Two F-15 fighter jets collided in mid-air after their pilots took videos on their phones. The South Korean jets sustained damage worth more than half a million dollars after coming together over the city of Daegu, according to a report published on Wednesday. The crash took place five years ago during a pilot’s final flight with the unit, Seoul’s Audit and Inspection Board said. It said that taking pictures at such a milestone was “a widespread practice among pilots at the time.” It added that the pilot on their final mission had a good track record before the incident, had been the flight’s wingman, and had taken pictures as they returned to base. Meanwhile, the lead aircraft’s pilot had also asked another aviator on their plane to gather footage. In total, repairs to the lead aircraft’s wing and the wingman’s tail cost the equivalent of around $590,000. The wingman was suspended, and the South Korean air force tried to fine him the equivalent of $540,000. They appealed, and an investigation was launched. The board ruled that they should pay a fraction of the fine, but that the Air Force was responsible for failing to regulate phone use.
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