Wednesday May 7, 2025
The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded that the helicopter crash which claimed the lives of former Access Holdings CEO, Herbert Wigwe, his wife, son, and three others in February 2024 was caused by pilot error stemming from spatial disorientation.
In its final report released on Wednesday, the NTSB said the accident occurred after the pilot continued flying under visual flight rules (VFR) into weather conditions that required instrument flight protocols.
“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 placed significant blame on the helicopter company, criticizing its safety oversight.
It stated the operator had demonstrated “inadequate oversight of its safety management processes,” particularly regarding flight risk assessments, maintenance issue documentation, and pre-departure compliance with aviation regulations.
The crash occurred near the California-Nevada border on February 9, 2024.
All six occupants of the helicopter, registered as N130CZ, died in the incident.
Alongside Wigwe, the victims included his wife Doreen, their son Chizi, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former group chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc.
