Fans pay their respects at a memorial for Kobe Bryant near Staples Center on Monday. Chiu(Updated: 3:11 p.m. EST, Jan. 27 2020)Topline: The New York Times reported Monday that the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter that crashed and killed Kobe Bryant and eight others aboard on Sunday in Calabasas, California, was given special approval to fly in foggy weather, which typically grounds L.A.P.D. Citing audio records between the pilot and air traffic control, the Times reported that the helicopter was given “Special Visual Flight Rules” clearance in order to fly in Sunday morning’s foggy weather. News peg: Bryant spent his entire 20-year NBA career playing for the Los Angeles Lakers until he retired in 2016. Further reading:Kobe Bryant Was A Basketball Giant: A Look At His Life On And Off The Court (Kurt Badenhousen)Helicopter In Kobe Bryant Crash Considered A Safe VIP Aircraft, But Flight Conditions May Have Been Difficult (Jeremy Bogaisky)

Source: Forbes January 27, 2020 18:00 UTC