As the process of diagnosing the causes of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others continues to unfold, a critical piece of information was released Friday. The wreckage of the crash showed no outward signs of engine failure, according to a statement from the National Transportation Safety Board. A full report is not expected on the crash for at least a year as the NTSB investigates it fully. 

Central to the report are the conditions in which the helicopter was flying. The weather was foggy in Los Angeles on the morning of Bryant's crash, and the decision to fly was ultimately made by pilot Ara Zobayan. A pilot with more than 8,200 hours of experience, Zobayan's most recent flight review included training for flights through poor weather conditions, of which he received satisfactory grades. 

The helicopter carrying Bryant did not have a black box, nor was it required to, further complicating the investigation into its January crash. 

A public memorial for Bryant and the other victims will be held on Monday, Feb. 24. The date is meant to correspond with the uniform numbers of Kobe (No. 24) and Gianna Bryant (No. 2), and will be held at the Staples Center, where the elder Bryant played his home games as a Laker. The Los Angeles Clippers will then host the Memphis Grizzlies in that arena that night. 

The basketball world is only now beginning to return to some form of normalcy following the tragic accident. The Lakers played their first game following the crash a week ago, and next weekend's All-Star Game will honor Bryant through an adapted "Elam Ending" in which the target score will be set at 24 points above the leading team's total at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Lakers will play the rest of this season, and undoubtedly beyond, with Bryant's memory in mind.