Retired Wing Commander Patrick Nelson Sogbodjor has described the investigative report into the fatal August 6 military helicopter crash as comprehensive and credible, insisting the incident resulted from an unavoidable weather phenomenon rather than human error or mechanical failure.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Wednesday, November 12, the aviation expert said findings presented by the military’s Board of Inquiry reflect standard aviation investigation procedures and are purely meteorological. The crash claimed eight lives, including Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, when a Ghana Air Force Harbin Z-9EH helicopter went down in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.
Wing Commander Sogbodjor explained that the helicopter was flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) from Accra to Obuasi and had received clearance for good weather conditions at takeoff. However, weather changed abruptly near its destination, creating a violent downdraft that caused the aircraft to lose altitude uncontrollably. The investigative committee, which submitted its final report to President John Dramani Mahama on November 10, confirmed that sudden loss of altitude and lift due to downdraft caused the tragedy.
“They took off and were flying at their assigned height in good weather until about six minutes to Obuasi, when they ran into a downdraft,” Sogbodjor stated. “Because helicopters fly low, about 1,000 to 2,000 feet above the highest object, the downdraft pushed them downwards. They tried to climb out, but it was too strong.”
The retired officer likened the experience to a vehicle attempting to accelerate uphill while being hit by a strong gravitational force. He dismissed suggestions that the pilots may have misjudged weather conditions or made operational errors, emphasizing that both were highly qualified and experienced officers who would not have taken off if conditions appeared unsafe.
“There were two over-qualified pilots in the cockpit,” he said. “No pilot wants to die. If the weather was not good, they wouldn’t have taken off, and they wouldn’t have been cleared to fly.”
Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala piloted the aircraft, with Flying Officer Malin Twum-Ampadu serving as co-pilot and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah as flight engineer. The helicopter departed Kotoka International Airport at 9:12 a.m. heading to an anti-illegal mining event at Obuasi Black Park when it lost radar contact. Given the forested terrain where the crash occurred, the pilots had no available space for emergency landing once they lost altitude.
Captain Paul Fordjour, Aircraft Accident Investigator and Head of Investigations at the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIB) Ghana, presented the findings at a media briefing on Tuesday, November 11. The investigation determined that the helicopter was airworthy but lacked modern safety systems including terrain awareness, autopilot, and advanced navigation equipment that could have helped pilots avoid the fatal descent.
Commenting on the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) retrieved from the crash site, Sogbodjor explained that while it provides insight into pilots’ communication during the emergency, it cannot reveal mechanical data or flight parameters in the absence of a Flight Data Recorder (FDR). The CVR only captures pilots’ voices and conversations as they managed the situation.
The retired commander addressed recommendations from the investigative committee, acknowledging that suggestions to modernize the Air Force fleet and enhance safety systems were welcome but would not have prevented this particular crash. The committee recommended that government acquire aircraft with terrain awareness and advanced navigation systems, invest in simulators for pilot training, establish national en-route navigational aids, and implement real-time weather monitoring systems.
“The same type of helicopter has been flying safely across the country,” Sogbodjor noted. “What happened was a weather phenomenon. Modern instruments can help, but they can’t stop downdrafts.”
He emphasized that Ghana’s Air Force maintains a strong safety record, noting that since its establishment in 1959, this was only the fourth major aviation accident involving the service. The investigative committee, chaired by National Security Coordinator Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Abdul-Osman Razak, included representatives from the Ghana Air Force, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), and received technical support from the United States Air Force.
On concerns that parts of the report were withheld from the public, Sogbodjor said it is standard for classified information, including security-sensitive or technical details, to remain undisclosed. He insisted that the most critical facts regarding the crash cause and exoneration of the pilots have been fully disclosed.
“What needs to be told has been told. The rest is classified. No government anywhere in the world makes all military flight information public,” he said. “The aircraft and pilots were in perfect condition. The weather changed unexpectedly, and that’s what brought it down. There’s nothing more to hide.”
Other victims in the crash included Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Limuna Muniru, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Vice Chairman Samuel Sarpong, and Deputy Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Samuel Aboagye. All victims were burned beyond recognition in a post-crash fire, requiring DNA analysis in South Africa for identification. A state funeral was held in Accra on August 15, with President Mahama declaring three days of national mourning.
The investigative team reviewed maintenance records, pilot logs, weather data from the Ghana Meteorological Agency, and interviewed engineers, colleagues, and families of the crew. First responders reached the crash site within two hours despite heavy rain, poor visibility, and steep terrain. The inquiry exposed weaknesses in Ghana’s aviation system, including inadequate real-time weather services, limited simulator training, and absence of flight tracking and data monitoring systems.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
