Sudden Downdraft Behind August 6 Military Helicopter Tragedy – Investigation Report
By Nii Trebi Hammond
The Ghana Air Force helicopter that crashed on 6th August 2025, claiming the lives of eight people including two government ministers, was brought down by a powerful downdraft, an official investigation has confirmed.
Details of the final report were released at a public briefing in Accra on Tuesday, 11th November. The committee that probed the incident concluded that the sudden change in weather conditions caused the aircraft to lose altitude and lift while flying over high terrain.
Committee member Captain (Rtd) Paul Forjoe explained that the loss of control occurred without any alteration in the aircraft’s power or pitch attitude — a situation typical of a downdraft triggered by shifting environmental conditions.
“The investigation determined that the accident was caused by the sudden loss of altitude and lift due to downdraft.
This loss of altitude without a change in power or pitch altitude is consistent with a downdraft associated with changing environmental conditions over high terrain,” Captain Forjoe stated.
The ill-fated helicopter, a Harbin Z-9EH with tail number GHF 631, took off from Accra at around 9:12 a.m. on a mission to support anti-illegal mining operations in Obuasi. It reportedly disappeared from radar shortly before crashing in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.
All eight on board, including the Minister for Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, and the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, lost their lives in the crash.
The investigative committee, chaired by Acting Minister for Defence Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, attributed the accident to a combination of environmental, technical, and operational factors. It recommended a series of measures to enhance flight safety, including improved pilot training for weather-related turbulence, the introduction of real-time weather tracking systems, and stricter operational protocols for flights over mountainous terrain.
The report emphasised that strengthening these safeguards would be crucial in preventing similar tragedies in the future.
