Vanessa Bryant is Suing the Helicopter Operator Over Kobe Bryant’s Crash

Though it has been almost a month since NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven other victims died in a helicopter crash, the world is still reeling the loss.

Vanessa Bryant, the wife of the retired Lakers player, has filed a wrongful death suit this week against the company that owned the helicopter that crashed. The lawsuit alleges that Island Express Helicopters put the helicopter in the air when conditions were not safe for flying.

The wrongful death lawsuit was filed shortly before a memorial service for Bryant that was held at the Los Angeles Staples Center. Vanessa described the memorial as ”a Celebration of Life,” for the NBA legend and their teenage daughter.

The complaint alleges that pilot Ara Zobayan, who also died in the crash in Calabasas, failed “to use ordinary care in piloting the subject aircraft” and was negligent.

“Defendant Island Express Helicopters authorized, directed and/or permitted a flight with full knowledge that the subject helicopter was flying into unsafe weather conditions,” the lawsuit says.

Kobe Bryant, the complaint alleges, died “as a direct result of the negligent conduct of Zobayan” for which “the company is vicariously liable in all respects.” The lawsuit also alleges that the pilot was flying at a speed of 180 mph in the dense fog.

The fog in Los Angeles was so dense on January 26th when the Sikorsky S-76B went down that the Los Angeles Police Department grounded its helicopters until the afternoon, LAPD spokesman Joshua Rubenstein said at the time. The department requires 2 miles of visibility and an 800-foot cloud ceiling, he said.

Bryant is represented by Munger, Tolles & Olson and Kansas City-based Robb & Robb, which specializes in helicopter crashes.

Teri Neville, an attorney representing Island Express said previously in an e-mail to the LA Times, “This was a tragic accident.”

Zobayan was the chief pilot for Island Express, amassing more than 8,000 hours of flying experience. “He was the guy you’d want in any kind of emergency situation,” Neville said.