The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the investigative authority in the United States, has published its final report regarding the helicopter crash that resulted in the tragic deaths of Herbert Wigwe, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, along with his family and others.
The report details that the crash, which occurred on February 9, 2024, near the Nevada border in California, claimed the lives of Wigwe , his wife Doreen, their eldest son Chizi, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group). The incident resulted in the fatalities of all six individuals on board the helicopter, registered as N130CZ.
The NTSB determined that the primary cause of the crash was the pilot’s decision to proceed with the flight under visual flight rules (VFR) despite encountering instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). This decision led to the pilot becoming spatially disoriented, ultimately resulting in the loss of control of the aircraft, which crashed into the terrain.
The report stated that the pilot was likely influenced by spatial disorientation, a condition where the pilot’s sense of direction is compromised due to limited visibility, frequently resulting in a loss of control. The NTSB emphasised that the pilot’s inability to navigate effectively under these conditions was a critical factor in the fatal accident.
In addition to the pilot’s decision, the report highlighted significant deficiencies in the company’s oversight and safety management protocols. The NTSB found that the helicopter company failed to ensure that pilots adhered to essential safety procedures, including the accurate completion and updating of flight risk assessments and the proper logging of maintenance discrepancies.
Further insights from the report indicated that during the flight, the pilot communicated with the company’s Director of Maintenance (DOM) regarding an issue with the radar altimeter, which remained non-functional despite attempts at repair.
The NTSB also noted that upon arriving at the airport to pick up the passengers, the pilot and a company flight follower engaged in a phone conversation but neglected to discuss the status of the radar altimeter or the existing weather conditions, both of which could have significantly affected the flight’s safety.
The report concluded: “The probable cause of this accident was the pilot’s decision to continue the flight into IMC, which led to spatial disorientation and the loss of control of the aircraft. Contributing factors include the company’s inadequate oversight of safety management, failure to ensure proper documentation, and the non-functioning radar altimeter.
“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).
“A company mechanic performed some troubleshooting on the radar altimeter; however, he was unable to rectify the issue, and the radar altimeter remained non-functional.
“The mechanic reported that the pilot and the DOM were aware that the radar altimeter was not functioning, yet they departed at 1822 on the positioning flight to pick up the passengers.
“About 40 minutes later, the positioning flight landed at the airport to pick up the charter passengers. After arrival, the pilot and flight follower had a phone conversation and exchanged text messages, but they did not discuss the status of the radar altimeter or weather conditions.”
