00:30:27,033 --> 00:30:30,453 that might have caused you not to take the trip originally. 451 00:30:31,663 --> 00:30:34,249 NARRATOR: The team believes Zobayan was suffering from a condition 452 00:30:34,332 --> 00:30:36,793 known as Plan Continuation Bias 453 00:30:36,876 --> 00:30:41,256 when he decided to keep going despite deteriorating weather conditions. 454 00:30:43,341 --> 00:30:47,262 BRENNER: Plan Continuation Bias is an unconscious bias 455 00:30:47,345 --> 00:30:51,099 to continue with the original plan even when conditions change. 456 00:30:51,182 --> 00:30:53,893 In an aviation environment, it can be deadly. 457 00:30:55,812 --> 00:30:57,939 It doesn't take long for things to start going wrong 458 00:30:58,022 --> 00:30:59,941 as soon as he entered that cloud. 459 00:31:00,024 --> 00:31:04,779 NARRATOR: Instead of turning around, Zobayan decides to climb above the clouds. 460 00:31:04,863 --> 00:31:08,569 We’re gonna go ahead and start our climb to go above the layers. 461 00:31:10,827 --> 00:31:12,829 {\an8}SEVILLIAN: He starts banking further and further left, 462 00:31:12,912 --> 00:31:16,165 {\an8}descends rapidly, hits the hill here. 463 00:31:17,208 --> 00:31:20,045 NARRATOR: The pilot’s unusual actions lead investigators 464 00:31:20,128 --> 00:31:23,011 to wonder about the level of training he received. 465 00:31:25,174 --> 00:31:29,351 SEVILLIAN: He was trained to avoid IMC and what to do if he got into it. 466 00:31:30,013 --> 00:31:32,516 NARRATOR: They discover that Zobayan was well trained 467 00:31:32,599 --> 00:31:35,310 to escape the precise conditions he flew into. 468 00:31:38,104 --> 00:31:42,046 BRENNER: This pilot trained routinely for inadvertent IMC situation. 469 00:31:42,275 --> 00:31:45,393 More than that, he was the Chief Pilot of the company. 470 00:31:45,570 --> 00:31:48,406 He set the safety standards for all the pilots, 471 00:31:48,698 --> 00:31:52,535 and he trained them on how to deal with instrument conditions. 472 00:31:53,244 --> 00:31:54,833 This is what he was taught. 473 00:31:55,163 --> 00:31:57,457 NARRATOR: A review of Zobayan’s training shows 474 00:31:57,540 --> 00:31:59,835 that he was taught to reduce his speed, 475 00:32:00,793 --> 00:32:06,466 use the autopilot to climb above the clouds, and then declare an emergency. 476 00:32:06,799 --> 00:32:08,094 His training was good. 477 00:32:08,551 --> 00:32:11,220 NARRATOR: But did Zobayan follow his training? 478 00:32:13,222 --> 00:32:15,517 Here he’s entering an area of low visibility. 479 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:19,854 Still flying well above 100 knots, no evidence of slowing down. 480 00:32:20,605 --> 00:32:23,958 NARRATOR: Investigators know Zobayan did not reduce speed. 481 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:26,820 They now wonder if he engaged the autopilot. 482 00:32:26,903 --> 00:32:29,489 - Play. - ZOBAYAN (over tape): We’re gonna go ahead 483 00:32:29,572 --> 00:32:31,616 and start our climb to go above the layers. 484 00:32:31,699 --> 00:32:34,935 ENGLISH: Look at that rate of climb. 1500 feet a minute. 485 00:32:35,078 --> 00:32:37,255 It can't be the autopilot doing that. 486 00:32:38,164 --> 00:32:40,917 HAUETER: That exceeds the authority of the autopilot system. 487 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,253 Therefore, this climb was being manually controlled. 