Inside the Chinese-made Z-9 Helicopter Involved in the Tragic August 6 Crash and Its Safety Record
YEN.com.gh takes a look at the Ghana Air Force's Z-9 helicopter after one of its variants crashed in the Ashanti Region, killing eight persons
The Z-9EH helicopter is at the centre of one of Ghana's worst air travel crashes.
The helicopter was carrying eight people on official duties when it crashed in the Ashanti Region, killing all eight people on board.
This has brought this particular helicopter under scrutiny, with questions raised about its safety record, among others, as Ghanaians await official findings on the cause of the tragic crash.
Source: Getty Images
The Aviation Safety Network provides data that shows this Z-9 family of helicopters has been involved in several crashes and accidents over the last three decades, not all of which have been fatal.
The Z-9 was designed to be adaptable for a variety of roles, including transport, direct air support, security, reconnaissance, ambulance, anti-submarine warfare, IW, airborne C2, search and rescue, antiship, and anti-submarine warfare.
Ghana's variant of the helicopter that crashed is designed for transport, passenger use and emergency purposes, according to the Odin database on military equipment.
The helicopter has been exported by China for use in Bolivia, Cambodia, Cameroon, Kenya, Laos, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Pakistan, and Zambia.
In 2015, the Ghana Air Force took delivery of four Z-9EH utility helicopters from China to be used to secure the oil and gas industry.
The aircraft was commissioned by President John Mahama at Burma Camp, who described the delivery as historic.
History of the Z-9 brand of helicopters
The first Z-9 flew in 1981 and was built from components supplied by Aérospatiale as part of a production patent bought on October 15, 1980.
On January 16, 1992, the indigenous variant Z-9B, which was made from 70% Chinese-made parts, made its first successful flight.
The Z-9B features an 11-blade Fenestron faired-in tail rotor with wider-chord, all-composite blades replacing the 13-blade used in the original AS365N.
It also has a four-blade main rotor, with two turboshaft engines mounted side by side on top of the cabin, with an engine layout identical to the AS365N.
The Z-9 is noted to be identical to the AS365N Dauphin helicopter.
In 2002, Harbin obtained Chinese certification for the new H410A variant of the Z-9, which features more powerful engines.
Safety advantages
The Z-9EH is a twin-engine, medium-lift helicopter configured to carry 10 fully armed soldiers.
It has a top speed of around 305 km/h and an operational ceiling of approximately 6,000 metres.
It is also noted for its dual-engine design, which allows the aircraft to continue flying even if one engine fails.
This feature has made it a trusted option for missions requiring high safety standards, including transporting government dignitaries and military personnel.
Notable crashes in the Z-9 helicopter family
In 2024, a Harbin Z-9WE helicopter went missing while performing a training flight over the Caradamom Mountains.
AP reported that the wreckage of the aircraft was found two weeks after it went missing.
In 2020, a Chinese Army helicopter had an accident in Hong Kong during a night training, missing in adverse weather conditions. The helicopter damaged an electricity transmission tower. All four crew members died in the crash.
Also in 2019, a Z-9 helicopter crashed while training for the national celebration day of Mali on 20 January. It crashed during a landing. There were no fatalities
In 2015, a Z-9 helicopter crashed at a military airport in Tongzhou District, Beijing, while preparing for a parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Three crew members died in that crash, and several occupants were injured.
In 2014, one of them crashed in Cambodia during a training flight south of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penhon, killing five of the six people on board.
The helicopter was operating in the vicinity of a flooded quarry and performed one take-off and landing near the edge of the quarry cliff.
In 2002, during a training flight in China, the crew departed from designated airspace and flew at a very low altitude, contrary to flight rules.
The military helicopter struck power lines and crashed. Four crew members died.
In 2001, one of the Z-9 choppers crashed on an agricultural survey mission. Two government officials, two camera crew from a state TV team and four members of the armed forces died in the crash.
This crash was believed to have been caused by an in-flight fire resulting from the use of a lighter and leftover alcohol from field work.
Source: YEN.com.gh
