A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report released Friday sheds light on the tragic helicopter crash earlier this month in California’s Mojave Desert, which claimed the lives of six individuals, including the CEO of a prominent Nigerian bank.
The report details the February 9th incident, outlining the helicopter’s flight path across a remote desert area on a rainy night. While the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, the report provides insights into the final moments of the flight and the devastating outcome.
Flight data reveals the helicopter, heading southeast, gradually descended while increasing speed before impact. The wreckage, scattered across 100 yards of desert, suggests a violent crash, with the fuselage fragmented and the cockpit and cabin destroyed. However, analysis of the engine and metal deposits indicates it was operational at the time.
Witnesses reported seeing a “fireball” in the sky and described poor weather conditions with rain and snow. Aviation experts, reviewing photos and videos, believe the flight should have been cancelled due to the adverse weather.
Among the victims were Herbert Wigwe, CEO of Access Bank, his wife, and their son, along with Bamofin Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former chair of the Nigerian stock exchange. Both pilots, Benjamin Pettingill and Blake Hansen, also perished in the crash.
The helicopter was en route from Palm Springs Airport to Boulder City, Nevada, for the Super Bowl weekend, with Wigwe’s final destination unclear. The charter company, Orbic Air LLC, has declined to comment.
The investigation continues, with investigators examining the possibility that the helicopter struck power lines, potentially obscured by the weather conditions, as a contributing factor. This tragedy highlights the importance of prioritizing safety in aviation, especially during challenging weather scenarios.