488 00:32:43,336 --> 00:32:45,088 All right, well, at this point, 489 00:32:45,171 --> 00:32:48,819 he’s just trying to get above the clouds without the autopilot. 490 00:32:49,926 --> 00:32:52,637 NARRATOR: The higher Zobayan climbs into the dense cloud, 491 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:56,975 the worse the visibility gets. But he never asks for help. 492 00:32:57,809 --> 00:33:01,751 Well, he never reports an emergency. He never mentions being in IMC. 493 00:33:03,690 --> 00:33:06,102 The one thing he should have been saying, 494 00:33:06,401 --> 00:33:10,989 “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, declaring an emergency, inadvertent IMC.” 495 00:33:12,490 --> 00:33:15,451 He didn't slow down. He didn't use his autopilot. 496 00:33:15,952 --> 00:33:19,658 - He never declared an emergency. - He ignored all his training. 497 00:33:21,791 --> 00:33:24,252 BRENNER: There are basic procedures that should be followed, 498 00:33:24,335 --> 00:33:26,963 and you have to have a very cautious approach 499 00:33:27,130 --> 00:33:29,132 to any sort of instrument conditions. 500 00:33:29,215 --> 00:33:32,451 This was not evident in the way the pilot flew that day. 501 00:33:37,890 --> 00:33:39,434 NARRATOR: By ignoring his training, 502 00:33:39,517 --> 00:33:42,812 Zobayan found himself in a rapid climb with no visibility 503 00:33:43,354 --> 00:33:45,590 and without the help of the autopilot, 504 00:33:46,190 --> 00:33:49,190 prime conditions for becoming spatially disoriented. 505 00:33:50,570 --> 00:33:55,033 Annemarie Landman studies the effects of spatial disorientation in pilots. 506 00:33:55,783 --> 00:33:58,578 LANDMAN: If you take away outside visual reference from a pilot, 507 00:33:58,661 --> 00:34:01,956 then he or she will really have to trust the instruments. 508 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:04,751 Because if you don't have outside visual reference, 509 00:34:04,834 --> 00:34:08,070 then any sensation that you feel can be very misleading. 510 00:34:09,172 --> 00:34:12,509 NARRATOR: Did Ara Zobayan suffer the effects of disorientation 511 00:34:12,592 --> 00:34:14,552 after flying into dense clouds? 512 00:34:15,636 --> 00:34:17,872 {\an8}ATC 4: Two Echo X-ray, say intentions. 513 00:34:18,222 --> 00:34:22,105 {\an8}NARRATOR: Zobayan’s last words show that’s precisely what happened. 514 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:25,730 ZOBAYAN (over tape): Uh, we’re climbing to 4,000. Two Echo X-ray. 515 00:34:25,813 --> 00:34:29,343 Did you hear that? It’s like he completely lost his bearings. 516 00:34:31,027 --> 00:34:33,029 NARRATOR: The recording tells investigators 517 00:34:33,112 --> 00:34:35,348 that Zobayan believed he was climbing, 518 00:34:35,573 --> 00:34:40,244 when he was actually descending rapidly towards the ground in a steep left turn. 519 00:34:41,996 --> 00:34:44,585 It’s what aviators call the graveyard spiral. 520 00:34:46,834 --> 00:34:51,464 To right that aircraft, no. In a mountainous area, you’re done. 521 00:34:52,340 --> 00:34:53,693 You’re absolutely done. 522 00:34:54,550 --> 00:34:57,220 NARRATOR: The team has pieced together a picture of a pilot 523 00:34:57,303 --> 00:35:01,057 who flew into prime conditions for causing disorientation. 524 00:35:01,599 --> 00:35:05,061 Zobayan’s problem starts just after he flies into the cloud. 