The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, has released its final report on the helicopter crash that killed Herbert Wigwe, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, along with his family and others in February 2024.
The report, issued on Monday, concluded that the crash was primarily caused by the pilot’s decision to continue flying under visual flight rules despite entering instrument meteorological conditions.
According to the report, this critical error led to the pilot’s spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control of the aircraft.
DAILY POST reports that the tragic accident occurred on February 9, 2024, near the California-Nevada border.
All six people aboard the helicopter perished, including Wigwe, his wife Doreen, their son Chizi, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc.
In addition to pilot error, the NTSB cited systemic failures by the helicopter operator.
The agency said the company’s inadequate oversight of its safety management processes contributed to the crash. Investigators found lapses in pre-flight risk assessments, maintenance documentation, and regulatory compliance.
“The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determines the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot’s decision to continue the visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and loss of control,” a part of the report reads.
“Contributing to the accident was the company’s inadequate oversight of its safety management processes, including ensuring the pilots were accurately completing and updating the flight risk analysis, logging maintenance discrepancies, and ensuring the helicopter met Part 135 regulations before departure.
“During the return flight, the pilot texted the director of maintenance (DOM) about the issue. After arriving at the company’s flight operations base, the pilot discussed the issue with the company flight follower (who was also the company’s president).”
