Family of a prominent Nigerian businessman, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, who lost his life in a helicopter crash in Southern California alongside five others on February 9, has sued charter company, Orbic Air LLC, over negligence and wrongful death.
In the lawsuit filed on Wednesday in a San Bernardino County Superior Court against Orbic Air and its CEO, Brady Bowers, the Ogunbanjo family is claiming that the airline negligently flew the helicopter despite adverse weather conditions, including a “wintry mix” of snow and rain in the Mojave Desert where the crash occurred.
The lawsuit contends that the flight should have been grounded due to the hazardous weather conditions.
Ogunbanjo, a former chair of the Nigerian stock exchange; chief executive of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe; Wigwe’s wife, and their 29-year-old son; pilots, Benjamin Pettingill and Blake Hansen lost their lives in the crash.
Andrew C. Robb, one of the attorneys representing the family, told the Associated Press (AP) that the helicopters were ill-suited for operation in snow and ice, further saying, “This flight was entirely preventable, and we don’t know why they took off.”
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and compensation for Ogunbanjo’s burial and funeral expenses, as well as other damages arising from the tragic incident.
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The suit also includes claims against the unidentified successors of Pettingill and Hansen.
It was recalled that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) had launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
A preliminary investigation report released in February outlined the helicopter’s flight path and details about the wreckage, which was scattered across 100 yards (91 metres) of desert scrub.
The NTSB’s final determination on the crash’s cause is still pending.
Further details from the investigation into the helicopter crash revealed that the fuselage was fragmented, and both the cockpit and cabin were destroyed. Damage to the engine and metal deposits found suggested that the engine was operational at the time of the crash.
Law enforcement cited in the report stated that multiple witnesses traveling along Interstate 15 had dialled 911 to report witnessing a “fireball” to the south. Witnesses reported rainy conditions with a mix of snow at the time of the crash.
The ill-fated helicopter departed from Palm Springs Airport around 8:45 p.m. on Feb. 9, en route to Boulder City, Nevada, approximately 26 miles (40 kilometres) southeast of Las Vegas.
The flight was scheduled ahead of Super Bowl 58, where the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers were set to compete that Sunday.
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