How pilot error caused Wigwe’s helicopter crash – US investigation reveals

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of former Access Holdings CEO Herbert Wigwe, his family, and others in February 2024.

According to the report, the accident was caused by the pilot’s decision to continue flying under visual flight rules (VFR) despite worsening weather conditions. The aircraft entered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), leading to the pilot’s spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control.

The crash occurred on February 9, 2024, near the California-Nevada border. All six passengers aboard the helicopter perished in the crash, including Wigwe, his wife Doreen, their son Chizi, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former group chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc.

The NTSB report revealed that the helicopter company’s “inadequate oversight of its safety management processes” was a contributing factor in the accident.

Investigators found that the company failed to ensure pilots properly completed flight risk analyses, recorded maintenance issues, and followed required regulations before departure.

“The pilot likely experienced spatial disorientation while maneuvering the helicopter in IMC [instrument meteorological conditions], which led to his loss of helicopter control and the resulting collision with terrain,” the report stated.

A significant finding in the investigation was that the helicopter’s radar altimeter was non-functional prior to the fatal flight. The report detailed that during an earlier flight, the pilot had texted the maintenance director about an issue with this critical instrument.

“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 report noted.

“The mechanic reported that the pilot and the DOM [director of maintenance] were aware that the radar altimeter was not functioning, yet they departed at 1822 on the positioning flight to pick up the passengers.”

The investigation also found that after arriving to collect the charter passengers, the pilot and flight follower exchanged messages but “did not discuss the status of the radar altimeter or weather conditions.”

The helicopter, registered as N130CZ, crashed while operating under visual flight rules in what ultimately became instrument meteorological conditions, requiring different flight protocols and instrumentation.