A detailed analysis has shed some more light on the circumstances surrounding the recent helicopter crash on August 9. According to the findings, the Z-9 helicopter took off from the Air Force Base in Accra bound for the Lincoln Sports Stadium in Obuasi. The estimated journey covered about 180 kilometers.
The helicopter departed Accra at 9:12 a.m. and was expected to land around 10 a.m. in Obuasi. While the exact speed was unknown, the estimated travel time ranged between 55 and 57 minutes.
At the time of the helicopter crash, the pilot had completed about 93% of the journey. Only 7% remained.
Terrain and Weather Factors in Helicopter Crash
The crash site was near Sikaman, close to a steep mountain approximately 1,000 feet tall. Weather and terrain were highlighted as major factors that could have resulted in the helicopter crash. The forested crash area, possibly semi-deciduous, also contained cocoa farms.
It took rescuers about two hours to travel from Sikaman to the crash site. This indicated a considerable distance between the two locations. Sikaman could have served as an emergency landing site. Visual mapping showed that the helicopter passed Sikaman before the crash. This raised questions about whether a technical fault or weather conditions prevented clearing the mountain.
The remaining distance to Obuasi was between 12 and 13 kilometers. At least four minutes of flight time were left when the helicopter crash.
The analysis also identified more than ten suspected illegal mining sites near the crash area.
Background
On 9th August 2025, an Air Force helicopter crashed in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, claiming the lives of Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah; Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Muniru Mohammed; former parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye; and NDC Vice Chairman Samuel Sarpong. Three Ghana Armed Forces personnel: Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.
