US embassy cable - 04ACCRA1550

UNCLAS ACCRA 001550 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO FAA 
SENEGAL PLEASE PASS TO ED JONES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, GH, aviation 
SUBJECT: GHANA FLIGHT DEPARTS FOR U.S. DESPITE FAA BAN 
 
REF: STATE 160345 
 
1. Per reftel, DCM Jerry Lanier met today with the Director 
General of Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Captain 
(Ret.) Joseph Boachie to hand deliver the letter and the 
accompanying talking points.  Boachie accepted that the FAA 
would be sending a reassessment team and asked that we keep 
him informed of the specific dates.  Boachie also informed 
the DCM that the Ghana Airways plane for which the FAA had 
blocked landing rights, had left for the U.S. this morning 
(prior to being informed of its exclusion) and would arrive 
at BWI at 4PM EST. 
 
Demarche delivered 
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2. Using points per reftel, DCM Lanier raised USG concerns to 
Boachie, pointed out that the FAA questioned some of the air 
safety practices of the GCAA.  Noting that the USG was aware 
of the earlier ICAO audit, DCM averred that the concerns 
should not come as a surprise, and that we wanted to work 
constructively with the GoG and the GCCA to address the 
shortfalls.  DCM noted that we considered the meeting to 
constitute consultations under the Article 6 of the 
U.S.-Ghana Air Transport Agreement, and that the FAA would 
like to do an assessment within 45 days of the meeting.  DCM 
also informed Boachie that Ed Jones from the FAA would be 
here later this week to arrange the FAA reassessment. 
 
3. DCM mentioned that the FAA has suspended landing rights 
for a specific Ghana Airways DC-10, and made sure that 
Boachie was aware of that action and would make sure that 
Ghana Airways complied with it. 
 
4. Boachie thanked the DCM for the information, and accepted 
that he had been notified under Article 6 and that the GCAA 
would cooperate with an FAA reaudit.  He expressed some 
surprise that the FAA would come so soon, but said they would 
make every effort to cooperate. 
 
DC-10 Departs for BWI 
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5. Regarding the Ghana Airways DC-10, Boachie said that it 
had taken off early today before instructions not to leave 
could be issued.  Boachie said they had been in conversation 
with the FAA after the plane's departure and expected that 
the FAA would allow the plane to land.  He also informed DCM 
that the company which leases the plane to Ghana Airways had 
written today to say that there was a misunderstanding about 
the maintenance records and that all proper tests had been 
done.  He did not offer to share this letter. 
 
YATES