An in-flight photo op spiraled into an expensive mid-air collision between two South Korean fighter jets in 2021, finds a new report from Seoul’s Board of Audit and Inspection. The report, published Wednesday, found that a pair of F-15K pilots maneuvered their aircraft for pictures and video over Daegu—then clipped each other, causing damage that cost the air force about 880 million won ($596,000) to fix.
Per the report, the wingman pilot, who was on his final flight with the unit, pulled out his personal phone to shoot photos while trailing the lead jet, having announced in a pre-flight briefing that he planned to do so. The New York Times reports the lead pilot then offered to take photos, prompting the wingman to ask the lead plane’s other crew member to take video instead. The wingman then quickly ascended and rolled his jet to create a better shot, bringing the planes dangerously close. The lead aircraft dove to avoid impact, and the wingman pulled up sharply, but the jets still collided, damaging a wing and tail stabilizer.
The BBC reports the wingman was initially told to repay the full repair bill; after he appealed—in part arguing the lead pilot knew what was occurring and therefore “tacitly consented” to his move—auditors cut his liability to one-tenth, saying the air force shared blame for failing to regulate personal camera use. The report also noted that taking photos during key flights was “a widespread practice among pilots at the time.” No action against the other pilots was disclosed.