The family of a Nigerian business leader who died in a helicopter crash in Southern California in February has filed a lawsuit claiming that the flight should have been grounded due to treacherous weather conditions. The lawsuit alleges that the charter company, Orbic Air LLC, improperly flew the helicopter despite snowy and rainy weather conditions in the Mojave Desert where the crash occurred. The crash resulted in the deaths of six people, including Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former chair of the Nigerian stock exchange, Herbert Wigwe, chief executive of Nigeria’s Access Bank, and their family members. The lawsuit also names the pilots, Benjamin Pettingill and Blake Hansen, who were both licensed commercial helicopter pilots and flight instructors.
Andrew C. Robb, one of the attorneys representing Ogunbanjo’s family, stated that the flight was preventable and that helicopters do not perform well in snowy and icy conditions. The family is seeking answers and accountability regarding the crash. The lawsuit, filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court, alleges wrongful death and negligence against Orbic Air and its CEO, Brady Bowers, as well as the successors of the pilots involved in the crash. Orbic Air has not responded to requests for comment, and the National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the cause of the crash.
According to a preliminary investigation report released by the National Transportation Safety Board in February, the helicopter’s flight path and details about the wreckage were outlined. The report revealed that the fuselage was fragmented and the cockpit and cabin were destroyed. Damage to the engine and metal deposits found at the crash site suggested that the engine was operational at the time of the crash. Witnesses traveling on Interstate 15 reported seeing a fireball to the south, indicating the crash had occurred in rainy and snowy conditions. The helicopter had departed from Palm Springs Airport and was en route to Boulder City, Nevada, near Las Vegas, where the Super Bowl was taking place.
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and includes requests for payment of burial and funeral expenses for Ogunbanjo, as well as other damages. Robb’s law firm, Robb and Robb LLC, represented Kobe Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, in a lawsuit against the pilot and owners of the helicopter that crashed in Calabasas in 2020, resulting in the deaths of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven others. The lawsuit was settled in 2021 for an undisclosed amount. The tragic helicopter crash in Southern California has raised questions about the decision-making of the charter company, Orbic Air, in flying the helicopter in adverse weather conditions, resulting in the deaths of six individuals, including prominent Nigerian business leaders and their family members. The lawsuit filed by Ogunbanjo’s family seeks accountability and answers regarding the preventable crash and the actions taken by Orbic Air.
