New Bill Would Require Helicopters to Have Black Boxes, Terrain Awareness Systems After Crash That Killed Kobe Bryant
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Helicopters may soon be required to install additional safety measures after the death of Kobe Bryant.
California Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congressman Brad Sherman of Sherman Oaks together introduced the Helicopter Safety Act Thursday. The law would require the FAA to strengthen federal standards for helicopters in the wake of the tragic crash.
The NBA superstar, his 13-year-old daughter, and seven others were killed in a crash into the hills of Calabasas on Jan. 26.
A preliminary NTSB report said the Sikorsky S-76B they were in was flying in foggy weather and did not have terrain awareness technology or a black box to record what happened in the cockpit before the crash. Immediately after the crash, the FAA was criticized for not requiring such safety systems, despite NTSB recommendations after past helicopter crashes.
In January, when Sherman first discussed the bill, he estimated such systems would cost between $25,000 and $40,000 per helicopter. Feinstein in February urged the FAA in a letter to make the safety systems a requirement in all helicopters that carry six or more people, before introducing the bill Thursday.