4 Deadly Plane Crashes in Ghana’s History That Claimed 35 Lives

Ghana plane crashes – Ghana aviation accidents – Ghana air disasters – The recent helicopter crash, which claimed the lives of eight senior government officials, including serving officers of the Ghana Armed Forces, has brought the nation’s aviation transport into the spotlight.

The incident on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, however, comes on the back of similar incidents recorded in the country’s history, according to data gleaned from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives.

Crash of Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain near Takoradi on November 13, 1978

In November 1978, a charter twin-engine aircraft operated by Air Inter Gabon, flying to the Ivory Coast, crashed under unknown circumstances in a wooded area located west of Takoradi, near the border between Ghana and the Ivory Coast.

The accident claimed the lives of all four occupants on board the flight.

 

Crash of Fokker F27 Friendship 600 in Accra on June 5, 2000

A Fokker F27 Friendship, operated by the defunct Ghana Airways, was involved in an accident at Kotoka International Airport, killing seven passengers and leading to other passengers sustaining serious injuries.

According to the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives, the plane was completing a scheduled service (Flight GH200) from Tamale to Accra on behalf of the Ghana Air Force when the accident happened.

Crew members of the aircraft, on approaching Kotoka International Airport, were reported to have encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy rainfall. In a nose-down attitude, the aircraft landed hard on Runway 21, nose first.

 

Crash of Ghana Air Force Augusta Bell 414

On March 16, 2002, an Augusta Bell 412 helicopter belonging to the Ghana Armed Forces crashed in the Atiwa Forest of the Eastern Region while undertaking a medical evacuation mission.

The accident claimed the lives of five personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces and two civilians.

The helicopter had taken off from the Air Force Base in Burma Camp at about 0700 hours with an estimated flight time of about 50 minutes, but crashed on its return to Accra.

 

Boeing 727-221F Crash in Accra on June 2, 2012

On June 2, 2012, Allied Air Flight DHV 111, a Boeing 727-221 cargo plane (Registration: 5N-BJN), crashed at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, killing 10 people in a minibus after overrunning the runway at 7:10 P.M.

The flight from Lagos, Nigeria, landed at 167 knots in heavy rain and zero visibility, 5,807 feet from Runway 21’s start, with a 15-knot tailwind exceeding the 10-knot limit.

Despite using thrust reversers and brakes, the crew couldn’t stop the aircraft, which broke through the airport’s perimeter wall, struck a minibus, a taxi, and a cyclist, and stopped near El-Wak Sports Stadium.

The four crew members sustained minor injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed.

 

The investigation cited the captain’s failure to abort the unstable approach as the primary cause, with contributory factors including manual flying after autopilot disconnection, landing too far down the runway, not deploying speed brakes, and crew fixation on the localizer.

Two cabinet ministers and six others perish in military helicopter crash

A little after midday on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, the Ghana Armed Forces issued a statement indicating that a helicopter headed for Obuasi had gone off radar, with efforts underway to locate the missing aircraft.

“A GAF helicopter, Z9, that took off this morning at 0912hrs from Accra and headed for Obuasi is currently off the radar. All efforts are being made to establish contact. On board were three crew members and five passengers. Further details will be communicated soon,” the statement said.

 

The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, later in the afternoon, confirmed the deaths of the eight persons in a short briefing at the Jubilee House.

He confirmed that the victims, including the Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, and the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, lost their lives in the helicopter crash that occurred at Adansi Akrofuom in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region.

The others include Limuna Muniru, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator; Samuel Sarpong, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC); Samuel Aboagye, NADMO Deputy Director-General; and three crew members.

GA/AE

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

 

NEXT >>>