Pilots Were Taking Selfies Before Mid-Air Collision Involving 2 Fighter Jets: Report

The December 2021 in South Korea incident caused nearly $600,000 in damage, according to multiple reports

NEED TO KNOW

• The South Korean air force has apologized for a 2021 mid-air collision caused by pilots filming and taking selfies, according to a new report
• The collision caused $600,000 in damages but both fighter jets landed safely and no injuries were reported
• A government report criticized lax regulations on in-flight camera use and revealed photo-taking was common

The South Korean air force has apologized for the 2021 mid-air collision between two fighter jets during a training mission. The apology comes one day after a new report revealed the flight crews were taking selfies and filming themselves before the incident. 

“We sincerely apologize to the public for the concern caused by the accident that occurred in 2021,” an air force spokesperson said during a press briefing on Thursday, April 23, per Reuters. 

A report released on Wednesday from the government’s Board of Audit and Inspection, reviewed by The New York Times, Reuters and ABC News, details the actions taken by the pilots before the costly December 2021 incident. The collision occurred between two F-15K fighter jets near the city of Daegu.

For one of the pilots, then a major, it was his final flight with his unit. The board said during a pre-mission briefing, he told his colleagues he planned on taking photos to commemorate the milestone. 

While returning to his base after the training mission, the wingman suddenly banked his jet because two fellow pilots on the lead aircraft were trying to film him with their phones. The maneuver was made without consultation and brought the airplanes dangerously close together. 

Both pilots reportedly tried to avoid the collision, but it wasn’t enough. 

The lead pilot’s wings clipped the wingman’s tail. Following the collision, both aircraft landed safely on the ground, but the damage was already done to the planes. The report estimates the damage cost nearly 880 million won (about $600,000). 

The audit board subsequently ordered the wingman to only pay one-tenth of the total repair costs as the other pilots involved appeared to have “implicit consent” to his plan, per ABC News. 

The report also criticized the air force as it was found partially responsible for lax regulations regarding pilots’ use of cameras during flight. 

“Those who were involved in this case stated that this was not the only flight during which photos were taken,” the report said, per the Times. 

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During the press briefing on Thursday, an air force spokesperson said that one of the pilots involved had been suspended from flying duties, received disciplinary action and has since left the military. 

They added the air force will take steps to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.