The United States’ National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, has released its final report on the tragic helicopter crash that killed Herbert Wigwe, former Group CEO of Access Holdings, along with his wife, son, and three others in February 2024.
According to the report, the crash was caused by the pilot’s decision to fly under visual flight rules despite deteriorating weather conditions, leading to spatial disorientation and a fatal loss of control.
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The NTSB also faulted the helicopter company’s safety oversight, noting lapses in maintenance logging, risk analysis, and regulatory compliance. Notably, a radar altimeter issue had been reported before the flight but was not resolved. Despite this, the flight proceeded.
The crash occurred near the California-Nevada border, killing all six people on board, including NGX Group’s former chairman, Abimbola Ogunbanjo.
The report highlights that during a delay before takeoff, the pilots were seen on their phones but failed to update the flight risk assessment or recheck the weather. There was no evidence that the faulty radar altimeter began working before the fatal journey.
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