The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded that the helicopter crash that killed Herbert Wigwe, former CEO of Access Holdings, his wife, son, and three others in February 2024 was caused by pilot error compounded by company safety oversights.
The final report, released in May 2025, found that the pilot continued flying under visual flight rules into worsening weather conditions, leading to spatial disorientation and loss of control.
“The pilot’s decision to continue the visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions resulted in spatial disorientation and loss of control,” the NTSB report stated. The helicopter crashed near the California-Nevada border on February 9, 2024, killing all six occupants, including prominent businessman Abimbola Ogunbanjo.
The report further faulted the helicopter operator for failing to ensure pilots completed necessary risk assessments and maintenance checks. The radar altimeter, a critical instrument, was known to be malfunctioning before the flight, yet the pilot and maintenance director allowed the flight to proceed. Troubleshooting efforts failed to fix the issue.
Investigators also noted poor communication between the pilot and flight follower regarding the radar altimeter and weather conditions prior to departure. The NTSB emphasized that these systemic failures contributed significantly to the tragic outcome.
