Details of a military aviation accident that occurred in South Korea in 2021 have been released.
Modern.az reports that, according to the investigation results, the collision of two “F-15K” fighter jets belonging to the South Korean Air Force was caused by the pilots taking selfies and videos during the flight.
The incident occurred during a training flight near Daegu.
According to the investigation report, the pilots took photos and videos for souvenir purposes during the mission. One of them stated that this was his last mission with his colleagues, and he would take a picture before the flight.
According to the information, during a turning maneuver, the pilot in the rear aircraft was filming with his mobile phone, while the pilot in the front aircraft asked the other pilot for help to video those moments. At this time, the sudden maneuver of the rear pilot dangerously reduced the distance between the two aircraft.
The investigation material notes that the rear pilot made a “demonstrative” maneuver, suddenly raising the aircraft, while the front aircraft tried to descend rapidly to avoid a collision. However, these actions did not change the outcome, and the left wing of the front aircraft hit the tail section of the other aircraft.
There were no deaths or injuries as a result of the accident, but both aircraft suffered serious damage.
It was determined that the military aviation suffered approximately 880 million won (approximately 1 million manat) in damages as a result of the incident. Although the pilot was initially required to pay the full amount, he appealed the decision. Although the pilot admitted negligence, he claimed that such filming during flights was unofficially widespread.
The review board partially accepted the complaint, reducing the fine by 90 percent and ordering the pilot to pay approximately 88 million won (approximately 100 thousand manat).
The decision noted that although souvenir filming in military flights is a widespread practice, the lack of sufficient regulation increased safety risks.
After the accident was made public, the South Korean Air Force issued an official apology and stated that flight safety regulations would be tightened. Also, one of the pilots involved in the incident was removed from flight duty and later left the army. (Qafqazinfo.az)
