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When suddenly experiencing IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) flying into a dense cloud with little to no visibility and a single pilot straining to maintain visual reference when there is none, the unpleasant phenomenon of vertigo may occur, even to healthy, experienced, highly capable pilots. Vertigo will often cause the pilot the stark confusion of inability to "feel" or physically sense what is actually occurring, thus unable to determine if climbing, descending, banking, accelerating or decelerating. If the pilot does not immediately go to the flight instruments and trust them to correct flight path, quickly the situation becomes critically uncontrollable. The potential dire consequences are exacerbated by the close proximity to mountains, hills, structures, transmission lines, or other obstacles. 'Not assuming this was what happened, but the description of the accident and the apparent airworthiness of the helicopter suggest vertigo may have been a contributing factor or more direct cause.Helicopter In Kobe Bryant Crash Considered A Safe VIP Aircraft, But Flight Conditions May Have Been Difficult
The helicopter appears to have struck the ground extremely hard amid fog in mountainous terrain. Fragmentation, a fire after the crash and the lack of a black box will complicate efforts to determine the cause of the tragic accident, air safety experts say.
