Pilot error caused KA-1 to drop pods, tanks - South Korea's air force

The incident occurred on Friday during a nighttime drill over Pyeongchang, about 125 kilometres east of Seoul.

21 Apr 2025 11:01am
KA-1 light attack aircraft - Photo source: South Korea's Ministry of National Defence
KA-1 light attack aircraft - Photo source: South Korea's Ministry of National Defence

SEOUL - Pilot negligence led to the accidental release of gun pods and empty fuel tanks from a South Korean KA-1 light attack aircraft last week, Yonhap news agency quoted the Air Force on Monday.

The incident occurred on Friday during a nighttime drill over Pyeongchang, about 125 kilometres east of Seoul.

The dropped parts landed in a mountainous area.

No casualties or property damage were reported.

"Probe results showed negligence of the rear-seat pilot was confirmed to be the cause of the jettison,” the Air Force said in a statement.

The pilot had mistakenly pressed the emergency jettison button while attempting to adjust the heater, it added.

The Air Force apologised to the public for the incident and pledged to implement preventive measures to avoid a recurrence.

Most aircraft had been grounded following the accident. Operations are scheduled to resume on Tuesday afternoon. - BERNAMA-YONHAP

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