2024 Orbic Air Eurocopter EC130 crash
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Products | Helicopters |
On the evening of February 9, 2024, at approximately 10:00 p.m. PST, a Eurocopter EC130 helicopter crashed in the Mojave Desert near Nipton, California. The aircraft was carrying six individuals, among them Nigerian banker Herbert Wigwe and former Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Abimbola Ogunbanjo. Tragically, there were no survivors.
Aircraft
This helicopter was a Eurocopter EC130B4 model (MSN 4060, registration N130CZ), manufactured by Airbus Helicopters in 2006. It was equipped with a Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 engine.
Accident
The flight originated from Palm Springs International Airport in California, destined for Boulder City, Nevada, to attend Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. The area experienced adverse weather conditions including rain and snow in a sparsely illuminated and remote region that complicated navigation. During the flight, the helicopter descended rapidly while accelerating before ultimately crashing.
All six people on board lost their lives: Access Bank plc CEO Herbert Wigwe, his wife Doreen Chizoba Wigwe, their son Chizi Wigwe, former Nigerian Exchange Group Plc Chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo, along with two crew members.
Aftermath
The bodies of Wigwe and his family were returned to Nigeria and interred on March 9 in his hometown of Isiokpo, Rivers State. Prior to the burial, a week-long wake was held in Lagos, which was attended by notable personalities including billionaire and Africa’s wealthiest individual Aliko Dangote.
Reactions
Aliko Dangote announced plans to rename the road leading to his oil refinery as a tribute to Wigwe. Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima expressed that Wigwe "left us in winter before the season of bloom." French President Emmanuel Macron described Wigwe’s passing as the loss of a "great friend."
Investigation
A former investigator from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) proposed that the helicopter may have struck a power line under conditions of poor visibility. As of February 2024, the inquiry was being conducted jointly by the Federal Aviation Administration and the NTSB. The final investigation report, published on May 6, 2025, identified spatial disorientation as the primary cause. It concluded:
The pilot’s choice to proceed with visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions led to spatial disorientation and loss of control. Contributing elements included insufficient company safety oversight, incomplete risk assessments prior to flight, unrecorded maintenance deficiencies, and failure to comply with Part 135 regulations before departure.