Kobe Bryant crash: Charter company that owned helicopter grounds flights

The firm that chartered the Lakers' star's helicopter made the decision after it emerged it was missing an instrument used to detect collisions

Island Express Helicopter has suspended its services after the deaths of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, in one of their aircraft.

The company announced it was grounding all flights in a statement posted to its website on Thursday.

“All services (regular and charter) were immediately suspended following the tragic accident on Sunday, January 26,” the company wrote. “The shock of the accident affected all staff, and management decided that service would be suspended until such time as it was deemed appropriate for staff and customers."

The New York Times reported on Thursday that the aircraft carrying Mr Bryant and his daughter had not been certified to fly in conditions that require only the use of cockpit instruments, such as dense fog.

Ara Zobayan, the pilot of the S-76B helicopter that crashed, was certified to fly using only his instruments, but the company did not possess the Federal Aviation Administration’s certifications necessary to operate in those conditions. Mr Zobayan was the company’s chief pilot, with 10 years of service and more than 8,000 flight hours. He was also killed in the crash.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragedy. Our top priority is providing assistance to the families of the passengers and the pilot,” the company wrote.

The company said it was working with the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate the cause of the crash.

According to the NTSB, the helicopter carrying Mr Bryant hadn’t been equipped with a terrain awareness and warning system or data and voice black boxes. A TAWAS is an instrument which helps warn pilots when there is a threat of a collision with the ground and has been recommended for inclusion in large passenger helicopters for the last 15 years.

Jennifer Homendy, an investigator for the NTSB, said it was too soon to determine whether or not the presence of a TAWAS system would have prevented the crash.

Flight data retrieved from the NTSB suggests the helicopter dropped about 107 meters (350 feet) in six seconds before making a turn and accelerating, smashing into the hill at 283 kph (176 mph).

Mr Bryant’s flight plan suggested the helicopter was to travel 90 miles from Orange County to Ventura County, which bypasses Los Angeles and its infamous traffic. Once the helicopter hit fog, it attempted to ascend out of it before making the plummet that would precede its impact.