Kobe Bryant crash was 'high energy impact': NTSB

Investigators say moments before the tragic crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others the pilot had tried to climb out of a layer of thick clouds.

But then the chopper took a sharp turn and plunged into a Los Angeles hillside.

Jennifer Homendy is with the National Transportation Safety Board... she disclosed new details on Tuesday (January 28).

(SOUNDBITE) (English) NTSB BOARD MEMBER, JENNIFER HOMENDY, SAYING:

"We know that the helicopter was at 2,300 ft (700 meters) when it lost communications with air traffic control. The descent rate for the helicopter was over 2,000 ft (600 meters) a minute, so we know that this was a high energy impact crash and the helicopter was in a descending left bank."

Also on Tuesday, an NTSB team shuttled a truckload of debris wrapped in tarps to a secure location authorities say they've identified the remains of four victims, including Bryant and the pilot.

Homendy has suggested that whether clouds or fog obscured the pilot's visibility are a key focus of the investigation.

Officials say the pilot, Ara Zobayan, was a certified flight instructor with more than 8,200 hours of flight experience and the NTSB says he had 1250 hours of flight on the helicopter that crashed.

Authorities had appealed to the public earlier this week to come forward with any photos or video documenting weather at the time and place of the crash.

The NTSB is expected to present a preliminary report in about 10 days on the facts of the crash with a final report in 12 to 18 months.