Helicopter Crash: GAF shouldn't be the ones to conduct the investigation – Aviation Analyst
Captain Michael Yao Foli, a seasoned aviation analyst, has called for an independent investigation into the August 6 military helicopter crash, warning that the Ghana Armed Forces should not be the sole body leading the probe.
His comments follow President John Dramani Mahama’s assurance that a full and transparent inquiry is already in motion. In a national address on Thursday night, President Mahama confirmed that the Ghana Armed Forces had established an Investigative Board of Inquiry and recovered both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder to aid the investigation.
“As we mourn, questions about the cause of this tragedy are natural and important,” the President said. “I want to assure the families and the nation that the Ghana Armed Forces has initiated a full and transparent investigation into the circumstances of this crash.”
However, Capt. Foli told Joy News that while the military could carry out its own internal review, the main investigation should be led by Ghana’s independent Accident Investigation Board, working in collaboration with other relevant authorities and the aircraft’s manufacturer.
“What should concern the public especially the relatives of the deceased and also the travelling public and all sympathizers is 'what is the cause of this accident?' The military's role is even minute in this process. They owned the helicopter, they serviced it, they dispatched it, they chose the crew, so they are not the ones to investigate this accident in the broader sense,” he said.
He emphasised that independent investigators must examine maintenance records, crew training, the flight plan, and engage the aircraft manufacturer to ensure a thorough and credible investigation.
“Civil Aviation is in charge of all aviation in Ghana. So they are the ones who will hand over this investigation to the independent Accident Investigation Board. The military can do their thing but we the public, we're watching them because this is a national issue,” Capt. Foli stressed.
The crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region claimed the lives of Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, and six others, leaving the nation in shock and mourning.