NTSB Report Reveals Causes of Herbert Wigwe Helicopter Crash

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on the tragic Herbert Wigwe helicopter crash, which occurred on February 9, 2024. The accident claimed the lives of Herbert Wigwe, former CEO of Access Holdings, his wife Doreen, their son Chizi, and three others.

The helicopter crashed near the California-Nevada border. According to the NTSB report, the pilot chose to fly under visual flight rules (VFR), despite entering poor weather conditions known as instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). This led to the pilot becoming disoriented, ultimately causing the helicopter to crash.

“All six people on board died in the accident,” the report confirmed. Among the victims was Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group.

The investigation found that the pilot likely lost control of the helicopter after becoming disoriented while flying in bad weather. “The pilot likely experienced spatial disorientation while maneuvering the helicopter in IMC, which led to his loss of helicopter control and the resulting collision with terrain,” the NTSB stated.

The report also pointed to serious safety failures by the helicopter company. These included: Poor risk assessment before the flight, failure to fix and properly record maintenance issues and not meeting regulatory safety standards.

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One major issue noted was a faulty radar altimeter, a device that helps measure the aircraft’s altitude. A company mechanic tried to fix it but couldn’t. Despite knowing it wasn’t working, both the pilot and the company’s Director of Maintenance allowed the flight to proceed.

“The mechanic reported that the pilot and the Director of Maintenance were aware the radar altimeter was not functioning, yet they departed at 6:22 PM for the positioning flight to pick up the passengers,” the NTSB said.

The final report also revealed that after arriving to collect the passengers, the pilot and the flight follower exchanged text messages but failed to talk about the faulty equipment or worsening weather.

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