By Emmanuel Nii Sackey
The Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Bureau (AIB Ghana) has released preliminary findings into the fatal microlight aircraft crash at a Tema daycare center, indicating that the aircraft attempted an emergency landing before losing control and crashing, resulting in the deaths of the two occupants.
According to Captain Paul Forjoe, Investigator-in-Charge, eyewitnesses reported that the aircraft was flying at a low altitude and attempted to signal children to vacate the area before making a subsequent attempt at landing, during which it lost control and impacted the ground.
The microlight aircraft, registered as 9G-ADV, crashed on March 16, 2026, within the premises of the TMA Day Care Centre in Tema Community One, killing both individuals on board. Captain Forjoe noted that radar data showed the aircraft flying at varying altitudes between 3,400 feet and 100 feet before the incident, with no record of the pilot notifying Air Traffic Control (ATC) of an emergency.
The investigation revealed that the aircraft had completed a flight from Accra to Ho without incident but later developed technical concerns, including engine overheating, before the fatal flight. The aircraft was destroyed on impact and by a post-crash fire, with severe structural damage rendering it beyond economic repair.
Captain Forjoe stated that the aircraft had undergone maintenance and regulatory approvals, including a valid flight test and ferry permits issued in March 2026. The investigation is ongoing, awaiting autopsy reports and further fieldwork, with the full report, including findings and recommendations, expected to be ready by May 29, 2026.
Commissioner John Wumborti emphasized that the preliminary report is part of the legal requirement to update the public within 30 days and that the investigation aims to determine the causes and contributory factors to prevent future occurrences, not to apportion blame.