“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 US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has attributed the February 2024 helicopter crash that killed Access Bank CEO Herbert Wigwe, his family, and ex-NGX chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo to pilot error and safety lapses. In its final report, the NTSB stated the pilot continued flying under visual rules into bad weather, causing spatial disorientation and loss of control. The Eurocopter EC130, registered N130CZ, crashed near California-Nevada border, killing all six aboard.
Investigators found the operator, Orbic Air LLC, failed to ensure proper safety protocols, including accurate flight risk assessments and maintenance logging. The report revealed the pilot had texted maintenance staff about a faulty radar altimeter before the fatal flight but proceeded despite the issue.
“The pilot’s decision to continue into instrument meteorological conditions resulted in spatial disorientation,” the NTSB concluded, adding the company’s “inadequate oversight of safety management processes” contributed to the tragedy. The findings come 16 months after the crash that shocked Nigeria’s financial sector.
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