NPR

Kobe Bryant's Death Puts A Focus On Helicopter Safety

Some helicopter trips — like personal or private helicopter rides — are more likely than others to end in a fatal accident. A crash killed the former NBA star and eight other people on Sunday.
A helicopter flies in Brazil in 2014. Some helicopter trips — like personal or private helicopter rides — are more likely than others to end in a fatal accident.

For the vast majority of Americans, helicopters are hardly a routine form of transportation. But a high-profile helicopter disaster — like the crash in Calabasas, Calif., that killed Kobe Bryant and eight other people on Sunday — can draw widespread attention to helicopter safety.

Helicopter rides are significantly riskier than commercial airline flights, but not as dangerous as a trip on a personal plane. And some trips

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