The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded that the helicopter crash which killed former Access Holdings Plc CEO, Herbert Wigwe, his wife, and son was caused by the pilot’s spatial disorientation.

In its final report on the February 2024 crash, the NTSB also held the helicopter operator responsible, citing poor oversight and failure to enforce proper safety management practices.

The investigation revealed that the helicopter, with registration number N130CZ, was flying under visual flight rules but entered weather conditions that required instrument-based navigation, leading to the fatal incident.

The report stated that the crash was most likely caused by the pilot’s choice to continue flying under visual flight rules despite entering poor weather conditions that required instrument navigation, ultimately leading to spatial disorientation and a loss of control.

The tragic incident occurred on February 9, 2024, near the California-Nevada border, resulting in the deaths of all six individuals on board, including Herbert Wigwe, his wife Doreen, their son Chizi, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc.

Investigators also noted that the helicopter company failed to enforce critical safety procedures, such as ensuring pilots completed proper flight risk assessments, documented maintenance issues, and adhered to pre-flight regulatory requirements.

“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.

Importantly, the investigation revealed that the helicopter's radar altimeter—a crucial flight instrument—was not working before the deadly journey. The report also noted that on a previous flight, the pilot had messaged the maintenance director to report a problem with the device.

“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 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 report noted.

The investigation further 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.”