The NTSB, and LA Sheriff provided further information on the crash that tragically killed 9 people, including NBA legend Kobe Bryant on 26th January 2020.
Helicopter Crash Update
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and LA Sheriff briefed media organisations pertinent to the crash that killed NBA Legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna Gigi Bryant, baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri Altobelli, and their daughter Alyssa Altobelli; mother and daughter Sarah Chester and Payton Chester; Mamba Academy basketball coach Christina Mauser; and pilot Ara Zobayan.
The Federal Aviation Administration's Failures
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) likely has some answering to do as it failed to act on two recommendations, that could've potentially saved lives. Commonly known as TAWS, the Terrain Awareness And Warning System that provides terrain information to the pilot wasn't on the helicopter that came down.
In 2004 the NTSB investigated a crash that killed 10 people in a S76A helicopter that crashed in the Gulf of Mexico namely Galveston, Texas. The NTSB issued a recommendation to the FAA that stated "require all existing, and new US registered turbine powered rotarcraft, certificated for 6 or more passenger seats, to be equipped with the Terrain Awareness Warning System", but they didn't implement the recommendation.
In 2014 the recommendation was closed as "unacceptable" by the NTSB. In 2005 the NTSB assisted in an investigation involving a S76C helicopter that crashed in the Baltic sea killing 12 people. Similarly recommendations were supplied however, rejected by the FAA and the case was closed as "unacceptable".
Worryingly, the NTSB and FAA doesn't seem to be working "hand in hand" as some would've expected. Let's sincerely hope that the FAA "finally" understands the significance for these recommendations in the coming months, because this doesn't look good on them for obvious reasons.