Kobe Bryant’s Pilot Misjudged Terrain And Did Not Slow Down

What makes it all the more baffling is that the pilot was apparently extremely experienced flying in that area, and in addition, was a flight instructor. One experienced helicopter pilot told TMZ that he could not understand why Kobe’s pilot would have maintained a speed of 161 knots in such dense fog. One of the benefits of a helicopter is the fact that you can go much slower — even to 15 mph — to avoid terrain if you are uncertain.

One source claimed the chopper was sophisticated and had an altitude warning signal to pull up, but unfortunately, it was too late. As mentioned earlier, he was doing 161 knots (185 mph) and did not slow down. The helicopter hit the mountain at that speed.