NTSB Attributes Wigwe’s Helicopter Crash to Pilot Error and Company Lapses

 On May 6, 2025, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its final report on the February 9, 2024, helicopter crash that killed Nigerian banker Herbert Wigwe, his wife Doreen, their son Chizi, former Nigerian Exchange Group chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo, and two pilots. 

The crash, involving a Eurocopter EC130 operated by Orbic Air LLC, occurred near Halloran Springs, California, during a charter flight from Palm Springs to Boulder City, Nevada. The NTSB concluded that the primary cause was the pilot’s decision to continue visual flight rules (VFR) into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), leading to spatial disorientation and loss of control.

The report detailed that the pilot, aware of a non-functional radar altimeter, failed to discuss worsening weather—rain and snow—with the company’s flight follower. Witnesses reported a “fireball” as the helicopter crashed, leaving a shallow crater. The NTSB also cited Orbic Air’s inadequate safety oversight, including incomplete flight risk assessments and maintenance logs, as contributing factors. The helicopter, registered as N130CZ, lacked a crash-resistant fuel system, exacerbating the post-crash fire. The investigation, involving Nigeria’s NSIB and France’s BEA, highlighted systemic lapses despite the pilots’ commercial licenses.

The crash, which occurred at 10:08 p.m., shocked Nigeria’s business community, with Wigwe, 57, being a key figure in Access Bank’s expansion across Africa. The NTSB’s findings have prompted calls for stricter U.S. charter flight regulations, with Orbic Air facing scrutiny over its safety protocols. The 18-month investigation underscored the dangers of flying in adverse conditions and the need for robust operator accountability to prevent future tragedies.