National Transportation Safety Board investigators say a helicopter carrying the CEOs of one of Nigeria’s largest banks and five other banks crashed into Southern California’s Mojave Desert earlier this month and left a shallow crater. did.
LOS ANGELES — A helicopter carrying the CEOs of one of Nigeria’s largest banks and five other banks crashed into Southern California’s Mojave Desert earlier this month, leaving a shallow crater and a trail of debris, the National Transportation Safety Board said. This was announced by the association’s investigator. .
The agency released a preliminary investigation report Friday into the fatal Feb. 9 crash. The report outlines the flight path across a remote desert area on a rainy night and details the wreckage scattered over 100 yards (91.44 meters) of desert scrub. However, he did not mention the possible cause of the helicopter crash.
Flight tracking data analyzed by investigators showed the helicopter was heading southeast before the crash, gradually losing altitude and increasing ground speed.
Investigators found the fuselage shattered and the cockpit and cabin destroyed. Damage to the engine and metal deposits found indicate that the engine was running at the time of the crash.
The report cited law enforcement as saying multiple witnesses driving along Interstate 15 called 911 to report seeing a “ball of fire” to the south. Witnesses reported rain mixed with snow.
Two aviation experts who reviewed photos and video previously released by the NTSB said the flight probably should have been canceled due to bad weather overnight.
Also on board the helicopter were Access Bank CEO Herbert Wigwe, his wife and 29-year-old son. Bamofin Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former chairman of the Nigeria Stock Exchange, was also killed.
Pilots Benjamin Pettingill, 25, and Blake Hansen, 22, also died. They earned their commercial helicopter pilot and flight instructor licenses.
The helicopter departed Palm Springs Airport at around 8:45 p.m. on February 9, heading to Boulder City, Nevada, about 25 miles southeast of Las Vegas, where the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will play. . Wigwe’s destination after the plane landed has not been confirmed.
The charter company, Obic Air LLC, has previously declined comment and did not immediately respond to an email message left by The Associated Press on Saturday.
The NTSB said flight tracking data showed the helicopter following the interstate as it made a slight right turn south of the roadway, then gradually descended and picked up speed.
The wreckage scene shows that the helicopter hit the ground nose-down at a right bank angle. Separate from the fire, witnesses reported downed power lines, the NTSB said.
Former NTSB investigator Al Diehl said the crash may have been caused by a downed power line that might have been difficult for the pilot to see in the dark.
The agency’s investigation is ongoing.
