The Government of Ghana has released the final report on the fatal helicopter crash that occurred on August 6, 2025, in the Dampia Forest Reserve near Anokyekrom Brofoyedru in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.
The Z9 military helicopter, which was travelling from Accra to Obuasi, crashed in poor weather conditions, killing all eight people on board, three crew members and five passengers.
Following the incident, President John Dramani Mahama directed the Acting Minister for Defence to establish an Accident Investigation Board to determine the cause of the crash. The Board, officially constituted on August 25, included representatives from National Security, the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau, the Ghana Armed Forces, and the United States Air Force.
SCOPE AND METHOD OF INVESTIGATION
The inquiry was conducted in accordance with Ghana Air Force Flying Orders (GAFFOS), Air Staff Instructions (ASI), and Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Convention, which governs investigations into air accidents. The Board followed a structured reporting format covering factual information, analysis, conclusions, findings, causes, and safety recommendations.
Investigators reviewed the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), visited the crash site, and interviewed the crew’s families and colleagues to assess the medical and psychological condition of the pilots. Weather data, radar tracks, and eyewitness accounts were also analysed.
KEY FINDINGS
The helicopter had reached its 10-year service threshold in May 2025 but had passed all required maintenance checks. It was certified as airworthy and had been signed off by engineers and the captain prior to take-off.
According to the findings, the helicopter’s departure from Accra was delayed due to poor visibility and low clouds. Visibility in southern Ghana was reduced to 5–7 kilometres because of mist and low clouds between 700 and 1,100 feet above the ground. Conditions along the route remained unstable, with mist, fog, and intermittent rainfall reported near Brofoyedru, the crash site.
The report indicates that the aircraft encountered worsening visibility at 9:56 a.m., forcing the pilots to rely solely on their instruments. Moments later, the helicopter lost altitude and crashed into a ridge approximately 6.5 miles from its destination.
While the helicopter was airworthy and had passed all mandatory checks, the Board found that it lacked several key safety features, including a Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS), advanced terrain-mapping navigation, and an automatic flight control system. These omissions, the report said, likely reduced the pilots’ situational awareness during rapidly changing weather conditions.
These systems, the report said, would have enhanced the pilots’ situational awareness and potentially prevented the accident.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Board made several recommendations to enhance aviation safety within the Ghana Air Force and national aviation systems. These include: modernizing the Air Force fleet with aircraft equipped with terrain avoidance and warning systems, procuring modern navigation systems, visual-capable flight data and cockpit voice recorders, and flight simulators for recurrent training, establishing real-time flight data monitoring and tracking systems, Investing in en route navigational aids for remote areas and certified aviation weather service providers, improving ground support equipment and infrastructure to aid in emergency response and operations.
The Accident Investigation Board concluded that the crash was a weather-related accident, primarily caused by a sudden downdraft and loss of altitude over high terrain under poor visibility.
While the helicopter met all regulatory safety requirements, the absence of advanced situational awareness systems and navigational aids compounded the risks under adverse conditions. The report emphasized that implementing its safety recommendations is essential to prevent similar tragedies in the future and strengthen Ghana’s aviation safety framework.
