Fog to figure in crash probe

CALABASAS, January 27

Weather conditions appear likely to come under the scrutiny of investigators probing the helicopter crash on Sunday, when overcast skies and fog grounded other aircrafts.

A Sikorsky S-76 chopper owned by Bryant slammed into a steep hillside outside the town of Calabasas, California, about 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, igniting a bushfire and spreading debris over a quarter-acre of grassy terrain.

Hours later, Los Angeles County authorities said all nine people aboard the helicopter died in the crash.

Among the factors expected to be at the forefront of the probe are weather conditions, given that forecasters reported low clouds and limited visibility in the vicinity at the time of the crash, and various eyewitnesses recounted thick fog over the foothills where the helicopter went down. — Reuters