The Nigeria Safety and Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has identified deficiencies in the safety management practices of Orbic Air, LLC as the primary factor behind the helicopter crash that tragically killed former Access Holdings CEO Herbert Wigwe, his wife Doreen, their son Chizi, and former NGX Group Chairman, Abimbola Ogunbanjo.
Captain Alex Badeh Jr., the Director General of NSIB, referenced findings from the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), emphasizing that the accident reflected deeper organizational shortcomings rather than a singular mistake by the pilot.
READ ALSO: Pilot error from disorientation caused crash that killed Wigwe, says NTSB
The crash, which occurred on February 9, 2024, involved an Airbus EC130B4 helicopter operated by Orbic Air. The aircraft went down near Halloran Springs, California, while transporting the four high-profile passengers.
According to the NTSB’s final report, the investigation revealed that the crash resulted from multiple critical issues, including spatial disorientation experienced by the pilot, noncompliance with established flight rules, and a decision to continue flying visually despite weather conditions requiring instrument guidance.
The report underscored lapses in the operator’s safety oversight as contributing factors.
During an appearance on Arise TV’s Newsnight, Badeh stated: “You could go deeper and wonder what happened because it is more a company culture. I would not blame the pilot, they (the report) spoke about the company’s safety management systems. It seems more like a company culture than anything.”
When asked if the crash could be attributed to negligence, he responded: “I would hesitate to use the word negligence. I am aware they are in court now, so I do not want my words to come back and bite me later. From the report, which says the company was indicted for safety management systems, except they should have looked deeper into this.
“The pilot should have spoken to his flight follower who happened to be the president of the company and he should have looked deeper into it and said, ‘Maybe we should delay or we should do this or that.’”
Addressing the issue of who ultimately holds responsibility in such circumstances, he explained: “It is the pilot but it is always easy to blame the pilot whereas there is a system behind that pilot. There is a whole system that should have caught this and even if he did not catch it, you do not know what sort of pressure that was on him. This was a high-profile person. They knew he was a high-profile person. They know people who go for the Super Bowl are wealthy people. Everywhere, even in the United States, there is always that pressure.”
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