Eyewitnesses said they heard the helicopter's engine sputtering before it went down.
Retired United States basketball legend, Kobe Bryant, was killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday morning.
He was traveling with at least three other persons in his private helicopter when it went down.
A fire broke out. Emergency personnel responded but nobody on board survived.
His wife, Vanessa, was not among those on board.
Eyewitnesses said they heard the helicopter's engine sputtering before it went down.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Kobe has famously used the helicopter to travel for years -- dating back to when he played for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kobe has recently spotted out at NBA games with his daughter Gianna -- a rising star basketball player herself, according to TMZ Sports.