The helicopter that crashed and killed Kobe Bryant and 8 others was reportedly not certified to fly in poor visibility

kobe helicopter crash AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

The helicopter that was flying Kobe Bryant and eight other people before it fatally crashed on Sunday was not certified to fly in poor visibility conditions, according to the New York Times.
Island Express Helicopters, which owned the Sikorsky S-76B aircraft, was only certified to fly under visual flight rules, which means that weather conditions that are clear enough for a pilot to stay oriented and navigate by visual cues and sometimes other instruments.
Audio communications posted on YouTube by the channel VASAviation indicate that the pilot was given special clearance, known as special visual flight rules, to fly in foggy conditions in the minutes before the crash.
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The helicopter that was flying Kobe Bryant and eight other people before it fatally crashed on Sunday was reportedly not certified to fly in poor visibility conditions.

Three sources familiar with the helicopter company's operations told The New York Times that Island Express Helicopters, which owned the Sikorsky S-76B aircraft, had an operating certification from the Federal Aviation Administration limiting flight to flying under visual flight rules. These are regulations that dictate a pilot must operate an aircraft in weather conditions that are clear enough for a pilot to stay oriented and navigate by visual cues, sometimes used alongside special instruments.

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