A South Korean fighter pilot has been fined 88 million won (approximately $59,200) for causing a mid-air collision during a photoshoot of his final flight before reassignment. The incident, which occurred in 2021, involved the pilot attempting to capture footage of himself flying by having another pilot take pictures during the sortie.
While flying at a speed of 578 km/h (359 mph), the pilot requested his colleague take pictures of him in flight. To get the perfect shot, he executed a risky maneuver, flipping his jet and flying dangerously close to the other aircraft in his formation. This resulted in a collision between his jet’s left stabilator and the other plane’s wing.
The South Korean Defense Ministry initially imposed a fine for the full amount of damages, which totaled 878 million won ($640,000). However, the pilot appealed the fine, and the Board of Audit and Inspection reduced his liability to just 10% of the total cost, acknowledging that other pilots had engaged in similar in-flight filming. Fortunately, there were no casualties, and the pilot was able to land safely after the incident, returning to base without further issues.
The incident occurred during a routine joint air drill between the US Air Force and South Korean Air Force, and while the specific aircraft involved was not named, it was reported by Yonhap News Agency to be an F-15K fighter jet. The board also took into account the pilot’s long service history and safe command of the aircraft during his career.
