On January 26, 2020, a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California, around 30 miles (48 kilometres) northwest of downtown Los Angeles, while en route from John Wayne Airport to Camarillo Airport. Nine people were on board, including retired professional basketball player Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, baseball coach John Altobelli, five other passengers, and the pilot. Everyone on the helicopter was killed.It is unclear what caused the crash, as the helicopter was not carrying a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder due to it not being mandatory for aircraft of this type in line with FAA regulations. A subsequent autopsy was unable to detect any traces of drugs or alcohol in the pilot's system, and preliminary findings from the National Transportation Safety Board state that there was no evidence of engine failure. However, an investigation has been launched into Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky S-76B.
The death of Bryant sparked multiple remembrances and tributes, including those of U.S. president Donald Trump, and former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
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