Excerpt from Air Traffic Control to Kobe's pilot
MCMLVTopps
Posts: 4,830 ✭✭✭✭✭
I heard a recording on tv today about the conversation between the pilot and ATC. He was indeed given a Special Visual Flight Rules (SVFR) clearance to depart Orange County airport...also known as John Wayne airport.
It appears the flight lasted some 40 minutes, travelling in a NNWesterly direction at a speed of some 160 knots. Radar tracks shows the pilot apparently made one or more circles around Chavez Ravine, also known as Dodger Stadium...this perhaps for the viewing enjoyment of passengers...just a guess. The pilot, after turning SW towards the Pacific, was warned by ATC that he was too low for radar following. Unfortunately, there were no more transmissions from the pilot.
While the FAA NTSB investigators will do a fine comb over the scene, and later investigate the wreckage and instruments, if possible, they will then come to a conclusion as to the cause. I cannot help but to believe it will come to find pilot error as the cause of this tragedy. Not likely, IMO, that anything mechanical will be found to be the cause, as this is a "Rolls Royce" type helicopter, who's maintenance was spot on. I can't imagine any lack of FAA directives, or maintenance was not followed to the utmost "T".
Driving to the event, given the unusual heavy fog, regardless of traffic, would have been the more prudent choice of transportation.
NEVER FLY IN HEAVY FOG
Comments
It would not surprise me to eventually see one or more wrongful death lawsuits being filed. It will be interesting to see what the crash investigation concludes.