The committee that investigated the August 6, 2025, helicopter crash that killed eight people, including two Ministers of State, has revealed that the crash was caused by a sudden loss of altitude and lift due to downdraft.
This was revealed by Captain Paul Forjoe, an aviation expert, at the Jubilee House on November 11, 2025.
He explained that the aircraft experienced abrupt changes in environmental conditions while flying over high terrain, leading to the fatal descent.
“The investigation determined that the accident was caused by the sudden loss of altitude and lift due to downdraft.
“This loss of altitude without a change in power or pitch altitude is consistent with a downdraft associated with changing environmental conditions over high terrain,” Captain Forjoe stated.
He added that rescue teams faced extreme weather and terrain challenges but still managed to arrive at the crash site within two hours.
“The fact that these first responders managed to get to the site in about two hours was remarkable because the terrain has very steep slopes,” he explained.
“It was raining, it was slippery, so it wasn’t the easiest thing to do… we can confidently say the emergency response was very timely.”
The crash involved a Harbin Z-9EH military helicopter (tail number GHF 631) operated by the Ghana Air Force.
The aircraft departed Accra at about 9:12 a.m. for Obuasi on an anti-illegal mining operation but lost radar contact before crashing in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.
By: Rsinbowradioonline.com/Ghana
