Following the August 6, 2025 Ghana Air Force helicopter crash that killed eight people, including Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, aviation safety concerns are again in the spotlight.
Since the death of Nigerian banker Herbert Wigwe in a February 2024 helicopter crash, a number of fatal incidents have occurred worldwide, prompting renewed scrutiny of helicopter operations.
In an interview with The News Chronicle, Mechatronic engineer Johnson Attah explained that helicopters and airplanes are built for different purposes, a fact that carries “significant safety implications.”
“Helicopters are inherently unstable aircrafts, that requires constant pilot inputs, to maintain control of flight,” he said. “Unlike airplanes which are aerodynamically designed to maintain level flights even with minimal control input, helicopters will quickly lose control if a pilot releases controls even briefly.”
Attah noted that helicopters contain “thousands of moving parts including rotors, gear box, tail rotors, and transmission system all operating under extreme stress,” adding that each part “represents a potential failure point” and that failures of the main rotor or gearbox can be catastrophic. “This complexities demands more frequent and meticulous maintenance, compared to airplanes,” he said.
He noted one of the most significant differences in emergency capability between the two aircraft types.
“When an airplane experiences engine failure, it can glide effectively… helicopters, however, have severe limited glide capability. In engine failure situations, pilots must immediately execute a procedure called auto rotation… and this technique only work effectively if the helicopter has sufficient altitude and there’s a suitable landing area below.”
According to him, helicopters also face greater operational risks because they often fly at low altitudes, where hazards such as power lines, towers, trees, and buildings are more common. Their versatility, being able to hover, land in confined spaces, and reach remote areas, exposes them to more hazardous conditions, including combat zones, medical emergencies, and industrial sites.
Engr Attah linked these operational realities to recent accidents. He cited the February 9, 2024 crash that killed Wigwe and five others, which occurred when the aircraft, flying under visual flight rules, entered Instrument Meteorological Conditions: weather that requires instrument navigation. “This kind of thing can cause partial disorientation,” he said, warning that helicopters’ instability “amplifies the consequences of confusion or incorrect control input.”
The August 6, 2025 Ghana crash happened in mountainous forest terrain during poor weather, a type of environment he described as “exactly the kind of challenging environment where helicopters are often required to operate but which significantly increases risk factors.”
Since February 2024, at least nine major helicopter crashes have been recorded worldwide:
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Feb 9, 2024 – Eurocopter EC130 crash near the California-Nevada border; 6 dead, including Wigwe.
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Jan 29, 2025 – U.S. Army Black Hawk and commercial aircraft collision over the Potomac River; 67 dead.
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Mar 15, 2025 – Robinson R44 crash in Virginia fog.
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Apr 6, 2025 – EC135 air ambulance crash off Iki Island, Japan; 3 dead.
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Apr 10, 2025 – Bell 206 LongRanger IV crash into Hudson River, New York; 6 dead.
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May 9, 2025 – Sri Lanka Air Force Bell 212 demo flight into lake; 4 dead.
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Jun 23, 2025 – Medical transport GT-VX2 crash in New Hampshire.
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Jul 14, 2025 – Great Slave Helicopters crash in northern Canada; 3 dead.
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Aug 6, 2025 – Ghana Air Force Harbin Z-9 crash; 8 dead.
In Ghana, the August crash has also sparked political conspiracy theories. Some citizens allege the disaster may have been a targeted attack linked to the ministers’ involvement in banning illegal gold mining. Rumours suggest President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was meant to be on board but changed plans at the last minute. Officials have not confirmed these claims, and investigations are ongoing.
Despite the risks, Attah stressed that helicopters are essential for missions airplanes cannot perform. “When properly maintained, the helicopter operated by well-trained pilots… can maintain reasonable safety record,” he said. “The key to helicopter safety is to recognize this inherent challenges and implementing appropriate trainings, maintenance, operational, procedures and technologies to mitigate the risks.”
