Herbert Wigwe, along with his wife, son and three other helicopter operators, may soon face criminal charges in the United States, confirmed by aviation industry operators and experts.
The helicopter is an Airbus EC130B4 operated by Orbic Air, LLC, crashed on February 9, 2024 near Halloran Springs, California under Part 135 of the Regulations.
Wigwe is Wigwe, his wife Doreen, their first son Chizi and former NGX group chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo, as well as two pilots, both died in the crash.
The final report of the National Transportation Safety Commission stated that “pilots are lost” and violations of flight protocols, especially decisions made under visual flight rules under instrument meteorological conditions, which are key causes of the crash.
The radar altimeter marked during the repositioning flight earlier in the day also reportedly led to the tragedy.
Now, Nigeria’s aviation professionals assert that the U.S. government may file a charge of criminal negligence before the judicial investigation team.
The team will review the case and determine the level of liability and the level of punishment applicable to the helicopter company.
Speaking at Punch, Captain Muhammed Badamasi, a retired pilot with a resolved Nigerian Airlines, said the matter was already legal, noting that the state was the plaintiff and the helicopter company as the defendant.
“This is already a legal issue. The investigative team will determine whether the crash and the death caused was due to a violation of the company’s safety protocol. If so, it will become a judicial issue and the allegations that may follow.”
Badamasi further explained that any legal proceedings would be handled in the United States, noting that agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Commission, and representatives of the Civil Aviation Administration of Nigeria and the Nigeria Security Bureau may involve interested parties.