525 00:35:05,144 --> 00:35:08,086 He decides the best thing to do is to fly above it. 526 00:35:08,231 --> 00:35:10,900 NARRATOR: But as he climbs visibility worsens, 527 00:35:10,983 --> 00:35:15,655 and his reference to the highway below and the horizon ahead quickly disappear. 528 00:35:16,739 --> 00:35:20,916 It’s all but impossible for pilots to determine a plane’s pitch and roll 529 00:35:21,077 --> 00:35:23,901 without a visual reference to their surroundings. 530 00:35:24,455 --> 00:35:29,585 Without visual cues, the human body is unable to maintain its spatial bearings. 531 00:35:29,877 --> 00:35:31,838 The result is disorientation. 532 00:35:34,340 --> 00:35:38,177 As the highway below veers left, Zobayan tries to stay with it. 533 00:35:38,678 --> 00:35:41,443 {\an8}He puts the helicopter into a gradual left turn. 534 00:35:42,557 --> 00:35:44,768 He’s not looking at the instruments at this point. 535 00:35:44,851 --> 00:35:49,675 He was perhaps looking down to search for the highway that he was following before. 536 00:35:50,148 --> 00:35:52,090 ATC 4: Uh, two Echo X-ray, ident. 537 00:35:53,943 --> 00:35:56,237 NARRATOR: Zobayan now faces a distraction 538 00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:58,990 that makes the situation significantly worse. 539 00:35:59,073 --> 00:35:59,907 Ident. 540 00:35:59,991 --> 00:36:03,521 NARRATOR: He is forced to identify himself to the controller. 541 00:36:03,911 --> 00:36:07,332 It’s not only a distraction, it forces him to move his head, 542 00:36:07,415 --> 00:36:09,886 which increases the risk of disorientation. 543 00:36:12,545 --> 00:36:15,298 We advise pilots to not move their head around 544 00:36:15,381 --> 00:36:18,218 when they’re flying without outside visual reference. 545 00:36:18,301 --> 00:36:20,831 This is moving the fluid in your inner ears, 546 00:36:21,470 --> 00:36:25,100 and this actually makes you a little bit more susceptible to illusions. 547 00:36:25,183 --> 00:36:29,654 SEVILLIAN: The highway now veers off to the right. But he’s lost sight of it. 548 00:36:30,146 --> 00:36:33,817 He’s banking further and further to the left without even realizing it. 549 00:36:33,900 --> 00:36:35,359 30 seconds from impact. 550 00:36:36,652 --> 00:36:38,594 NARRATOR: Disorientation sets in. 551 00:36:40,615 --> 00:36:44,744 {\an8}LANDMAN: The turn is so gradual and it is so slow that the onset, 552 00:36:44,994 --> 00:36:46,913 {\an8}it seems that he's not feeling that. 553 00:36:46,996 --> 00:36:49,820 So for him it still feels that he’s flying level. 554 00:36:50,499 --> 00:36:54,852 And he gets to 1600 feet and he starts to descend, without even knowing it. 555 00:36:55,463 --> 00:36:58,169 BRENNER: It’s clear that prior to the accident, 556 00:36:58,674 --> 00:37:02,261 the pilot really did not know what the helicopter was doing, 557 00:37:02,678 --> 00:37:04,222 because he was asked his intentions 558 00:37:04,305 --> 00:37:07,558 and he indicated that he was climbing to 4,000 feet. 559 00:37:08,100 --> 00:37:10,895 Uh, we’re climbing to 4,000. Two Echo X-ray. 560 00:37:11,646 --> 00:37:14,232 BRENNER: At that point, the helicopter was not climbing. 561 00:37:14,315 --> 00:37:18,139 It was descending towards a crash and the pilot didn't realize it. 562 00:37:19,654 --> 00:37:24,243 NARRATOR: He’s now in a rapid descent and likely looking for clear skies above, 563 00:37:24,617 --> 00:37:27,162 not noticing what his instruments are showing. 