The Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIB Ghana) has released its final report into the fatal Tema microlight aircraft crash, revealing a combination of engine failure, poor maintenance practices, and serious regulatory breaches as key factors that led to the tragedy.
The crash involved microlight aircraft registration 9G-ADV and occurred in Tema Community One, claiming the lives of two occupants after the aircraft went down during an attempted emergency landing within the premises of the TMA Day Care Centre.
Presenting the findings, the Commissioner of AIB Ghana, John Wumborti, said the investigation uncovered multiple safety violations and mechanical defects that had been ignored before the accident.
“The evidence shows that the aircraft suffered recurring engine overheating issues which were not properly rectified, and this significantly contributed to the failure that led to the crash,” he stated.
The report revealed that the aircraft had previously experienced multiple engine overheating incidents, including a case in Ho where white smoke was observed coming from the engine mid-flight.
Investigators noted that instead of carrying out proper technical repairs, the aircraft was reportedly subjected to unsafe temporary fixes.
“There were clear indications of unresolved mechanical defects, and maintenance practices did not meet required safety standards,” the Commissioner added.
The Bureau further disclosed that the aircraft was operating without valid flight permits, meaning Air Traffic Control (ATC) had no official record of its movements or its technical condition before the crash.
“The aircraft was flying outside the approved regulatory framework, which meant there was no oversight from Air Traffic Control regarding its operation,” John Wumborti said.
On the day of the crash, the aircraft reportedly developed further engine problems, forcing an emergency landing attempt in a populated area of Tema.
According to the report, the pilot attempted to alert children at a nearby school park to move out of the way before attempting to land.
However, during the landing attempt, the aircraft lost control and crashed within the school environment.
“During the emergency landing, control of the aircraft was lost, resulting in the fatal impact at the TMA Day Care Centre premises,” the report stated.
AIB Ghana stressed that the crash was the result of a combination of technical failure, poor maintenance practices, and regulatory non-compliance, all of which created a highly unsafe flight condition.
The Bureau also noted that the lack of proper enforcement of aviation rules for light aircraft operations contributed to the severity of the incident.
It has therefore recommended stricter maintenance inspections, stronger enforcement of flight authorisation procedures, and improved oversight of microlight and recreational aviation activities in Ghana.
