A light aircraft that crashed in Tema on Monday, March 16, 2026, killing two people, was not equipped with a flight data recorder, or black box, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has confirmed, highlighting glaring lapses in aviation safety oversight.

The absence of the critical device has intensified concerns about the ability to determine exactly what went wrong, raising questions about regulatory enforcement and the risks passengers face on small aircraft in Ghana.

Investigators scramble amid wreckage

AAIB Commissioner, Mr John M. K. Wumborti, led a team back to the crash site on Tuesday, March 17, to retrieve debris from the wreckage. “We successfully collected the wreckage with support from the Ghana Air Force. This material is essential for further analysis,” he told journalists.

The crash site, located near the Oninku Drive School Park at Site 17, remains a grim reminder of how fragile aviation safeguards can be when essential safety equipment is missing.

Eyewitness accounts compiled

Investigators have interviewed witnesses who saw the aircraft fall. Mr Wumborti said their testimonies, combined with the physical evidence, would be critical to reconstructing the events leading to the crash.

Coordination applauded, questions remain

While the swift response of security and emergency agencies—including the military, police, fire service, and National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO)—has been praised, aviation experts warn that emergency preparedness alone cannot compensate for missing safety devices and regulatory gaps.

Victims’ identities yet to be disclosed

The identities of the victims remain undisclosed as the Bureau adheres to protocol. “At the appropriate time, the public and families will be informed,” Mr Wumborti said.

This incident underscores persistent vulnerabilities in Ghana’s aviation sector, particularly regarding the oversight of small aircraft operations. The lack of black box installation has sparked calls from safety advocates for stricter enforcement and urgent reforms to prevent future tragedies.

If you want, I can also rewrite it in a sharper, investigative style, making it read almost like a scandal report that questions why regulations allowed this to happen. Do you want me to do that next?

Two people have lost their lives after a small aircraft crashed and caught fire near a school park at Tema Community One in the Greater Accra Region on Monday afternoon.

The incident, which occurred at about 4 p.m., happened at the Oninku Drive School Park at Site 17, close to the TMA Daycare Centre. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the aircraft descending unusually before it crashed and burst into flames.

Personnel from the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) responded swiftly to the emergency, working to contain the fire and secure the area.

According to Divisional Officer II Ebenezer Yenzu, Tema Regional Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, an initial distress call was received just before 1 p.m., reporting a fire outbreak in the area.

“By the time we arrived, we realised it involved a helicopter that had fallen close to the wall of the daycare facility,” he said.

Firefighters, with support from personnel of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, managed to extinguish the blaze and cordon off the scene to prevent further risk to nearby residents.

Authorities confirmed that all teachers and pupils at the daycare centre had been safely evacuated before emergency teams arrived, ensuring no casualties among the children.

“None of the pupils or teachers sustained any injuries, as they had already moved to safety,” Mr Yenzu added.

However, two men on board the aircraft were found dead after the fire was brought under control. Their bodies have since been retrieved and deposited at the morgue by police for preservation and autopsy.

The crash site has been secured as investigations begin into the cause of the accident. Officials say aviation experts will be engaged to assist with the probe.

Mr Yenzu disclosed that the aircraft has been identified with registration number 9G-ADV, although details regarding its origin and the circumstances leading to the crash remain unclear.

Assembly Member for the Kwesi Plange Electoral Area, Ahmed Abdullia, also confirmed that no schoolchildren were harmed in the incident.

Eyewitnesses described moments of panic as the aircraft hovered low before crashing. Some residents rushed to the scene and attempted to control the fire using water from nearby sources before the arrival of emergency services.

One of the first responders, Sadik Abdulai, said their immediate focus was to move children away from danger while preventing the flames from spreading.

Investigations are ongoing.

Two personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) have sustained injuries following a secondary explosion during efforts to contain a tanker fire at Potsin Junction in the Central Region.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, March 17, 2026, along the Kasoa-Winneba Road, where emergency teams had been working to control a blaze involving a fuel tanker.

According to reports, the situation escalated after the fire, which appeared to be under control, suddenly reignited. Moments later, a secondary explosion occurred, raising fresh safety concerns and forcing authorities to cordon off the area.

Eyewitnesses described the explosion as sudden and intense. One survivor recounted that a spark from the tanker triggered a massive fireball within seconds, leaving little time for those nearby to react.

The two injured fire officers were caught in the impact zone while actively working to suppress the flames. Reports indicate that the force of the blast threw one officer off the fire tender, while another, who was positioned on top of the vehicle, fell to the ground during the explosion.

Both officers were rushed to a nearby hospital and are receiving treatment. No fatalities have been officially confirmed as of the time of this report.

The incident has unsettled residents in the Potsin Junction area, with some reported to be in shock following the explosion. Authorities say the tanker has continued to reignite intermittently, complicating firefighting efforts and increasing the risk of further explosions.

A correspondent from Adom News in the Central Region reported that the tanker was still burning at the time of filing, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by emergency responders.

The Ghana National Fire Service has since deployed additional personnel from nearby stations to support containment efforts and ensure the tanker is fully extinguished.

Meanwhile, the full extent of damage to property and the number of people affected by the fire and smoke remain unclear.

Motorists are being advised to avoid the Kasoa-Winneba stretch or proceed with caution, as emergency teams maintain a strong presence at the scene.