Preliminary investigations into the microlight aircraft crash at a daycare centre in Tema indicate the aircraft attempted an emergency landing moments before it lost control and crashed, killing the two people on board.
The Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Bureau (AIB Ghana), which disclosed this at a press briefing on Friday, said there was, however, no record that the pilot informed Air Traffic Control (ATC) of the emergency.
Captain Paul Forjoe, Investigator-in-Charge, presenting the preliminary report, said eyewitnesses observed the aircraft flying at a low altitude over Tema and attempting to signal children in a school park to vacate the area to enable an emergency landing.
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“During a subsequent attempt at landing, the aircraft was observed in a left bank attitude shortly before it lost control and impacted the ground,” he said.
The microlight aircraft, registered 9G-ADV, crashed on March 16, 2026, within the premises of the TMA Day Care Centre near the Oninku Drive Basic School in Tema Community One.
Both occupants sustained fatal injuries, with no casualties recorded on the ground.
Captain Forjoe said available radar data showed the aircraft was tracked between 60 and 10 nautical miles from Accra, flying at varying altitudes between 3,400 feet and as low as 100 feet before the incident.
He noted that “there is no record of the aircraft advising ATC of an intention to make an emergency landing or declaring an emergency,” despite indications of distress.
It had earlier completed a flight from Accra to Ho without incident but later developed technical concerns, the report said.
After refuelling at Ho with 20 litres of fuel, white smoke was observed emanating from the engine during taxiing after a local circuit flight.
The pilot subsequently reported engine overheating and requested to return to land shortly after takeoff, conducted checks, and later departed again for Accra.
The aircraft was destroyed on impact and by a post-crash fire, sustaining severe structural damage that rendered it beyond economic repair, consistent with international aviation classification standards, the report said.
On the aircraft’s history, Captain Forjoe said it was registered in Ghana in 1996, transferred to the Ghana Armed Forces in 2001, and returned to its owner in 2022.
Since then, it had undergone maintenance, flight tests and regulatory approvals by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.
He added that the aircraft had valid flight test and ferry permits issued in March 2026 to facilitate testing and relocation from Accra to Ho.
The investigation, which commenced on March 17, is awaiting autopsy reports and further fieldwork before conclusions are drawn.
Mr John Wumborti, Commissioner of AIB Ghana, emphasised that the report was preliminary and issued in line with legal requirements to update the public within 30 days.
“We have not determined anything yet. The full report, with findings and recommendations, will be ready by May 29, 2026,” he said.
He explained that the investigation aimed at determining causes and contributory factors to prevent future occurrences and not to apportion blame.
AIB Ghana said the final report would include safety recommendations to reduce the likelihood of similar accidents.
GNA