Pius Nsabe
A report shared by the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Wednesday has attributed the fatal helicopter crash, which resulted in the deaths of Access Holdings CEO, Herbert Wigwe, his wife, son, and three others, was caused to pilot error stemming from spatial disorientation.
The NTSB disclosed that the crash occurred after the pilot continued flying under visual flight rules (VFR) into weather conditions that required instrument flight protocols.
“The pilot’s decision to continue the visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and loss of control,” the report stated.
Significant blame was also put on the helicopter company over its safety oversight. Per the report, the operator demonstrated “inadequate oversight of its safety management processes,” particularly regarding flight risk assessments, maintenance issue documentation, and pre-departure compliance with aviation regulations.
The investigation also showed that the pilot likely became disoriented in trying to manoeuvre the helicopter in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
The above led to a loss of control and a fatal collision with the terrain.
“The pilot likely experienced spatial disorientation while manoeuvring the helicopter in IMC, which led to his loss of helicopter control and the resulting collision with terrain,” the report added.
Furthermore, it was also revealed that the helicopter’s radar altimeter, a crucial safety instrument, was not functional at the time of the flight.
The company’s maintenance director had been informed by the pilot about issues with the device, and while a mechanic attempted to fix the radar altimeter, it was unsuccessful.
“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 report noted.
The pilot and the company’s director of maintenance proceeded with the flight despite being aware of the device malfunction.
“The mechanic reported that the pilot and the DOM [director of maintenance] were aware that the radar altimeter was not functioning, yet they departed at 1822 on the positioning flight to pick up the passengers.”
Wigwe died on Friday, February 9, 2024, along with his wife and their senior son as well as a bosom friend Abimbola Ogunbanjo in Niption, California, where the helicopter crash occurred.
