The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded that pilot error, triggered by spatial disorientation, was the primary cause of the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of former Access Holdings CEO Herbert Wigwe, his wife, son, and three others on February 9, 2024.
The final report, released Wednesday, also criticised the helicopter operator for “inadequate oversight of its safety management processes,” pointing to systemic failures in safety protocols.
According to the NTSB, the pilot continued flying under visual flight rules despite deteriorating weather that required instrument navigation. This decision led to a loss of situational awareness. Investigators determined that “the probable cause of this accident [was] 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.”
The crash took place on February 9, 2024, near the California-Nevada border. All six on board, including Wigwe, his wife Doreen, their son Chizi, and former NGX chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo, were killed.
The investigation also highlighted pre-existing issues with the aircraft’s radar altimeter. The report revealed that the pilot had previously flagged the instrument’s malfunction via text to a maintenance official. Despite attempted troubleshooting, “the radar altimeter remained non-functional,” and the flight proceeded anyway.
“A company mechanic performed some troubleshooting on the radar altimeter; however, he was unable to rectify the issue,” the NTSB noted. “The mechanic reported that the pilot and the DOM [director of maintenance] were aware that the radar altimeter was not functioning.”
Further scrutiny revealed that, before the fatal leg of the journey, no conversation took place between the pilot and the company’s flight follower about the altimeter’s status or the prevailing weather. The report concluded: “The pilot likely experienced spatial disorientation while manoeuvring the helicopter in IMC [instrument meteorological conditions], which led to his loss of helicopter control and the resulting collision with terrain.
