The lead investigator into the August 6 helicopter crash, Captain Paul Fordjour, has revealed that poor weather conditions significantly delayed the Z-9 helicopter’s departure by about an hour.
The flight was originally scheduled to take off at 8:00 a.m. with an estimated flight time of about 50 minutes. However, due to poor weather conditions in Accra, Kumasi, and Obuasi, the captain delayed the departure. The helicopter eventually took off at 9:12 a.m.
Presenting the official findings of the investigation on Tuesday, Capt. Fordjour said visibility in southern Ghana on the morning of the crash was severely limited, with mist, drizzle, and low clouds affecting flight operations.
“On the day of the flight, the visibility was much worse. Eyewitness accounts indicate it dropped to as low as 200 meters at some point.
”Weather in southern Ghana was poor on the day, which delayed departure for about an hour. In Accra, conditions were misty with visibility of about five to seven kilometers and very low clouds starting at only 700 to 1100 feet above the ground,” he stated.
He added that while the situation improved slightly later in the morning, the early hours were dominated by haze and overcast skies.
“The weather deteriorated further along the route, with drizzle reducing visibility to about four kilometres and low clouds hovering between 600 and 900 feet. Only the Accra and Kumasi aerodrome weather reports were available to the pilots at the time, leaving them without formal weather information for the stretch of the flight.”
According to him, witnesses at Brofoyedru and surrounding areas reported fog and rain, which further worsened visibility around the crash location.
Capt. Fordjour noted that the forest reserve and rugged terrain of hills and mountains in the area contributed to the difficult flying conditions.
“The environmental conditions in the forest reserve — with its hilly and mountainous terrain — can create turbulence, downdrafts, and other hazardous phenomena,” he explained.
He concluded that a sudden and powerful downdraft was the cause of the catastrophic helicopter crash.
The tragic August 6 incident claimed the lives of eight distinguished individuals, including government ministers, officials, and crew members.
Those who perished were: Flying Officer, Manaen Twum Ampofo; Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister for Defence; Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology; Muniru Mohammed Limuna, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Dr. Samuel Sarpong, Vice-Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC); Mr. Samuel Aboagye, former parliamentary candidate; Squadron Leader, Peter Bafemi Anala.