Looks like they were circling over Glendale for about 10 minutes before deciding to go for it.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/world/watch-video-shows-path-of-helicopter-before-crash-that-killed-kobe-bryant/video/101d90edb3137d3d88045c3534adcb21
I would imagine they were stopped over Glendale for weather and were waiting for it to clear up. Maybe there was a time when it got better or they may have lost their patience?
Still it sounds like that helicopter can fly on instruments and the pilot would be certified to so so? Maybe it is a series of smaller failures that added up to a catastrophe.
G