On Wednesday, a tragic accident that involved a Ghana Air Force Z9 helicopter unfortunately claimed lives of eight prominent Ghanaians including two sitting ministers of state.
As investigations into the crash continue, the government has announced the recovery of the helicopter’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR)—collectively known as the “black box.”
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In an interview with 3News, seasoned aviator, Wing Commander (Rtd) Patrick Nelson Sogbodjor, highlighted the essence of the black box in the black box in the investigation.
“The voice recorder will record all communication between the pilots and control centre. The parameters of the site are also monitored before the crash. So these will give us a sense of what happened,” Sogbodjor stated in his interview with 3News
The helicopter lost radar contact about 30 minutes after its takeoff from Accra to Obuasi, carrying the people aboard to the launch of the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (RCOMSDEP) when it unfortunately crashed at Adansi-Brofoyedu in the Adansi Akrofuom District, killing all aboard.
Among the victims were Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology Alhaji Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Alhaji Muniru Mohammed, National Vice-Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Dr. Samuel Sarpong, parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye, pilot Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, co-pilot Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu, and crew member Sergeant Ernest Addo-Mensah.
The Ghana Air Force Z9 helicopter was a Chinese-made, license-built variant of the French Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin, acquired by Ghana in 2015 via a China Development Bank loan.
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The aircraft is reported to lack advanced safety features like modern weather radar which makes it not suitabile for VIP transport.
The investigation is being led by the Ghana Armed Forces. They will analyze the CVR and FDR data from the black box alongside physical evidence from the crash site.
The CVR captures all sounds in the cockpit, including pilot conversations, radio communications with air traffic control, and ambient noises like alarms or engine sounds. The FDR also records critical technical data such as altitude, airspeed, engine performance, and flight path. Together, these devices provide investigators with a comprehensive view of the flight’s final moments.
In a statement, President John Mahama assured the public that a “full, transparent investigation” is underway to determine the cause of the crash.