South Korean fighter jets collide during commemorative photo flight, audit says

Two South Korean F-15K fighter jets came within seconds of disaster near Daegu when a commemorative photo request inside the cockpit helped set off a collision, leaving both aircraft damaged but both pilots alive.

The Board of Audit and Inspection said one pilot, identified only as Major A, told colleagues before the December 24, 2021 formation flight that he wanted commemorative photos because it would be his last flight before a transfer. During the mission, the wingman pilot used a personal cellphone to take pictures while returning to base, and the lead aircraft’s crew began recording video of the wingman jet. What followed was an uncoordinated maneuver: the wingman pilot abruptly climbed and banked his aircraft for filming, bringing the two jets dangerously close as both pilots tried to avoid each other.

The left tail wing of one aircraft struck the left wing of the other. No one was injured, and both jets landed safely, but the damage was extensive. The audit estimated repair costs at 878.71 million won, about $620,000, including replacement of 45 parts on one jet and six parts on the other.

The case cuts beyond a single misjudgment and into the habits of military aviation. The audit said taking photos on notable flights was a widespread practice among pilots at the time, a detail that raises harder questions for the Republic of Korea Air Force about how informal cockpit culture can collide with the discipline required in high-risk flying. In a formation flight, especially in a fighter squadron built on precision and coordination, even a brief distraction can become a hazard.

Major A was later held liable for the damage and ordered to compensate the military. In one account, the board reduced the amount to 87.87 million won, citing the broader practice of personal photo-taking during flights. The report said Major A later retired and became a civilian airline pilot.

The audit leaves the military with an institutional question as much as an accident report: whether this was an isolated lapse during a farewell flight, or evidence that routine missions had grown too casual about the margins of safety.