Family of Nigerian businessman killed in California helicopter crash sues charter company
The family of a Nigerian business leader who died in a Southern California helicopter crash that killed five others filed a lawsuit Wednesday claiming the flight should have been grounded because of treacherous weather
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The family of a Nigerian business leader who died in a Southern California helicopter crash that killed five others in February filed a lawsuit Wednesday claiming the flight should have been grounded because of treacherous weather.
Relatives of Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former chair of the Nigerian stock exchange, allege in the court filing that the charter company, Orbic Air LLC, improperly flew the helicopter despite a “wintry mix” of snowy and rainy conditions in the Mojave Desert where the crash occurred on Feb. 9.
Ogunbanjo, 61, was killed along with Herbert Wigwe, chief executive of Nigeria's Access Bank, and Wigwe's wife and 29-year-old son. Ogunbanjo was on his way to Las Vegas to attend the Super Bowl.
Both pilots — Benjamin Pettingill, 25, and Blake Hansen, 22 — also died. They were licensed as commercial helicopter pilots as well as flight instructors.
