A former Ghana Air Force officer, Wing Commander Patrick Nelson Sogbodjor, has refuted claims of sabotage in the recent helicopter crash that killed eight people, including two Cabinet ministers.
Sogbodjor explained that the aircraft was housed in a secure facility, making unauthorised access to the Z-9 utility helicopter extremely difficult.
Speaking on TV3s Key Points on August 9, 2025, he stressed that anyone attempting to tamper with the aircraft would need to be a trained technician and would likely be detected during pre-flight checks.
For anyone to sabotage it, they would need access to the base and the aircraft. That is not easy unless you are a trained technician. Even then, it would be detected during pre-flight checks, he said.
He also dismissed the idea that small arms fire could have brought down the Z-9, stating that only a missile could cause such a crash, and there is no evidence of a missile attack.
Regarding the investigation, Sogbodjor confirmed that the helicopter’s black box has been recovered.
However, he clarified that it cannot be opened locally.
The black box gives all the parameters of the aircraft. As soon as it takes off, whatever you do is recorded. Since both aircrew died, the only way to know what happened is to examine the black box.
“The device must be sent to the manufacturer, or their team must travel to Ghana to decode the data. This data, which records all flight parameters from takeoff, is crucial for determining what went wrong since both aircrew died in the crash,” he added.
Sogbodjor also addressed speculations about poor weather conditions, stating they were not severe enough to ground the flight.
He explained that pilots receive current weather information and must have clearance from the control tower before any mission.
He added that the Z-9 is an all-weather helicopter capable of flying at night and in poor visibility using instruments.
The aircraft involved in the crash was a Chinese-made Z-9 utility helicopter, a version of the French Eurocopter Dolphin.
Sogbodjor noted that the Z-9 is a modern and versatile helicopter with a long service history, used for passenger transport, equipment carriage, and various missions.
Despite its capabilities, he concluded that all machines, regardless of their sophistication, are susceptible to mechanical failure over time.
MRA/AE
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