Captain Paul Fordjour, lead investigator of the August 6 helicopter crash during the official presentation of findings, has detailed the extensive methodology used to investigate the tragic incident that claimed the lives of eight passengers, including government ministers and senior officials.
“The Preliminary Investigation Team was dispatched on the same day of the accident to secure the site and protect perishable evidence such as memories, physical wreckage, and personal effects,” Captain Fordjour told the media, explaining the first critical steps taken by the investigation team.
The crash involved a Harbin Z-9EH military helicopter (tail number GHF 631) operated by the Ghana Air Force, which departed Accra at about 9:12 a.m. en route to Obuasi in the Ashanti Region for an anti-illegal mining operation when it lost radar contact in the Adansi Akrofuom District.
All eight passengers and crew on board were killed, including Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister for Defence; Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology; Muniru Mohammed Limuna, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Samuel Sarpong, NDC Vice-Chair; Samuel Aboagye, former parliamentary candidate; Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala; Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu; and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
Captain Fordjour said the investigation board was composed of personnel from the National Security, the Ghana Armed Forces, the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau, the National Intelligence Bureau, and U.S. Air Force advisors.
The team collected and analysed all available factual information, including flight logs, aircraft maintenance records, crew qualifications, and documentation.
The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder—commonly known as the black box—were sent to the AVIC Flight Decoding Centre in Xi’an, China, from September 12 to 22, 2025, to extract and interpret data from the Chinese-made aircraft.
Beyond technical analysis, the investigation also assessed human factors and operational procedures. Medical and psychological records of the flight crew were reviewed, and interviews were conducted with pilots, engineers, supervisors, and family members to gauge proficiency, training, and operational culture. Weather conditions on the day of the crash were evaluated using Ghana Meteorological Agency data, Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs), and eyewitness accounts.
Captain Fordjour further explained that the team examined Ghana Air Force policies, flight orders, operational oversight mechanisms, and risk management systems to understand the organisational environment in which the helicopter was operated. This included reviewing the air tasking order for the day, which involved transporting the Minister of Defence and his entourage from Accra to Obuasi and back.
“Using flight recorder data, radar tracks, eyewitness accounts, and analysis of similar accidents, we reconstructed the flight path to understand what led to this tragedy,” Captain Fordjour said, emphasising that no detail was overlooked.