A recent investigation has determined that poor weather was the main cause of the helicopter crash in Ghana that claimed the lives of two government ministers and six other passengers.
The Z9 military helicopter was en route from the capital, Accra, to Obuasi in August when it plunged into a thick forest. No one survived the accident.
Investigators found that the helicopter lost lift and altitude due to a “downdraft,” a sudden downward air current. The report emphasized that the aircraft itself was fit to fly, but lacked modern safety features.
Captain Paul Forjoe, retired commercial pilot and head of the investigative team, explained, “The 13-year-old helicopter did not have a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), a device that alerts pilots to potential ground collisions.”
The probe included Ghanaian officials, US aviation specialists, and technical input from the helicopter’s Chinese manufacturer. It recommended that the Ghana Air Force update its fleet to include more advanced navigational and safety systems.
On the day of the crash, the ministers and other officials were traveling to an event in Obuasi aimed at addressing illegal mining activities. Among the passengers were Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.
An eyewitness told the BBC that the helicopter was flying “unusually low” before the crash. “I heard the sound of the helicopter passing by, followed by a loud sound and then a bang,” he said, adding that by the time he arrived, “there was no-one to be rescued.”
