( Reuters) – The 2 engines of the helicopter that crashed in hazy, cloudy weather on a California hillside last month, eliminating basketball great Kobe Bryant and 8 others, showed no evidence of a “disastrous internal failure,” federal detectives said on Friday.
FILE PHOTO: Worker collect debris while working with private investigators at the helicopter crash website of NBA star Kobe Bryant in Calabasas, California, U.S., January 28,2020 REUTERS/Patrick T. Fallon
The interim report released by the National Transportation Security Board (NTSB) 12 days after the Jan. 26 accident also stated evaluation of both rotor assemblies found damage “constant with powered rotation at the time of effect.”
The findings, while initial, pointed to no obvious signs of mechanical problems that might have added to the fiery crash in which Bryant, 41, his 13- year-old daughter, Gianna, and all seven others aboard the helicopter died.
The death of Bryant, an 18- time all-star in the National Basketball Association and among the world’s most admired sports figures, triggered a profusion of shock and grief from fans and fellow athletes around the world.
The retired Los Angel