South Korea Air Force Apologises After Audit Blames 2021 Jet Collision on In-Flight Filming

Seoul — Republic of Korea Air Force apologised on Thursday for a 2021 mid-air collision involving two fighter jets, after a government audit found pilots were taking selfies and filming during the flight and held them responsible for the incident.

The apology followed a report by the Board of Audit and Inspection, which concluded that unapproved manoeuvres carried out for personal filming led to the collision between two F-15K aircraft during a formation exercise near Daegu in December 2021.

An air force spokesman said one of the pilots involved had been suspended from flying duties, faced severe disciplinary action and has since left the military.

According to the audit, a wingman pilot attempted to capture images to mark his final flight with the unit, performing a sharp climb and bank without authorisation to improve the camera angle, while another pilot recorded video from the lead aircraft.

As the jets closed distance, both crews attempted evasive manoeuvres, but the wingman’s tail struck the lead aircraft’s wing, causing damage estimated at around 880 million won (approximately $600,000). No injuries were reported.

The audit board held the wingman primarily responsible for the collision and also criticised the air force for inadequate controls on in-flight filming at the time. It ordered the pilot to repay roughly a tenth of the repair costs.

The air force said it is implementing stricter flight safety protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.