The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report regarding the helicopter crash that resulted in the deaths of Herbert Wigwe, former Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, his family, and others in February 2024. The NTSB concluded that the primary cause of the accident was the pilot’s decision to continue flying under visual flight rules despite entering instrument meteorological conditions, which led to spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control.

The accident occurred on February 9, 2024, near the California-Nevada border, claiming the lives of all six people on board, including Wigwe, his wife Doreen, their son Chizi, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc.

In addition to pilot error, the NTSB cited inadequate oversight of safety management processes by the helicopter operator, Orbic Air, LLC. Investigators found lapses in pre-flight risk assessments, maintenance documentation, and regulatory compliance. The company’s failures contributed significantly to the tragic outcome.

According to the NTSB, the helicopter had undergone routine maintenance involving work on the radar altimeter before the accident. On the day of the accident, the pilot noted that the radar altimeter was not functioning during a repositioning flight from the maintenance facility to the company’s flight operations base. Despite discussing the issue with the director of maintenance (DOM) and the company flight follower, who also held operational control, the flight departed without rectifying the problem. The flight follower initially stated that the flight could not depart if the radar altimeter was not functioning; however, the helicopter departed despite the issue remaining unresolved.

Approximately two minutes before the crash, the helicopter’s airspeed and altitude increased, with a slight deviation south of the freeway. It remains unclear whether the pilot was attempting an inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) recovery maneuver. The helicopter then began a rapid descent into terrain while maintaining a right turn.

Witnesses reported observing a fireball south of the freeway and noted that weather conditions in the area were poor, with rain and a snow mix. Search and rescue efforts were hampered by low visibility, rain, snow, and high winds. The wreckage was located about 1 hour and 40 minutes after the accident and indicated a high-energy impact.

Post-accident examination of the helicopter's components found no evidence of pre-impact malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. The engine displayed rotational damage consistent with powered operation at impact. The NTSB report emphasized that the pilot likely experienced spatial disorientation while maneuvering the helicopter in IMC, leading to the loss of control and the collision with terrain. The pilot may have been susceptible to the Coriolis illusion and somatogravic illusion, further contributing to the disorientation.