Two South Korean Fighter Jets Hit Each Other Because Pilots Took Photos
Introduction
In December 2021, two F-15K fighter jets hit each other in the air. The pilots were taking photos during a training flight. Both pilots jumped out safely. The planes needed repairs that cost about 880 million won (around £440,000).
Main Body
The accident happened near Daegu. One pilot wanted to take photos for his last flight with his group. He told other pilots about his plan. After the training, he used his phone to take pictures. The other pilot saw this and asked someone to record a video. The first pilot moved his plane up and turned to get a better photo. The two planes came too close. To avoid a crash, the lead pilot went down fast and the other pilot went up. The left wing of the lead plane hit the tail of the other plane. No one got hurt. The planes were going about 578 km/h. At first, the defense ministry said the pilot who took photos must pay for all repairs. The pilot said this was not fair. He said he made a mistake, but the other pilot knew about the photos and did not stop him. A government office looked at the case. It said the pilot must pay only 88 million won (about 10% of the total). The office gave reasons: pilots often take photos on flights, the air force did not stop this, the pilot had a long and good work history, and he flew the plane well after the crash to stop more damage. The office also said that other pilots took photos before and no one said anything. The South Korean Air Force said sorry for the accident. It said it will make new safety rules. The pilot who took photos cannot fly now. He got a strong punishment. He left the military and now works for an airline. The report did not say if the other pilot got any punishment.
Conclusion
The accident showed problems with how the air force controls what pilots do during flights. The air force is making new rules. The pilot paid less money because the air force also shared the blame.