93-3-WMR Audio on Demand presents the Preston and Steve show podcast.

And now, Preston and Steve's news updates with Kathy Romano.

Last day of January, Friday, the 31st. Good morning, Kathy.

Good morning. In the news this morning, Island Express Helicopters, the company that owns the helicopter that crashed Sunday killing NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and

seven others, is suspending all flight service for operational reasons. Two company

representatives told CNN on Thursday. The representatives declined to provide any other details

about the suspension. In addition to charter flights, Island Express provides regular

helicopter service to and from Catalina Island. Investigators are trying to determine what

caused the crash and whether the pilot should have been granted special permission to fly

in foggy conditions Sunday morning. FAA records reveal Island Express was certified only for flights

using visual flight rules. So visual flight rules require pilots to stay clear of clouds and in good visibility while

using both visual and instrument navigation.

Investigators are also looking into whether a safety system that federal authorities recommended

years ago, one that alerts pilots when they might hit terrain, could have prevented the tragedy.

The bodies of all nine victims of the crash have been positively identified

through fingerprints and round-the-clock testing and analysis of DNA.

It seems like obvious stuff here. They didn't have these proximity detectors and they

were not, right? So how that helicopter ever took off in the first place is kind of a...

Well, no, but the pilot may have had like his instrument rating so maybe the pilot was able to

fly through but not that helicopter i don't know uh the cause of death for all nine victims was certified

as blunt trauma and the manner of death was certified as an accident the coroner said the helicopter

missed the top of the hill by 20 to 30 feet. The National Transportation Safety Board said

...