Kylie Jenner flew on helicopter used in Kobe Bryant crash ‘from time to time’

Kylie Jenner revealed on Instagram that she also used to charter the pilot and helicopter involved in the fatal crash that killed Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, on Sunday morning. 

The Kylie Cosmetics founder posted a tribute to those killed in the helicopter crash on her story, sharing a composite photo of the nine victims and writing a caption underneath it.

“rest in peace..and prayers to these families,” she wrote. “i still can’t believe this.”

Jenner then shared that she had flown on the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter with its pilot, Ara Zobayan, multiple times in the past.

“that was the helicopter i would fly on from time to time with that pilot, Ara,” she went on. “he was such a nice man. hold your loved ones close.”

According to National Transportation Safety Board member Jennifer Homendy, Zobayan was fighting against extreme fog coverage while piloting the helicopter before it crashed into a mountainside at 185mph. 

“Initial information shows that the helicopter was flying under visual flight rules (VFR) from John Wayne Airport to just southeast of Burbank Airport. Around Burbank, the pilot requested to transit controlled airspace under special visual flight rules. Special VFR is an air traffic control authorization that allows an aircraft to proceed through controlled airspace at less than the basic VFR minimums of 1,000 ft. ceiling and three miles visibility,” Homendy told People.

“ATC advised the pilot there was a delay due to traffic while awaiting approval the helicopter circled for 12 minutes until the special VFR was approved by Air Traffic Control. The helicopter transited the Burbank and Van Nuys airspace at 1,400 ft. and proceeded south then west. The pilot requested flight following to continue to Camarillo, but Southern California TRACON advised the pilot was too low for flight following,” she went on. “Approximately four minutes later, the pilot advised they were climbing to avoid a cloud layer. When ATC asked what the pilot planned to do, there was no reply. Radar data indicates the helicopter climbed 2,300 ft. and began a left descending turn. Last radar contact was 9:45 a.m. and is consistent with the accident location.”

Kobe, Gianna and Zobayan were three of the nine victims of Sunday’s devastating crash. Also killed were coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli, their daughter Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester, daughter Payton Chester and coach Christina Mauser.

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