“Helicopter was a fireball before crash” Herbert Wigwe said. US National Transportation Safety Board updates

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the United States has stated that the helicopter that crashed and killed Herbert Wigwe, founder of Access Holdings Plc, was actually a fireball.

In a recent helicopter crash in California, Wigwe, his wife, son, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo—the former Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, NGX Group—were all involved.

Nevertheless, according to the NTSB’s inquiry, eyewitnesses stated that the weather on the tragic crash day was a combination of snow and rain.

The Board found that the helicopter’s position-finding system, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), detected a rise in ground speed just before the crash.

Ascending from 2,500 to 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl), the accident flight took off from Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) at 2045 under visual flight rules. It continued northwesterly for approximately 2 miles before merging with US Highway 111 to reach Interstate (I) 10.

Following I-215 to I-15, the chopper continued down I-10 before gliding above San Bernardino International Airport in California.

“At approximately 2146, the ADS-B track data was lost, most likely as a result of terrain interference, as the helicopter continued to follow I-15 on its way to Boulder City Municipal Airport (BVU) in Boulder City, Nevada. After climbing to an altitude of 4,000 to 5,500 feet above sea level, it descended to an altitude of approximately 3,500 feet near Barstow, California.

At 2207, just west of the accident site, close to the Halloran Springs/I-15 exit, ADS-B data resumed. Figures 1 and 2 show that the flight’s final ADS-B data points tracked east-southeast, steadily decreased in altitude, and increased ground speed.

At an elevation of approximately 3,360 feet above sea level, the accident site was situated 0.31 miles to the east-southeast of the last data point.

“Multiple witnesses reported seeing a ‘fireball’ to the south while driving on I-15 and contacted 911, according to law enforcement.

Witnesses said the weather was “not good” and that it was raining and snowing at the same time. According to the report, the accident location was discovered by the police at 23:46.

“Debris was scattered about 300 ft along a 120° magnetic heading from the initial impact point,” the NTSB expanded, adding that the “wreckage was located in high mountainous desert and scrub brush covered terrain.”

“At the accident site, all major helicopter components were identified,” the study continued.