The Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIB Ghana) has determined that a sudden and powerful downdraft caused the catastrophic helicopter crash in Ghana, which claimed eight lives.
The final finding closes the critical technical chapter of the tragedy, emphasizing the volatile environmental forces at play over high terrain.
Captain Paul Forjoe, an investigator and retired pilot with the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Bureau Ghana (AAIBG), confirmed the technical cause during a briefing on Tuesday, November 11, at the Jubilee House.
The investigation highlighted the deadly interaction between rapidly changing weather patterns and the aircraft’s stability, particularly over elevated terrain.
“The investigation determined that the accident was caused by the sudden loss of altitude and lift due to a downdraft,” Captain Forjoe stated.
A downdraft a strong current of air moving vertically downward—can rapidly overpower a helicopter’s rotors, drastically reducing the lift being generated. The report clarified that this sudden aerodynamic failure occurred without any pilot error or mechanical malfunction.
“This loss of altitude without change in power or pitch attitude is consistent with a downdraft associated with changing environmental conditions over high terrain,” Captain Paul Forjoe explained.
The findings indicate that even with the pilot maintaining the correct power and control inputs (pitch attitude), the strong downward air current effectively forced the helicopter out of the sky, resulting in the fatal crash.
The release of the technical report confirms that the focus of the tragedy shifted from mechanical failure or human error to the overwhelming impact of adverse weather phenomena.
The loss of eight lives underscores the inherent risks associated with aviation over mountainous or highly variable terrain, particularly in areas where weather can change suddenly.
Background
On August 6, 2025, a Ghana Air Force Harbin Z-9 helicopter carrying eight people to an event on combating illegal mining crashed into a forested mountainside in the Ashanti Region, killing everyone on board.
Among the deceased were Ghana’s Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.
The other victims included Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Limuna Mohammed Muniru, Vice Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) Samuel Sarpong, former parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye, Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Twum Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
According to the Ghana Armed Forces, the helicopter departed from Kotoka International Airport in Accra at 9:12 a.m., heading northwest toward the gold-mining area at the Obuasi Black Park in Obuasi, when it went off radar.
The wreckage was later discovered, with all victims burnt beyond recognition in a post-crash fire. Footage from the site showed debris ablaze in the forest, with people gathered around attempting to assist.
