The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has announced that it has received an initial report from the United States’ National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) regarding the accident involving an Airbus Helicopter EC130B4, which tragically claimed the life of former Access Holdings Group Chief Executive Officer, Herbert Wigwe.
According to AGENDA News, the crash occurred on February 9, 2024, near Halloran Springs, California, United States, while Wigwe, his wife Doreen, son Chizi, former chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo, and two pilots were traveling.
In a statement by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, the NSIB revealed that the NTSB provided a detailed account of the accident. The preliminary findings suggest that the helicopter sustained severe damage upon impact, leading to the fragmentation of its major components.
The NSIB further explained that, as per the prerogative granted by the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Annex 13, it has the authority to access investigation information on aviation accidents and incidents involving Nigerian-registered aircraft or Nigerian citizens in 193 member-states of the ICAO.
The NSIB stated that it has been actively collaborating with the NTSB since the onset of the investigation. The NTSB shared the preliminary report, which contains crucial details regarding the flight path, accident scene, and initial findings from the wreckage examination.
The report indicated that adverse weather conditions, including rain and snow, were encountered during the flight. Witnesses reported observing a ‘fireball’ in the area, leading to calls to emergency services.
Subsequently, the wreckage was found in mountainous desert terrain near Halloran Springs, California. Analysis of the accident site revealed a scattered debris pattern along with a ground crater containing fragments of the helicopter’s landing gear and cockpit wiring.
The fuselage was fragmented, and both the cockpit and cabin were destroyed. The report also highlighted thermal damage to debris and vegetation, indicating the collision’s intensity.
Data analysis, including automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data, operator reports, and eyewitness accounts, was utilized to reconstruct the flight path and sequence of events leading to the accident.