Lawyers representing Vanessa Bryant filed a wrongful-death lawsuit on Monday, February 24. This was filed on the same day that fans gathered at the Staples Center to remember Bryant and his daughter Gianna.
The accident occurred at the end of January. A helicopter that was carrying Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant, and seven other passengers crashed into a California hillside.
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Bryant was no stranger to helicopters. He flew in them frequently. The group was traveling to a basketball tournament at Mamba Sports Academy.
The lawsuit stated that Island Express was liable for any and all actions of the pilot Ara George Zobayan. This also includes what they consider to be negligent and careless piloting.
They state that the company authorized and permitted a flight with prior knowledge that the helicopter was going to be flying into unsafe weather conditions.
The lawsuit shows the fault of Zobayan for failing to monitor and assess the weather before takeoff and not aborting the flight when the cloudy conditions were apparent.
Although the investigation is ongoing, the poor weather conditions have been a focal point for the investigation. According to reports, the clouds were low that morning and there was poor visibility.
Video that was released by the National Transportation Safety Board Investigators earlier this month showed the helicopter disappear in those clouds. A witness to the accident saw the helicopter form a mountain bike trail near the crash site. They saw it right before it slammed into the hillside.
The National Transportation Safety Board has not released a cause for the crash. Crash site analysis has confirmed eyewitness accounts that the engines had full power to the helicopter’s rotor up to the point of the crash.