564 00:37:27,245 --> 00:37:29,581 HAUETER: Without having outside visual references 565 00:37:29,664 --> 00:37:31,666 and not being focused on your instruments, 566 00:37:31,749 --> 00:37:35,753 it’s very easy for that to happen and it does happen far too often. 567 00:37:36,420 --> 00:37:41,009 He’s so far over it’s like he lost all his lift. He’s plummeting to the ground. 568 00:37:41,425 --> 00:37:43,302 Graveyard spiral. Classic. 569 00:37:44,262 --> 00:37:45,763 SEVILLIAN: About a minute after entering the clouds, 570 00:37:45,846 --> 00:37:50,851 he hits the ground like this almost on its side at more than 160 knots. 571 00:37:51,936 --> 00:37:55,525 There’s no sign he ever figured out what was really happening. 572 00:37:58,651 --> 00:38:00,862 NARRATOR: Kobe Bryant and eight others died 573 00:38:00,945 --> 00:38:03,416 as a result of an all-too-common scenario, 574 00:38:04,532 --> 00:38:08,744 a helicopter pilot flying IMC and becoming disoriented. 575 00:38:11,956 --> 00:38:14,375 HAUETER: We need something to help pilots understand that 576 00:38:14,458 --> 00:38:17,503 just because you feel like your body’s being pushed down in the seat 577 00:38:17,586 --> 00:38:19,292 doesn't mean you're climbing. 578 00:38:20,339 --> 00:38:24,969 NARRATOR: That device exists, and it’s helping train pilots in the Netherlands. 579 00:38:25,845 --> 00:38:28,890 The one-of-a-kind simulator lets researchers reproduce 580 00:38:28,973 --> 00:38:33,621 the feeling of spatial disorientation without pilots having to leave the ground. 581 00:38:34,061 --> 00:38:35,229 All right. Roger. 582 00:38:35,313 --> 00:38:37,357 Okay Maarten, so how are you feeling now? 583 00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:38,942 {\an8}- KEMNA (over radio): I’m feeling pitched up. 584 00:38:39,025 --> 00:38:42,025 {\an8}- LANDMAN: You’re feeling pitched up? - KEMNA: Yeah. 585 00:38:45,072 --> 00:38:47,909 NARRATOR: Investigators hoping to prevent the kind of accident 586 00:38:47,992 --> 00:38:51,162 that caused Ara Zobayan to get so badly disoriented... 587 00:38:51,245 --> 00:38:53,205 (explosion) 588 00:38:53,622 --> 00:38:57,001 are looking closely at the work being done in labs like this one, 589 00:38:57,084 --> 00:39:02,006 at the Netherlands’ Organization for Applied Scientific Research, or TNO. 590 00:39:03,382 --> 00:39:06,511 LANDMAN: We investigate the effects of spatial disorientation 591 00:39:06,594 --> 00:39:07,887 on pilot performance. 592 00:39:08,971 --> 00:39:11,391 NARRATOR: Zobayan believed he was climbing 593 00:39:11,474 --> 00:39:16,180 when he was actually descending and was unaware that he was in a steep left turn. 594 00:39:17,438 --> 00:39:22,026 He was suffering from two of the most common illusions affecting pilots, 595 00:39:22,109 --> 00:39:25,112 somatogravic, involving his sense of pitch, 596 00:39:25,946 --> 00:39:28,866 and somatogyral, involving his sense of roll. 597 00:39:30,534 --> 00:39:35,873 Spatial disorientation is a factor in about 30% of fatal helicopter crashes. 