A South Korean fighter pilot was ordered to pay 88 million won ($59,200) in damages after causing a mid-air collision while trying to film himself during a training flight nearly five years ago, according to an official report released on Wednesday.The incident occurred in 2021 when a pilot flying an F-15K reportedly attempted to capture footage of his final sortie before being reassigned. The Audit Oversight Committee detailed its findings.According to reports, the pilot asked the second plane in the formation to take photos and videos with his mobile phone while flying at a speed of about 578 kilometers per hour. To improve his shooting, he turned the jet upside down and got dangerously close to another aircraft.During the maneuver, the pilot misjudged the distance between the two jets, causing the left tailplane, which is part of the tail assembly, to strike the wing of the other aircraft. No casualties were reported, but the damage caused by the collision was estimated at 878 million won.Investigators found the pilot’s actions were uncoordinated with other members of the formation and involved flipping the aircraft at angles of up to 137 degrees to capture the footage.South Korea’s Ministry of Defense initially required pilots to bear the entire cost of repairs. However, following an appeal, the Commission reduced the fine to 10% of the total, citing mitigating factors. These include the fact that there were no casualties, that the pilot returned to base safely, and that similar aerial filming had occurred before. The report also cited his long service record, saying he had operated aircraft safely since entering service in 2010.
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