Sikorsky Reacts to Helicopter Crash That Killed Kobe Bryant, Four Others

A helicopter crash in the Calabasas area of Los Angeles, California killed nine people Sunday, including Lakers great Kobe Bryant.

The crash was called in at 9:47 a.m. Authorities said the helicopter was on fire and sparked a quarter acre brush fire. Flames were put out by 10:30 a.m.

Bryant's 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and a teammate on her basketball team were also on board the helicopter at the time of the crash, a city official said.

The helicopter that crashed was a Sikorsky S-76B, according to authorities.

Bryant lived south of Los Angeles in Orange County for much of his adult life, and he often used helicopters to save time and avoid Southern California's traffic.

We extend our sincerest condolences to all those affected by today’s Sikorsky S-76B accident in Calabasas, California. We have been in contact with the NTSB and stand ready to provide assistance and support to the investigative authorities and our customer.

— Sikorsky (@Sikorsky) January 26, 2020

"Safety is a top priority; if there are any actionable findings from the investigation, we will inform our S-76 customers," a spokesperson for Sikorsky said.

The Sikorsky headquarters is located in Stratford.

The NTSB is launching an investigation into the crash. The team is expected to arrive in California Sunday night.

NTSB launching Go Team to investigate the Jan. 26, 2020 crash of a Sikorsky
S-76B helicopter in Calabasas, CA. The team is expected to arrive in California this evening.

— NTSB_Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) January 26, 2020