598 00:39:38,292 --> 00:39:42,822 NARRATOR: This rotating chair helps pilots experience the effect of the leans, 599 00:39:43,589 --> 00:39:46,592 the inability to recognize that you are in a steep turn. 600 00:39:46,675 --> 00:39:49,971 LANDMAN: When a pilot starts a turn, the fluids in the inner ear responds, 601 00:39:50,054 --> 00:39:52,265 and it’s telling that he or she is in a turn. 602 00:39:52,348 --> 00:39:55,059 But after a while, the fluid sort of settles. 603 00:39:55,184 --> 00:39:58,229 So it actually feels as if they’re flying level again. 604 00:39:58,312 --> 00:40:00,898 NARRATOR: This pilot is using his thumbs to show the direction 605 00:40:00,981 --> 00:40:02,942 he believes he’s turning. 606 00:40:03,150 --> 00:40:05,327 For the first few seconds he’s right, 607 00:40:05,861 --> 00:40:09,990 but as the fluid in his ear settles, he no longer senses the turn. 608 00:40:12,243 --> 00:40:15,830 This is the identical illusion that Ara Zobayan experienced. 609 00:40:16,247 --> 00:40:20,167 It’s why he never realized that he had entered a gradual left turn 610 00:40:20,334 --> 00:40:22,687 once he lost sight of the highway below, 611 00:40:22,878 --> 00:40:26,841 even though his instruments would have been telling him precisely that. 612 00:40:26,924 --> 00:40:29,635 LANDMAN: We train them here to really trust their instruments 613 00:40:29,718 --> 00:40:32,366 and to really be focused on their instruments, 614 00:40:32,513 --> 00:40:34,984 especially in situations of low visibility. 615 00:40:36,725 --> 00:40:41,647 NARRATOR: But the heart of TNO’s facility is this simulator called Desdemona. 616 00:40:42,314 --> 00:40:44,067 Okay. So here’s what’s going to happen. 617 00:40:44,150 --> 00:40:48,404 You just have to wait for our mark, and then you just have to level the aircraft. 618 00:40:48,487 --> 00:40:50,239 But you have to do it without the instruments. 619 00:40:50,322 --> 00:40:52,366 So only based on your gut feeling. 620 00:40:53,451 --> 00:40:56,328 NARRATOR: It’s a disorientation demonstrator, 621 00:40:56,412 --> 00:41:00,666 which safely simulates the effects of pitch and roll illusions on pilots. 622 00:41:02,126 --> 00:41:03,950 It’s the only one in the world. 623 00:41:08,007 --> 00:41:11,844 LANDMAN: Okay Maarten, so first you’re just going to fly a little bit 624 00:41:11,927 --> 00:41:13,638 to get acquainted with the controls, all right? 625 00:41:13,721 --> 00:41:14,555 KEMNA: All right. Roger. 626 00:41:14,638 --> 00:41:16,432 Yeah, so you have the instruments available. 627 00:41:16,515 --> 00:41:19,339 - KEMNA: Yep. - Okay. Let’s start the simulation. 628 00:41:20,144 --> 00:41:22,980 NARRATOR: Unlike simulators that are attached to the ground, 629 00:41:23,063 --> 00:41:26,442 Desdemona can simulate unlimited degrees of pitch, 630 00:41:26,525 --> 00:41:29,904 yaw, and roll, as well as the forces of acceleration. 631 00:41:30,988 --> 00:41:33,282 LANDMAN: It’s really important to have a simulator that can really 632 00:41:33,365 --> 00:41:38,162 create a constant force or a constant force that feels like acceleration. 633 00:41:39,163 --> 00:41:41,165 - MAN: Continue the climb. - KEMNA: Continuing climb. 634 00:41:41,248 --> 00:41:44,168 NARRATOR: Pilot Maarten Kemna is about to experience 635 00:41:44,251 --> 00:41:48,005 the same sensation that Zobayan felt moments before the crash. 636 00:41:49,715 --> 00:41:54,678 The instruments in the simulator are turned off so he must rely only on feel. 637 00:41:56,222 --> 00:41:59,517 - Maarten, how are you feeling now? - KEMNA: I’m feeling straight and level. 