Aviation investigation expert Captain Paul Forjoe has revealed that the crew members involved in the August 6 military helicopter crash had completed three flights earlier that day before the fatal incident occurred.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, November 11, Captain Forjoe said the crew had also observed a mandatory 24-hour rest period before undertaking the ill-fated mission.
“The last three flights before the accident were conducted by the same crew,” he confirmed.
He added that the investigative team conducted a comprehensive review of the crew’s qualifications, medical history, and psychological assessments to rule out human or procedural lapses.
The press briefing followed the official submission of the investigative committee’s report to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at Jubilee House on Monday. The report was presented by Acting Minister for Defence, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who chaired the inquiry.
The crash involved a Harbin Z-9EH military helicopter with tail number GHF 631, operated by the Ghana Air Force. The aircraft took off from Accra at about 9:12 a.m. on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, heading to Obuasi in the Ashanti Region for an anti-illegal mining operation.
Tragically, the helicopter lost radar contact mid-flight and later crashed in the Adansi Akrofuom District, claiming the lives of all eight personnel on board.
Captain Forjoe said the findings would guide future aviation safety improvements within the Ghana Armed Forces to prevent similar tragedies.
