In many areas of Southern California the fog was thick this morning, but was it a factor in the helicopter crash that killed NBA Legend Kobe Bryant in Calabasas on Sunday morning.  Read on for details of the flight track and weather at the time …

Low visibility is dangerous to all from cars, boats, and air vehicles.  Even within the last 48 hours, Los Angeles International Airport shutdown for a bit due to the visibility being so poor.  Given the warm days we have had the last few days along with increasing onshore flow as of late, the ingredients for thick fog has been there … however was it a factor in the crash that killed NBA Legend Kobe Bryant?  While the news will scramble and the NTSB and FAA will undergo their investigation, the conditions at this time has low clouds in the area, about a 1,800 FT above sea-level and his helicopter never went up into that deck till a violent U-turn upwards at the very end of the flight data.

Using flight data it is clear he crashed under the cloud ceiling, never going into it.  Seeing photos from the area, it is clear fog was not an issue for this.  The flight data also showed he made some odd turns over Glendale at a low altitude before climbing a bit and trying to return home.  Eyewitnesses also report shuddering of the engine so what we have is a crash at nearly 200 mph at a high angle, which signals engine or rudder control issues.

He rose up into the ceiling, which was 1900 FT at the time. There was no cold-front or rain in the area, only a ceiling of 1900 FT and mid/upper level clouds above that at 15,000 or so. The graphs showing vertical speed increasing while forward speed decreased suggests it came nearly straight down somehow and that U-Turn is the key to it. Sure, it was cloudy, but I did not.. and still do not think it was the issue.

Southern California Weather Force viewer Jessica Alvarado shoots this photo shortly after the crash, showing visibility was not a problem and the ceiling of the cloud deck was too high

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