Helicopter Crash: Aircraft Engineer Downplays Claims of Bad Weather, Focuses on Sabotage
- An aircraft engineer has shared his views on the helicopter crash that claimed eight lives in Ghana
- Speaking in an interview, he suggested the August 6 tragedy may have been caused by sabotage
- He also ruled out claims by some that the helicopter had crashed due to bad weather conditions
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Dr Nestor Otoo, an aircraft engineer, has shared his expert views on the tragedy involving a Ghana Armed Forces' Z-9 helicopter, which crashed in a thick forest in the Adansi Akrofuom District, claiming eight lives.
Speaking in an interview with Adom FM on August 11, 2025, Dr Otoo, who is currently with the British Army, used his expertise to point out the possibility of sabotage as a major causal factor for the crash.
Source: UGC
He explained that for a helicopter carrying high-ranking individuals, top aircraft engineers and mechanics would be assigned to ensure that the aircraft is safe for travel.
In this case, Dr Otoo then stated that thorough checks would have been conducted to ensure the helicopter was in perfect condition before takeoff, making an unforeseen failure quite rare.
"When you look at it, when you stand behind, the moment, the day, or the minute ahead of the aircraft crash, the first thing that dropped in my spirit was, this is sabotage.
"Why do I say sabotage? Because for an aircraft to fly dignitaries, it must be checked to the highest point of serviceability. An aircraft would not go down easily like that," he said.
He also downplayed theories that the weather could have played a role in the helicopter crash, emphasising that pilots are equipped to manage such situations.
"It's highly unlikely. I mean, we have beautiful weather in Ghana. We have seen worse weather. And these pilots go through simulations and all that. It could hardly, you know, talking from my point of view, be a weather problem," he stated.
Source: TikTok
Details of the August 6 helicopter crash
The eight individuals were en route from Accra to Obuasi on the Ghana Armed Forces' Z-9 helicopter for the launch of the Responsible Mining & Skills Training programme when the crash occurred at Adansi Sikaman.
Among the casualties were two cabinet ministers: the Defence Minister, Dr. Omane Boamah, and the Minister of Environment, Dr. Murtala Mohammed.
The other individuals were former Obuasi East parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye, Deputy National Security Coordinator Limuna Muniru, and National Democratic Congress Vice Chairman Dr. Samuel Sarpong. The army personnel who died in the crash were Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah, Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, and Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu.
President Mahama, meanwhile, has ordered a probe into the deadly helicopter crash.
In the interim, he has named Dr Cassiel Ato Forson as acting Defence Minister and Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah as overseeing the Environment, Science, and Technology Ministry.
Watch the video of the aircraft engineer's claims below:
GAF appeals to media over helicopter crash
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the Ghana Armed Forces had urged the media to be more responsible in their coverage of the August 6 crash.
The army expressed concerns that there had been speculative and unsubstantiated comments on the crash in the Ashanti Region.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
