The August 2025 military helicopter accident that killed Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammad, Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah, and six other people was caused by a sudden loss of altitude brought on by inclement weather, according to the Ghana helicopter crash investigation report.
At a public briefing, committee member Captain (Rtd) Paul Forjoe presented the findings and clarified that the aircraft’s quick altitude loss happened without any alteration in pitch attitude or power.
He observed that the helicopter lost altitude due to strong downward winds caused by shifting weather over the Ashanti hills.
A Ghana Air Force Harbin Z9 helicopter, registered GHF 631, was involved in the collision. When the plane crashed close to Adansi Akrofuom, it was travelling from Accra to Obuasi on a government assignment. The two ministers, a deputy national security coordinator, senior military officers, and the other eight passengers perished instantly.
The Ghana helicopter crash investigation report states that although the aircraft was airworthy when it took off, it was devoid of some safety features that would have made it more capable of flying in the current weather conditions. The pilots were unable to get timely warnings about dangerous downdrafts or rising terrain because there was no Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning System or an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System.
According to the investigation, the incident also revealed more serious organisational and systemic flaws in Ghana’s defence and aviation industries. The nation currently lacks sufficient weather monitoring systems to support flights outside of controlled airspace and has limited navigational capability for remote areas, according to Captain Forjoe.
The committee also noted that Ghana lacks a system for tracking and analysing flight data, which could enhance safety and accountability.
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