The Airbus EC130 aircraft was heading to Boulder City from Palm Springs, California, when it crashed near Halloran Springs, California, about 80 miles south of Las Vegas.
The National Transportation Safety Board, on Tuesday, released photos of the helicopter crash that killed the 57-year-old GMD of Access holdings, Herbert Wigwe.
Wigwe, a top banker and entrepreneur, was killed in the crash alongside his wife, Chizoba, son, the former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo, and two crew members.
The helicopter departed Palm Springs, California toward Boulder City, Nevada around 8:45 p.m. on Friday, February 9. According to NTSB, the crash was reported around 10:08 p.m. south of the I-15 near Halloran Springs, California.
NTSB meteorologists later confirmed what witnesses first told investigators about the weather during the crash, describing it as “rain with a wintery mix.” Investigations are also underway into reports of downed power lines at the accident site.
Additionally, witnesses claimed to have seen fire as the aeroplane touched ground.
Investigators were able to get flight tracking data, which ended a quarter of a mile from the position of the wreckage. Prior to the disaster, the data indicated a small right turn and a slow drop.
According to what the wreckage indicated, the helicopter struck the earth at a “nose-low and right-bank angle.”
Within the next thirty days, the NTSB will produce a preliminary report on the crash; after a 12- to 24-month inquiry, the full report will be released.
The chopper Wigwe had boarded was headed to Las Vegas when it crashed near a border city between Nevada and California Friday night local time.
However, Wigwe’s Special Assistant, Faleye Olusola, whose name was on the manifest, escaped death miraculously as he did not board the ill-fated flight but opted to travel by road.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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