The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded that pilot error resulting from spatial disorientation was the primary cause of the February 2024 helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Herbert Wigwe, former CEO of Access Holdings, along with his wife, son, and three others.
In its final report released on Wednesday, the NTSB also criticized the helicopter operator for failing to provide adequate oversight of its safety management processes, a lapse that may have contributed to the fatal accident.
The helicopter, identified as N130CZ, went down while flying under visual flight rules, despite entering weather conditions that required a switch to instrument flight protocols.
According to the report, the pilot continued the flight visually in deteriorating weather, leading to spatial disorientation and loss of control.
