CALABASAS, Calif. - NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash on a steep hillside in dense morning fog in Southern California on Sunday, his sudden death at age 41 touching off an outpouring of grief for a star whose celebrity transcended basketball.
The chopper went down at about 9:45 a.m. in Calabasas, about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Authorities said nine people were aboard the helicopter and presumed dead. Bryant, an all-time basketball great who spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, was among the victims, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.
Bryant's 13-year-old daughter Gianna also was killed, a different person familiar with the case said. Bryant's Mamba Sports Academy in nearby Thousand Oaks was holding a basketball tournament on Sunday.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva would not confirm the identities of the victims Sunday afternoon pending official word from the coroner.
"God bless their souls," Villanueva said at a news conference.
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News of the charismatic superstar's death rocketed around the sports and entertainment worlds, with many taking to Twitter to register their shock, disbelief and anguish.
"Words can't describe the pain I am feeling. I loved Kobe - he was like a little brother to me," retired NBA great Michael Jordan said. "We used to talk often, and I will miss those conversations very much. He was a fierce competitor, one of the greats of the game and a creative force."
NBA players were in tears during pregame warmups as crowds chanted "Kobe! Kobe!" Tiger Woods was unaware of the news during his final round at Torrey Pines in San Diego when he started hearing the gallery yell "Do it for Mamba!" as they referred to Bryant by his nickname.
People were glued to their phones and TV screens all around the world as news of the crash spread and networks broke into programming with live coverage. A visibly shaken LeBron James wiped his eyes with tissues and walked away alone from the Lakers' team plane that had just landed in Southern California.
Thousands of people gathered to mourn Bryant outside the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, where there is a statue of the retired Lakers legend. Mourners in number 24 jerseys mixed with those in fancy dress arriving at the downtown arena for Sunday evening's Grammy Awards.
People carried flowers and chanted "Kobe!" and "MVP!" under giant video screens showing Bryant's smiling face.
"This is where we needed to be," said Naveen Cheerath, 31.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner, Dr. Jonathan Lucas, said the rugged terrain complicated efforts to recover the remains. He estimated it would take at least a couple of days to complete that task before identifications can be made.
Bryant's helicopter left Santa Ana shortly after 9 a.m. and circled for a time just east of Interstate 5, near Glendale. Air traffic controllers noted poor visibility around Burbank, just to the north, and Van Nuys, to the northwest.
After holding up the helicopter for other aircraft, they cleared the Sikorsky S-76 to proceed north along Interstate 5 through Burbank before turning west to follow U.S Route 101, the Ventura Highway.
Shortly after 9:40 a.m., the helicopter turned again, toward the southeast, and climbed to more than 2,000 feet above sea level. It then descended and crashed into the hillside at about 1,400 feet, according to data from Flightradar24.
When it struck the ground, the helicopter was flying at about 160 knots (184 mph) and descending at a rate of more than 4,000 feet per minute, the Flightradar24 data showed.
At the time of the crash, the Los Angles County Sheriff's Department had grounded its own helicopters because of the poor weather conditions. The impact scattered debris over an area about the size of a football field, Villanueva said.
Federal transportation safety investigators were on their way to the scene. Among other things, investigators will look at the pilot's history, the chopper's maintenance history, and the records of its owner and operator, National Transportation Safety Board member Jennifer Homendy said at a news conference.
The NTSB typically issues a preliminary report within about 10 days that will give a rough summary of what investigators have learned. A ruling on the cause can take a year or more.
Kurt Deetz, a pilot who used to fly Bryant in the chopper, said the crash was more likely caused by bad weather than engine or mechanical issues.
"The likelihood of a catastrophic twin engine failure on that aircraft - it just doesn't happen," he told the Los Angeles Times.
Justin Green, an aviation attorney in New York who flew helicopters in the Marine Corps, said weather may have contributed to the crash. Pilots can become disoriented in low visibility, losing track of which direction is up. Green said a pilot flying an S-76 would be instrument-rated, meaning they could fly the helicopter without relying on visual cues from outside.
"The S-76 is a pretty expensive, sophisticated helicopter. ... It's certainly a quality helicopter," Green said.
Bryant retired in 2016 as the third-leading scorer in NBA history, finishing two decades with the Lakers as a prolific shot-maker with a sublime all-around game and a relentless competitive ethic. He held that spot in the league scoring ranks until Saturday night, when the Lakers' James passed him for third place during a game in Philadelphia, Bryant's hometown.
"Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames," Bryant wrote in his last tweet. "Much respect my brother."
Bryant had one of the greatest careers in recent NBA history and became one of the game's most popular players as the face of the 16-time NBA champion Lakers franchise. He was the league MVP in 2008 and a two-time NBA scoring champion, and he earned 12 selections to the NBA's All-Defensive teams.
He teamed with Shaquille O'Neal in a combustible partnership to lead the Lakers to consecutive NBA titles in 2000, 2001 and 2002. He later teamed with Pau Gasol to win two more titles in 2009 and 2010.
"There's no words to express the pain Im going through," O'Neal tweeted. Sunday. "@kobebryant I love u and u will be missed. ... IM SICK RIGHT NOW."
Bryant's Lakers tenure was marred by scandal in 2003, when he was accused of raping a 19-year-old employee at a Colorado resort. He said the two had consensual sex, and prosecutors later dropped the felony sexual assault charge at the request of the accuser. The woman later filed a civil suit against Bryant that was settled out of court.
Bryant retired in 2016 after scoring 60 points against the visiting Utah Jazz in his final NBA game.
After his retirement, Bryant had more time to play coach to daughter Gianna, who had a budding basketball career of her own and, her father said, wanted to one day play in the WNBA. They were seen sitting courtside at a Brooklyn Nets game late last year, Bryant clearly passing along his wisdom to his daughter. He regularly showcased her talents on the court on social media.
Along with his work boosting women's sports, Bryant opened a production company and entered the entertainment field in retirement. He won an Academy Award in 2018 for his contributions to "Dear Basketball," an animated short about his relationship to the game. He also produced content for ESPN.
Bryant's death was felt particularly painfully in Los Angeles, where he was unquestionably the most popular athlete and one of the city's most beloved public figures. Hundreds of fans - many in Bryant jerseys and Lakers gear - spontaneously gathered at Staples Center and in the surrounding LA Live entertainment complex on Sunday, weeping and staring at video boards with Bryant's image.
"Kobe Bryant was a giant who inspired, amazed, and thrilled people everywhere with his incomparable skill on the court - and awed us with his intellect and humility as a father, husband, creative genius, and ambassador for the game he loved. He will live forever in the heart of Los Angeles, and will be remembered through the ages as one of our greatest heroes," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said.
President Donald Trump tweeted condolences to Bryant's family, saying that "despite being one of the truly great basketball players of all time, (Bryant) was just getting started in life."
Authorities earlier said five people were killed before raising the death toll to nine.
Among those killed in the crash were John Altobelli, 56, longtime head coach of Southern California's Orange Coast College baseball team; his wife, Keri; and daughter, Alyssa, who played on the same basketball team as Bryant's daughter, said Altobelli's brother, Tony, who is the sports information director at the school.
Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley tweeted that the dead also included Christina Mauser, a girls basketball coach at a nearby private elementary school. Her husband, Matt Mauser, founded the Tijuana Dogs, a popular Orange County band. In a Facebook post he said: "My kids and I are devastated. We lost our beautiful wife and mom today in a helicopter crash."
Firefighters work the scene of a helicopter crash on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, in Calabasas, Calif. NBA basketball legend Kobe Bryant, his teenage daughter Gianna and seven others were killed in the crash in Southern California on Sunday. / AP photo by Mark J. Terrill
Colin Storm was in his living room in Calabasas when he heard what sounded to him like a low-flying airplane or helicopter.
"Ït was very foggy so we couldn't see anything," he said. "But then we heard some sputtering, and then a boom."
The fog cleared a bit, and Storm could see smoke rising from the hillside in front of his home.
Juan Bonilla of Calabasas said he was working on his roof Sunday morning when he heard a helicopter flying low nearby. He said he thought it was a sheriff's helicopter on a training mission. He heard nothing amiss with the engine or rotors and said he did not see any mechanical issue with the chopper. It was foggy Sunday morning, but he said visibility didn't seem to be low at the time of the crash.
Firefighters hiked in with medical equipment and hoses, and medical personnel rappelled to the site from a helicopter, but found no survivors, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby said.
Firefighters worked to douse flames that spread through about a quarter acre of dry brush, Osby said.
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Associated Press staffers Christopher Weber in Los Angeles, David Koenig in Dallas, Mark J. Terrill and John Antczak in Calabasas, Tim Reynolds in Miami and Michael Rubinkam in northeastern Pennsylvania contributed to this report.