The US National Transportation Safety Board confirms that law enforcement and witnesses observed the helicopter transporting the late Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, engulfed in flames before it crashed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It added witnesses also reported the weather conditions in the area were \u2018not good\u2019 and raining with a snow mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The late seasoned banker was in the chopper with registration N130CZ alongside his wife, son and a former Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Abimbola Ogunbanjo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All six people on board were confirmed dead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to an initial investigation report by the NTSB, witnesses stated that the weather conditions on the day of the helicopter crash were a combination of rain and snow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The board noted that the helicopter\u2019s built-in Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology, which tracks aircraft positions, recorded a surge in ground speed before the crash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe accident flight departed Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) at 2045 under visual flight rules and flew a northwesterly heading for about 2 miles before following US Highway 111 to Interstate (I) 10 at altitudes varying between 2,500 \u2013 3,000 ft mean sea level (msl),\u201d the report read in part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe helicopter continued along I-10, crossed over San Bernadino International Airport, San Bernadino, California, and then followed I-215 to I-15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe helicopter followed I-15 toward the planned destination of Boulder City Municipal Airport (BVU), Boulder City, Nevada, climbed between 4,000 \u2013 5,500 ft msl, then descended to about 3,500 ft msl near Barstow, California, where the ADS-B track data was lost about 2146, likely due to terrain interference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cADS-B data resumed at 2207 near the Halloran Springs\/I-15 exit west of the accident location. The last ADS-B data points for the flight tracked east-southeast, gradually descended in altitude, and increased in ground speed (see Figures 1 and 2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe accident site was located 0.31 miles east-southeast of the last data point at an elevation of about 3,360 ft msl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAccording to law enforcement, several witnesses who were traveling in vehicles on I-15, called 911 to report observing a \u2018fireball\u2019 to the south.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe witnesses reported the weather conditions in the area were \u2018not good\u2019 and raining with a snow mix. The accident site was located by law enforcement at 2346.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The board said the \u201cwreckage was located in high mountainous desert and scrub brush covered terrain, and
debris were scattered about 300 ft along a 120\u00b0 magnetic heading from the initial impact point\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll major helicopter components were identified at the accident site,\u201d the report indicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n