Tema plane crash report reveals schoolchildren misread pilot’s emergency signal before disaster
A final investigation report into the March 16, 2026 microlight aircraft crash at Tema has revealed that schoolchildren playing on a field near the Tema Day Care School mistakenly interpreted an emergency signal from the pilot as a friendly wave moments before the aircraft crashed.
According to the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIB Ghana), the pilot of the microlight aircraft attempted to make an emergency landing after encountering difficulties during the flight.
Presenting the final report on Tuesday, May 26, Head of Investigation, Captain Paul Fordjour, disclosed that the pilot deliberately flew at a low altitude over the school field in Tema Community One in an effort to alert children on the ground to clear the area for an emergency landing.
The field, located near the Oninku School Park and the Tema Day Care School, was reportedly occupied by pupils who were playing at the time the aircraft approached.
The crash claimed two brothers on board- Frank Amoaning Donkor and Elijah Ofori Donkor, children of Elder Frank Kwabena Donkor, founder of Hebron Prayer Camp
Investigators explained that the pilot’s low flight manoeuvre was intended as a warning signal to the children to vacate the field immediately to create space for the aircraft to land safely.
However, the children reportedly misunderstood the pilot’s actions and interpreted the gestures as greetings rather than distress signals.
“Unfortunately, the school children misunderstood the intentions of the aircraft and happily waved back at the aircraft and continued playing on the field. The attempted landing was therefore aborted,” portions of the report stated.
The report said the pilot was subsequently forced to abandon the initial landing attempt because the field remained occupied.
Investigators further disclosed that during another forced landing attempt shortly afterwards, the aircraft was observed in a left-bank attitude moments before it lost control and crashed within the school premises.
According to the report, the aircraft’s final flight path took it through nearby trees before it clipped part of the roof of the daycare facility.
The aircraft eventually crashed into a tree located at a dumpsite between two school buildings within the school compound.
The microlight aircraft, registered 9G-ADV, crashed on March 16, 2026, inside the premises of the TMA Day Care Centre near the Oninku Drive Basic School in Tema Community One.
The incident triggered widespread public concern at the time, especially because the crash occurred in a school environment where children were present.
The release of the final report now provides fresh details into the sequence of events leading to the accident, including the pilot’s unsuccessful attempts to avoid a more devastating outcome.
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