The inquiry into the August 6, 2025, helicopter crash near Obuasi has confirmed that the pilots aboard the Ghana Air Force Z-9EH were highly skilled and properly certified. The late Wing Commander Peter Bafemi Anala, the captain, and Flight Lieutenant Malin Twum-Ampadu, the co-pilot, both held Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) commercial and instrument ratings and possessed international qualifications.
The investigation reviewed the crew’s experience, qualifications, and competence to eliminate human error as a cause. Anala had earned a postgraduate certificate in safety and accident investigation from Crownsfield University in the UK in 2024 and was rated Category C within the Ghana Air Force, making him fully competent to operate the Z-9 helicopter. Twum-Ampadu had also been certified by the FAA and was recategorized as a Category D pilot with appropriate instrument ratings within the Air Force.
The crash involved the military helicopter GHF 631, which departed Accra en route to an anti-illegal mining event in Obuasi. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft went off radar and later crashed into forested terrain. All eight people on board, including two Cabinet ministers and other high-ranking officials, perished in the disaster.
The probe underscores that the helicopter’s crew was experienced and adequately prepared, pointing attention toward other factors in determining the cause of the crash.
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