A South Korean fighter pilot has been ordered to pay 88 million won (about Rs 55 lakh) in damages after causing a mid-air collision in 2021 while trying to capture photos and videos of himself flying, according to an official report cited by AFP on Wednesday.

The pilot, whose identity was not disclosed, wanted footage of his final sortie before being reassigned, the report by South Korea's Board of Audit and Inspection said.

During the flight, he was travelling at 578 kilometres per hour when he asked the pilot of a second aircraft and another colleague to take pictures of him on their mobile phones.

In an apparent attempt to secure a better angle, he inverted his aircraft and flew closer to the second jet. The manoeuvre led to a misjudgement, causing the left stabilator - a horizontal stabiliser on the tail of the aircraft - to strike the wing of the other plane.

No one was injured in the incident, but the unauthorised move caused damage worth 878 million won.

The report said the pilot's manoeuvre had not been coordinated with others in his formation and caused the aircraft to "invert up to 137 degrees so that its upper side could be captured on video".

South Korea’s defence ministry initially directed the pilot to pay the full repair cost. He appealed the decision, and the Board of Audit and Inspection later reduced his liability to 10 per cent of the total damage.

The board said it considered that other pilots had previously carried out in-flight filming. It also noted that the pilot retained control of the aircraft, completed the mission safely and returned to base without causing additional damage.

"Since commissioning in 2010, the individual has served for an extended period as a fighter pilot, managing aircraft safely," the report said.

Published on: Apr 23, 2026 12:22 PM IST