An investigative committee has concluded that poor weather conditions were the cause of the helicopter crash in August that killed Ghana’s Defence Minister and Environment Minister, along with six other people.
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The Z9 military helicopter, flying from the capital, Accra, to Obuasi, plummeted in a dense forest with no survivors.
After a two-month probe, investigators found the aircraft lost altitude and lift due to “downdraft,” a strong downward current of air.
The committee, led by retired pilot Captain Paul Forjoe, stressed the helicopter itself was “airworthy.”
However, the report highlighted the need to modernize the Ghana Air Force fleet, noting that the 13-year-old helicopter lacked modern safety and navigational systems. For instance, it did not possess a Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS), which alerts pilots to potential ground collisions.
The two most high-profile victims were Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed. They were traveling to Obuasi for an event focused on tackling illegal mining.
The probe involved Ghanaian authorities, US aviation experts, and the helicopter’s Chinese manufacturer.
CULLED FROM BBC
