The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded that the February 2024 helicopter crash that claimed the lives of former Access Holdings CEO Herbert Wigwe, his wife, son, and three others was primarily caused by pilot error linked to spatial disorientation in poor weather conditions.
In its final report released on Wednesday, the NTSB said the pilot continued flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) despite entering Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) — weather conditions that require specialized instruments for safe navigation.
“The pilot’s decision to continue the visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and loss of control,” was cited as the probable cause of the crash.
The report also criticized the operator’s inadequate safety oversight, pointing to failures in flight risk assessments, proper documentation of maintenance issues, and non-compliance with key pre-departure regulations.
The crash occurred on February 9, 2024, near the California-Nevada border, killing all six on board. Victims included Herbert Wigwe, his wife Doreen, their son Chizi, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former group chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group.
Investigators revealed that the pilot likely became disoriented while trying to maneuver the aircraft in cloudy and low-visibility conditions, resulting in a loss of control and fatal impact with the terrain.
A major contributing factor was the failure of a critical safety device — the radar altimeter, which was not functioning during the flight. Despite being aware of the malfunction, the pilot and the company’s director of maintenance approved the flight.
“A company mechanic performed some troubleshooting on the radar altimeter; however, he was unable to rectify the issue,” the report stated.
“The pilot and the DOM were aware that the radar altimeter was not functioning, yet they departed.”
The report also noted that even after picking up the passengers, no discussion was held regarding the faulty equipment or deteriorating weather conditions between the pilot and the flight operations team.
The findings have raised serious concerns about safety culture and oversight in charter helicopter operations, especially those involving high-profile clients.
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