The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Herbert Wigwe, former Group CEO of Access Holdings Plc, his family, and others in February 2024.
The report, published on Monday, concluded that the crash occurred primarily due to a critical error made by the pilot, who continued flying under visual flight rules despite entering weather conditions that required instrument guidance.
This, the report noted, led to spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of control of the aircraft.
The tragic incident took place on February 9, 2024, near the California-Nevada border. All six people on board the helicopter died in the crash.
Among them were Wigwe, his wife Doreen, their son Chizi, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc.
The NTSB’s report also highlighted systemic issues with the helicopter operator. Investigators identified major lapses in the company’s safety management system, including inadequate pre-flight risk assessments, poor maintenance documentation, and failures to comply with aviation regulations.
“The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determines the probable cause of this accident to be: 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.”
“Contributing to the accident was the company’s inadequate oversight of its safety management processes, including ensuring the pilots were accurately completing and updating the flight risk analysis, logging maintenance discrepancies, and ensuring the helicopter met Part 135 regulations before departure.”
The report also noted the pilot had communicated technical issues during the return flight, including a text to the director of maintenance and a discussion with the company’s flight follower.
via: Information Nigeria
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