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A South Korean fighter pilot has been ordered to pay 88 million won ($59,200) in damages for a mid-air collision in 2021 caused while attempting to photograph himself during a flight, according to an official report released Wednesday.
The pilot, whose name has not been disclosed, sought to capture footage of his final sortie before a reassignment, as detailed by the Board of Audit and Inspection. During the flight, traveling at 359 mph (578 km/h), he had a teammate and another colleague take photos of him using their phones.
In his quest for the perfect shot, he performed an acrobatic maneuver, flipping his jet and flying closely past another aircraft. This miscalculation led to his jet’s left stabilator — a horizontal tail stabilizer — hitting the wing of the other aircraft. Although no one was injured, the incident resulted in damages totaling 878 million won.
The maneuver, which was not coordinated with his squadron, involved inverting his jet up to a 137-degree angle so the aircraft’s top side could be recorded on video, the report stated. Initially, the Defense Ministry ordered him to cover the full cost of the damages, but after he appealed, the Board reduced his liability to 10% of the repair costs.
The decision considered that other pilots had previously conducted in-flight filming, and that he had safely piloted and returned his aircraft without causing further harm. The report highlighted that since his commissioning in 2010, he has demonstrated safe aircraft management over an extended period as a fighter pilot.
While the report did not specify the aircraft type involved, Yonhap news agency indicated it was likely an F-15K.
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