Why a Ghana Airforce helicopter landed in Kumbungu on Thursday evening

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has explained that one of its helicopters landed in the Kumbungu District last Thursday because of an emergency.

In a statement signed and issued by the Director Public Relations, Colonel E. Aggrey-Quashie on Saturday, June 27, 2020, the army explained that it was an "emergency landing."

HELICOPTER EMERGENCY LANDING IN KUMBUNGU DISTRICT

On Thursday 25 June 2020, at about 1745 hours, a Ghana Air Force Z9-EH Helicopter with tail number GHF 630 performed an emergency landing in a field about 3 Km southwest of Ganvuliga village.

The location is in the Kumbungu District of the Northern Region, and approximately 32 Km west of the Tamale Airport.

The crew landed after observing a malfunction of the tail rotor system, which provides anti-torque and directional control to the aircraft.

The incident happened while the crew were returning from Wa to Tamale.

All the 4 crew members and 4 other military personnel on board at the time of the incident were successfully recovered within minutes by another Ghana Air Force helicopter, with no fatalities nor injuries.

There were no civilians on board, and no damage nor injuries to property and people on ground.

The landing site has since been secured and efforts are underway to recover the aircraft.

The Kumbungu District Chief Executive and the local community are also providing the necessary assistance to the recovery team.

A Preliminary Investigation Team (PIT) has been constituted and is currently on site to conduct a full assessment of the damage to the aircraft to allow a recovery to Air Force Base, Tamale. The manufacturers of the aircraft, China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) based in China, and their local representatives, have been informed of the incident and are providing all the necessary technical support. The aircraft is one of four helicopters that were delivered to the Ghana Air Force in 2015.

The crew are commended for their quick judgement and timely intervention for flying the helicopter to a safe emergency landing. The Ghana Armed Forces wishes to assure the general public that the military is still operational and its activities have in no way been affected by this incident. The morale of personnel is high and normal activities are ongoing.