Aircraft Age Not a Factor in Fatal Z-9EH Crash, Says Bright Simons; Cautions Against Rushed Military Aircraft Procurement
Public policy analyst Bright Simons has urged caution over calls for Ghana to immediately acquire new military aircraft in the wake of the August 6, 2025, helicopter crash that claimed eight lives, including those of distinguished current and former public officials.
In a detailed commentary on social media platform X, Mr Simons noted that while the tragedy had plunged the nation into deep mourning, it had also prompted a wave of “conspiracy theories and emotive policy proposals.” Among these, he cited the Trade Union Congress’ (TUC) demand for the government to purchase a new fleet of aircraft for the Ghana Armed Forces without delay.
Mr Simons, however, pointed out that the Harbin Z-9EH helicopter involved in the crash was one of four purchased in 2015 from China’s CATIC for the protection of Ghana’s oil fields. “Ten years is very young for military aircraft,” he wrote, noting that the average age of aircraft in the US military is over 28 years, and 18 years for Black Hawk helicopters — the most widely used in the US fleet.
He stressed that while maintenance remains critical, Ghana’s aviation challenges cannot be resolved by procurement alone. “If Ghana has a maintenance problem, that can’t be fixed by just buying new aircraft. A more holistic plan is required,” he stated.
The analyst underscored that the cause of the accident cannot yet be attributed to aircraft age, maintenance lapses, pilot error, sabotage or other factors until the investigative inquiry concludes and “rigorous evidence” emerges. He flagged two early concerns: the Armed Forces’ report that “radar contact” was lost moments after take-off, and uncertainty over whether the retrieved flight data and cockpit voice recorders contain a complete trail of critical parameter readings.
Drawing parallels with a May 2014 crash near Takoradi involving a Volta River Aviation helicopter, Mr Simons recounted how the black box in that incident contained only data from a successful ground run in 2010, leaving significant gaps that hindered the investigation. “The level of damage [in the current crash] is far worse and the site tampering appears to be extensive,” he warned.
At present, he said, the only publicly confirmed detail is the early loss of radar contact, with possible causes ranging from transponder failure to mechanical malfunction. Without comprehensive black box data, he cautioned, conspiracy theories will persist.
“What I know for sure is that this specific tragedy, heartbreaking as it is and all, is not a basis for anyone to start pushing for the procurement of new military aircraft because age was definitely not the determinative factor here,” Mr Simons concluded.
