The US National Transportation Safety Board Sunday provided a briefing on the helicopter crash that killed the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings plc. Herbert Wigwe, his wife, their son, a former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, as well as two crew members.
In the briefing by the US NTSB, it was stated that a wintry weather condition was among the factors that contributed to the chopper crash that claimed six lives.
At the briefing, a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member, Michael Graham, said: “The team methodically and systematically reviews all evidence and considers all potential factors to determine the probable cause of the crash.
“The crew consisted of a pilot in command and a safety pilot. The accident flight was operated by Orbic Air LLC as a Part 135 charter flight. Witness reports of the weather conditions at the time of the accident suggest rain and a wintry mix.”
According to Graham, there were no details on the passengers who boarded the aircraft. He said that “any names will be released through the coroner’s office”.
He also stated that the “helicopter was not equipped with a cockpit voice recorder or a flight data recorder. This helicopter was not required to be equipped with those types of recording devices.”
The NTSB would look into the chopper’s airworthiness; maintenance and structure of the helicopter, operations, meteorology, and air traffic control, according to Graham.
He added: “Parties to the investigation include the FAA and Orbic Air LLC. As the investigation continues, other parties could be named.
“The BEA — the French aviation accident investigation agency — will serve as an accredited representative because France is a state of the manufacturer of the Airbus helicopter and the Turbomeca engine.”
