Recent fighter jet crash caused by midair collision with another fighter during nighttime training

▲ This file photo, provided by the Gyeongbuk Fire Service Headquarters, shows a wildfire after an F-16C fighter jet crashed near Yeongju in North Gyeongsang Province on Feb. 25, 2026. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

fighter jet-crash

Recent fighter jet crash caused by midair collision with another fighter during nighttime training

SEOUL, March 4 (Yonhap) -- An F-16C fighter jet crashed near the southeastern city of Yeongju last week after a mid-air collision with another fighter during a nighttime training exercise, the Air Force said Wednesday.

The aircraft went down in a mountainous area near Yeongju at about 7:31 p.m. last Wednesday during nighttime training, but the pilot ejected to safety and no civilian damage was reported.

The Air Force said the incident, involving two F-16C fighter jets, occurred during the training, when the lead aircraft was conducting a damage check on the trailing jet from behind.

The pilot of the lead jet, who was wearing night vision goggles, misjudged the distance between the planes and flew too close. The mid-air collision took place when the leading aircraft's fuel tank struck the right wing of the trailing jet.

Pilots are required to wear such night vision goggles during nighttime training to enhance visibility and improve operational capability in low-light conditions.

The incident disabled the trailing fighter's head-up display system, which provides critical flight information, including altitude and position, on the cockpit window. The aircraft subsequently spiraled downward from the crash.

The pilot in the descending aircraft made an emergency escape after judging that the expected crash destination was not near any civilian property.

The Air Force said the pilot in the leading aircraft failed to secure a clear sight to judge the distance between the jets due to the goggles.

The night vision goggles limit a human's vision by nearly 40 degrees compared with normal eyesight and reduce a realistic sense of distance between objects, according to an Air Force official.

(END)

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved