Kobe Bryant death: Helicopter company was not licensed to fly in fog, says official

The owner of the helicopter that was carrying basketball great Kobe Bryant and eight other people when it crashed was not licensed to fly in foggy conditions, an official has said.

Island Express Helicopters was limited to operating under visual flight rules, meaning pilots must be able to see clearly outside the aircraft in daylight, according to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) spokesman Keith Holloway.

While pilot Ara Zobayan was licensed to fly using only cockpit instruments, he did not have legal authority for that specific flight because the charter company did not have the necessary certification, sources told the New York Times.

The aircraft was reportedly equipped for instrument flying but Mr Holloway told Reuters news agency that it was not known if Mr Zobayan was doing so at the time of the crash.

He added that a preliminary report on the crash, which is expected in about 10 days, may provide answers.

"The preliminary information is Island Express's 135 certificate did not allow for IFR [instrument flight rules] flight," Mr Holloway said,

Island Express Helicopters has not commented on the NTSB's statement but has previously said it is suspending all services.