Kobe Bryant’s pilot counseled on flying in low visibility after improper flight path in 2015

Kobe Bryant’s helicopter pilot violated federal flight rules in 2015 when he flew without permission into Los Angeles International Airport’s airspace in weather conditions that affected his ability to maintain visual clearance as required by the tower, records show.

Ara Zobayan, who piloted the Island Express Helicopter that crashed last month into a fog-shrouded hillside in Calabasas, killing Bryant, his daughter and seven other people, was counseled after the 2015 incident on, among other things, “reviewing weather and anticipating required action,” according to Federal Aviation Administration enforcement records obtained Friday under the Freedom of Information Act.

Zobayan’s history as a pilot is part of the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the cause of the fiery crash. The NTSB has issued an initial report that the engine did not appear to have failed.

The FAA enforcement documents said on May 11, 2015 Zobayan was operating an AS350 helicopter near Hawthorne Airport and the 105 Freeway. He was expecting, the report says, to enter the busy LAX airspace.

Zobayan was told by the tower that the airfield was reporting less than what is called basic visual flight rules – that is, three miles of visibility and a cloud ceiling of at least 1,000 feet.

The tower denied Zobayan’s request to circumvent the visual requirement, but he still entered – flying by sight – while communicating with the tower, records show. FAA officials later concluded that “had Mr. Zobayan properly planned and reviewed current weather at LAX, he would have been able to anticipate the required action to transit (LAX airspace).”

Zobayan subsequently reported the incident to the proper authorities and admitted his error, records say. No remedial training was required. However, he was counseled on operating in LAX airspace and flying under special visual flight rules for bad weather.

“There are no indications this is a repeated incident and there are no signs that this incident is a trend with Mr. Zobayan,” the FAA documents say.

Since the crash, questions were raised about the absence of a terrain warning system, which the helicopter was not required to have. The system gives detailed visuals of surrounding terrain and triggers alerts.

A witness on a bike trail told investigators that the area was surrounded by mist when he heard the helicopter. The sound got louder and he saw the blue and white aircraft emerge from clouds before hitting the ground.

Since then, memorials for the basketball star and the other passengers have been held all over Southern California. Last week, the Lakers announced how people can try to get tickets for the highly anticipated memorial for Bryant and his daughter at the Staples Center on Monday, Feb. 24.