By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
ONE YEAR after the tragic incident, faulty judgment, unresolved technical faults, and safety oversight failures caused the helicopter crash that killed Nigerian banker Herbert Wigwe, his wife Doreen, their son Chizi, former NGX Group chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo, and two others, the United States. National Transportation Safety Board has confirmed in its final report.
The helicopter, registered N130CZ, plunged near the Nevada-California border on 9 February 2024 after the pilot pressed on under Visual Flight Rules despite entering Instrument Meteorological Conditions.
The board identified spatial disorientation as the immediate cause of the crash—when poor visibility compromised the pilot’s ability to accurately perceive the aircraft’s position and motion.
The NTSB found the pilot’s failure to switch to instrument-based navigation led to a total loss of control. With no external visual references, the aircraft descended uncontrollably, resulting in the fatal crash.
The report also exposed glaring lapses by the helicopter’s operating company. Central to the investigation was a faulty radar altimeter—a critical system for altitude awareness in low-visibility conditions.
The pilot and the company’s Director of Maintenance were aware of the malfunction prior to the flight. A mechanic had attempted to repair the instrument, but the issue remained unresolved.
Despite the risk, the helicopter was cleared for a positioning flight and later proceeded to collect passengers.
Investigators confirmed that after landing, the pilot and the company’s president—who also acted as the flight follower—communicated via phone and text but failed to address either the broken altimeter or the worsening weather.
The final report outlines how both individual decision-making and institutional failings contributed to the deaths of six people, including two towering figures in Nigeria’s business landscape.
It closes a year-long investigation that has reverberated far beyond the borders of the United States, raising pressing questions about safety enforcement in private aviation.
