Originally Posted by
FIRESYSOK
A wrong turn down Las Virgenes Road instead of maintianing the 101 is a possibility. In that low weather very plausible, IMO.
Probably not.. The 101 is a wide 4 lane freeway East to West. Las Virgenes Rd crosses the freeway and is a 2 lane road with central reservation running North to South with gas stations and stores.
Originally Posted by
Expecting2Fly
There's a credible ear witness account that would support your theory I saw on Live Leak earlier. The witness mentions the area's "micro climate" and previous history of cloud settling in the bowl of the crash site.
If you go to LL and search "Witness Describes What He Heard Before Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash". I can't post the link because I'm a noob.
We get marine layer all the time along that stretch of the 101. That morning it was heavy fog and had been that way since dawn. The weather did not deteriorate prior to the crash. It had been IMC for hours. Both VNY and BUR bank were IMC.
Originally Posted by
helimutt
A Climb into cloud and a 180 degree turn is not the norm for an IR rated pilot, no.
as for lift vectors ? Nope
your questions?
1. He was svfr and most likely caught out by going imc low level and the turn was probably his last attempt at getting back visual. Not just a case of jumping straight on instruments in that situation at that height.
2. nope
3. nope. Siggy Hoffman was a different issue not lift vector issue if I remember correctly. More a cyclic limit factor known about in the 105.
best not to speculate and wait for the report
He was not SVFR. SVFR was only to get him through VNY airspace. After that he was on his own nav and to maintain VFR. He asked for Flight Following as 99% of pilots do there regardless of weather.
Originally Posted by
nomorehelosforme
That’s an amazing ability to have.....
Amazing! With the surrounding hills and the traffic noise from the nearby 101 freeway....