'F-15K crash was due to THAAD deployment'

Rescuers study debris of an F-15K Slam Eagle fighter jet crashed on a mountainside in Chilgok, North Gyeongsang Province, last April 5. The accident left two on board dead. / Yonhap

Air Force claims 'no link' between anti-missile system and plane crash

By Lee Min-hyung

The crash of an F-15K fighter jet in April last year was due in part to a lack of safety tests for a no-fly zone designated over a region where a U.S. anti-missile defense system had been deployed, a ruling party lawmaker claimed Tuesday.

Rep. Kim Byung-kee of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea said the F-15K fighter jet crashed because a five-kilometer radius the no-fly zone diminished the scope of the aircraft's flight area.

At the time, the Air Force attributed the crash of the nation's top combat jet to pilot error. Two airmen on board died in the accident in Chilgok, North Gyeongsang Province.

They were on their way to an Air Force base in Daegu at the time the accident took place. But the lawmaker claimed they were more vulnerable to the accident, as the leeway in their flight route was reduced due to the air exclusion zone in the mountainous town of Seongju, about 20 kilometers southwest of Chilgok.

The government decided to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) ballistic missile defense system in 2016 in Sangju despite fierce opposition from local citizens there.

Kim went on to argue that it was rash for the Air Force to lay the blame on the deceased pilots without looking into detailed causes behind the accident, such as the relevance of the no-fly zone.

He said the Air Force should have carried out thorough safety tests regarding the newly established no-fly zone before and after the THAAD deployment.

The Air Force flatly denied the argument, saying the case has been blown out of proportion.

“Relying on their judgment, pilots can fly countless routes except for restricted areas whose radius is only five kilometers. So saying the reduced route got in the way of their flight path is nothing more than an exaggeration,” an Air Force spokesman said.

“The Air Force wants to make it clear again that it has not found any links between the accident and the THAAD base while carrying out investigations.”

Following the crash, speculation over the reason behind it surfaced, such as difficulties in securing parts for the aircraft.

Rep. Kim Hak-yong of the Liberty Korea Party supported the claim then, citing data that the grounded not operationally ready for supply (G-NORS) rate for the F-15K has increased steeply in recent years.

But after conducting a month-long investigation into the accident, the Air Force said no evidence was found of any structural defects on the aircraft or its parts.

The Air Force concluded the investigation by attributing the pilot's confusion as the key reason behind the crash. According to the military, those on board failed to recognize that the aircraft was diving into the mountain while focusing on securing a safe distance from another jet in front.