“I have come out of 3 plane crashes” – Rtd Air Commodore K.K. Pumpuni

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Makay
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Air Comodore KK Pumpuni

Retired Air Commodore K.K. Pumpuni has disclosed that he survived three plane crashes during his career as an Air Force pilot.

Speaking in an interview with Kafui Dey shared on X on Monday, March 9, 2026, the retired Air Commodore was asked about his scariest experience in a plane when he recounted, “I have come out of 3 plane crashes. The first one was in Takoradi. My instructor and I took off, and when we got to about 500 ft, he pulled the throttle, which is the accelerator, back so there was no power.

“I looked at the height and said to myself, I would go back and land on the runway. I started turning and came all the way, ending in a heavy landing, which damaged the left undercarriage. It wasn’t serious, and I knew I could do it. We didn’t get injured,” he said.

“We hit and went off the runway to the side. Fire service quickly dashed there to check on us,” he added.

He further disclosed, “The second crash was in Ho. We had a small laterite airstrip. We landed there, and we overshot the runway and went off before stopping. We called the soldiers who came and pushed the aircraft back. I started it again to monitor. Of course, we reported to headquarters and told them what had happened”.

“The runway was very short and needed an experienced hand to use it, and at that time, I don’t think I was much experienced,” he added.

“The other incident, three planes were flying in a formation and I was in the second plane and in a turn, the other plane came all the way and hit my wing. We were fortunate,” he stated.

He revealed that he and his colleagues survived the incidents without serious injuries, but disclosed that their safety was due to training and swift responses during emergencies.

In that same interview, retired Air Commodore K. K. Pumpuni has deflated long-standing assertions that the late Jerry John Rawlings once flew an aircraft under the Adomi Bridge.

According to the former Chief of Air Staff, he was in charge of operations of the Air Force, and nothing like that happened, adding that if Rawlings had indeed flown under the Adomi Bridge, he would have court-martialled him.

Retired Air Commodore added, “There was a claim that Rawlings flew under the Adomi Bridge, and I said no, he didn’t. I was in charge of the operations of the Air Force, and nothing like that happened. If it had happened, we would have court-martialled him. Nothing like that ever happened”.

“There are certain issues surrounding it, and an aircraft cannot just fly under the bridge over the water like that. I made that comment, and he heard it, and he wasn’t too happy about it. He felt I should have kept quiet, but I said no. I was asked a question, so I couldn’t have kept quiet”.

“If I had kept quiet, it would have meant I was endorsing the claim. But it wasn’t true, and you also know it’s not true. Jerry had a small problem with me after that incident, so I’ve not been able to publish my book,” he added.

Watch the video below: