The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published its final report on the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the life of Herbert Wigwe, former Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, along with his wife, son, and others in February 2024.
The report concluded that the “probable cause” of the accident was the pilot’s decision to continue flying under visual flight rules (VFR) despite deteriorating weather conditions that required instrument flight rules (IFR). This led to the pilot becoming spatially disoriented and losing control of the aircraft.
The crash occurred on 9 February 2024 near the California-Nevada border, resulting in the deaths of all six people on board, including Wigwe, his wife Doreen, their son Chizi, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc.
The investigation also revealed that the helicopter operator had failed to enforce proper safety protocols. The company did not ensure that pilots completed essential flight risk assessments, reported maintenance issues, or complied with pre-flight regulatory requirements.
One of the key findings was the malfunction of the helicopter’s radar altimeter, a critical instrument that remained inoperative before and during the flight. According to the report, the pilot had previously texted the Director of Maintenance about the issue.
A company mechanic attempted to troubleshoot the fault but was unsuccessful. Despite knowing the radar altimeter was not working, both the pilot and the Director of Maintenance allowed the helicopter to depart to collect the charter passengers.
After boarding the passengers, the pilot exchanged messages with the company’s flight follower, but they reportedly failed to discuss either the weather conditions or the faulty equipment.
Operating under visual flight rules, the aircraft encountered instrument meteorological conditions mid-flight — a scenario demanding a different set of procedures and instrumentation — ultimately leading to the fatal crash.