638 00:41:59,600 --> 00:42:03,248 LANDMAN: Let’s ramp up the acceleration and see how that feels. 639 00:42:05,397 --> 00:42:06,983 Now we’re starting the centrifuge 640 00:42:07,066 --> 00:42:10,194 and the cabin of the simulator is pointing towards the center. 641 00:42:10,277 --> 00:42:14,406 So for Maarten it actually just feels like he’s accelerating forward. 642 00:42:15,991 --> 00:42:20,403 {\an8}NARRATOR: The acceleration causes him to mistake what is actually happening. 643 00:42:21,789 --> 00:42:25,668 {\an8}- Okay Maarten, what are you feeling now? - KEMNA: Uh, a bit pitched up. 644 00:42:25,751 --> 00:42:27,795 {\an8}LANDMAN: And what do you think that the aircraft is doing now? 645 00:42:27,878 --> 00:42:29,349 {\an8}KEMNA: We’re climbing now. 646 00:42:30,089 --> 00:42:31,591 {\an8}LANDMAN: If you are accelerating forwards, 647 00:42:31,674 --> 00:42:36,136 the little hairs in your inner ear will actually give a constant signal 648 00:42:36,220 --> 00:42:39,348 that is the same as if you are being pitched up. 649 00:42:41,642 --> 00:42:44,604 ZOBAYAN: Yeah, we’re climbing to 4,000, two Echo X-ray. 650 00:42:44,687 --> 00:42:47,023 NARRATOR: It’s the exact illusion that caused Ara Zobayan 651 00:42:47,106 --> 00:42:51,944 to believe he was still climbing when his helicopter was in a steep descent. 652 00:42:55,406 --> 00:42:57,742 - Okay, now bring the nose back to level. - KEMNA: Yeah. Sure. 653 00:42:57,825 --> 00:43:01,496 {\an8}LANDMAN: So you can see that he’s bringing the nose below the horizon. 654 00:43:01,579 --> 00:43:06,500 {\an8}For him, this actually feels level. So shall we show him the instruments? 655 00:43:07,501 --> 00:43:10,337 {\an8}KEMNA: Oh my God. I’m 20 degrees nose down. 656 00:43:10,421 --> 00:43:13,758 {\an8}- LANDMAN: Okay. Can you recover? - KEMNA (laughing) Yeah. 657 00:43:13,841 --> 00:43:14,967 LANDMAN: We hope that this helps them 658 00:43:15,050 --> 00:43:17,762 to recognize spatial disorientation when it occurs. 659 00:43:17,845 --> 00:43:20,681 Secondly, we also hope to teach them some skills that help them 660 00:43:20,764 --> 00:43:23,412 to manage spatial disorientation if it occurs. 661 00:43:23,642 --> 00:43:25,561 Wow! (laughs) That was... 662 00:43:25,644 --> 00:43:27,586 - It’s crazy, huh? - It was crazy. 663 00:43:30,608 --> 00:43:33,736 I believe that as a tribute to the victims of this accident, 664 00:43:33,819 --> 00:43:38,490 the industry needs to realize how common and sinister these affects can be 665 00:43:38,699 --> 00:43:40,817 and develop better safety standards. 666 00:43:42,328 --> 00:43:45,122 {\an8}NARRATOR: As a result of NTSB recommendations, 667 00:43:45,289 --> 00:43:49,710 {\an8}the Federal Aviation Administration is evaluating tools like Desdemona, 668 00:43:49,793 --> 00:43:54,006 {\an8}that can be used to train more pilots how to recognize and cope with 669 00:43:54,089 --> 00:43:55,854 {\an8}the effects of disorientation. 670 00:43:56,717 --> 00:43:59,095 {\an8}HAUETER: The last thing the NTSB wants to do is go back 671 00:43:59,178 --> 00:44:02,389 {\an8}and investigate this kind of accident all over again. 672 00:44:03,015 --> 00:44:06,602 {\an8}And through the death of this person, and people on board, 673 00:44:06,935 --> 00:44:10,053 {\an8}hopefully this will be the one to help improve safety. 674 00:44:10,773 --> 00:44:11,982 {\an8}Time will tell.