US Shares Wigwe’s Helicopter Crash Report with FG
The Director-General of the Nigeria Safety and Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Alex Badeh, has confirmed that the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shared its report on the helicopter crash that killed former Access Holdings Plc CEO Herbert Wigwe, his wife, son, and three others, with the NSIB. The report provides detailed findings on the February 9, 2024 crash involving an Airbus EC130B4 helicopter operated by Orbic Air, LLC, near Halloran Springs, California.
On board the helicopter were Wigwe, his wife Doreen, their son Chizi, former NGX Group Chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo, and two pilots, all of whom tragically lost their lives. The NTSB’s final report attributed the crash to “pilot disorientation” and violations of flight protocols, particularly the decision to proceed under visual flight rules in instrument meteorological conditions.
When asked if the NSIB was satisfied with the NTSB’s report, Badeh clarified that the agency does not comment on accident reports. The purpose of such reports, he emphasized, is not to assign blame but to improve safety across the sector. He also confirmed that the family of the deceased had been in contact with the NTSB throughout the investigation.
Badeh also mentioned that the report was shared directly with the NSIB by ICAO Annex 13 protocols. He refrained from commenting on the next steps, stating it was not his place to do so. Meanwhile, aviation experts in Nigeria speculated that the US government might pursue criminal negligence charges against Orbic Air, with a judicial panel of inquiry expected to review the case to determine liability and potential penalties.
