A mid-air collision between two South Korean fighter jets in 2021 has been officially attributed to pilots being distracted while taking photographs and videos, according to a new investigative report.
The incident, which occurred during a flight mission near Daegu, involved two F-15K fighter jets. While returning to base, the wingman pilot began using his personal mobile phone to capture images, reportedly to commemorate his final flight with his military unit. This practice of documenting significant flights was described as "widespread among pilots at the time" by South Korea's Board of Audit and Inspection.
Upon noticing the photography, the lead aircraft pilot instructed another crew member to film the wingman's jet. In response, the wingman pilot executed a sudden upward maneuver and flipped his aircraft to improve the camera angle. This abrupt action brought the two jets dangerously close together.
"To avoid a crash, the lead aircraft tried to rapidly descend. But the two F-15K jets eventually collided, damaging the lead aircraft's left wing and the wingman aircraft's tail stabilizer," the report stated.
Despite the collision, both pilots managed to land safely without injuries. The military incurred approximately 880 million won ($596,000) in repair costs from the damaged aircraft.
The wingman pilot, who has since left military service to work for a commercial airline, faced disciplinary action. South Korea's air force initially sought to recover the full repair costs from him, but the audit board later reduced the fine to 88 million won—just one-tenth of the original amount.
The board cited several factors in its decision, including the pilot's previously good service record and his successful effort to safely return his damaged aircraft to base. Additionally, the report noted that the air force shared responsibility for failing to properly regulate pilots' personal use of cameras during flights.
The wingman pilot acknowledged his maneuver caused the collision but argued the lead pilot had "tacitly consented" by being aware of the filming activity. The report did not specify whether any action was taken against the other pilots involved in the incident.