Absurd Reason Behind KF-16 Crash... Military Says "Nut Was Left Out"

Last Month, Air Force KF-16C Crashed in Yangpyeong Mountain Area
"Abnormal Wear on Drive Shaft... Presumed Due to Poor Maintenance"
Already 5 Crashes This Year... "Military Discipline Laxity"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] The investigation into last month's crash of a KF-16C fighter jet belonging to the Air Force's 19th Fighter Wing revealed that the cause was the failure to connect the nut that secures the fuel pump drive shaft. This was an accident that could have been prevented with proper maintenance.

In particular, the military authorities announced that they would conduct a special detailed inspection of all aircraft following this accident. However, on the 26th, a KA-1 light attack aircraft belonging to the Wonju base crashed again during takeoff. This marks the fifth crash of an Air Force fighter jet this year, raising concerns about gaps in airspace defense.

KF-16 fighter jet

The Air Force announced the investigation results of the KF-16C fighter jet crash belonging to the 19th Fighter Wing that occurred on the 20th of last month on the 30th.

An Air Force official stated, "After collecting and conducting a detailed analysis of the wreckage of the accident aircraft, it was confirmed that the engine failure was due to abnormal wear of the fuel pump drive shaft gear, which caused the fuel supply to malfunction."

The wear of the gear was found to be caused by the failure to connect the nut that secures the fuel pump drive shaft. The Air Force believes that this nut was not fastened during the overhaul of the aircraft 12 years ago, in 2010.

According to the Air Force, parts of the KF-16C fighter jet, including the fuel pump drive shaft gear, are supposed to be inspected every 4,000 hours of engine operation at the maintenance depot. However, the accident aircraft had not undergone inspection of these parts since 2010.

The Air Force plans to conduct special inspections, including non-destructive testing, on engines of the same model to check for similar issues. Aircraft deemed problem-free after inspection will gradually resume flight operations.

Since poor overhaul maintenance was identified as the cause, the Air Force will form a disciplinary committee to investigate the personnel responsible for the maintenance of the accident aircraft and determine accountability and disciplinary actions.

Earlier, on the 20th of last month at around 8:05 PM, a KF-16C fighter jet belonging to the 19th Fighter Wing crashed in a mountainous area about 20 km west of Wonju base in Gangwon Province while performing a patrol mission. The pilot attempted to restart the engine twice but failed, eventually turning the aircraft away from residential areas before ejecting safely.

Crash after crash... Five times just this year

KA-1 Light Attack Aircraft

The KF-16 model is the Air Force's main 4th generation fighter jet, introduced through the first phase of the next-generation fighter project (KFP) and based on the F-16 series. Since August 1997, KF-16 series fighter jets have experienced seven crashes due to causes such as fuel line corrosion.

Notably, in July 2007, a crash caused by "spatial disorientation" resulted in the deaths of two pilots, and in February 2019, a crash occurred due to a parts failure.

Meanwhile, the Air Force has experienced five fighter jet crashes this year alone. In January, an F-5E fighter jet crashed in a mountain area in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, killing the pilot. In April, two KT-1 trainers collided mid-air during training at the 3rd Training Wing in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, resulting in the deaths of four, including student pilots and flight instructors.

In August, an F-4E fighter jet crashed again in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, with two pilots ejecting safely, and on the 26th, a KA-1 light attack aircraft crashed in Hoengseong, Gangwon Province, with both pilots ejecting safely.

Chronology of Air Force Fighter and Trainer Aircraft Crashes

▲ August 6, 1997 = A KF-16C fighter jet crashed in a rice field behind Yeoju College in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province. One pilot ejected safely.

▲ September 18, 1997 = A KF-16C fighter jet crashed during flight training in the Seosan area, Chungnam Province. One pilot ejected safely.

▲ October 4, 2000 = An F-4E fighter jet crashed during training over Chopyeong-myeon, Jincheon-gun, Chungbuk Province.

▲ April 18, 2001 = An F-4E fighter jet crashed in a mountain near Buri-myeon, Geumsan-gun, Chungnam Province. Two pilots ejected safely.

▲ June 8, 2001 = An F-16 fighter jet crashed during training in a mountain area near Pungcheon-myeon, Andong, Gyeongbuk Province. Two pilots ejected safely.

▲ October 5, 2001 = An F-4E fighter jet crashed during air-to-ground tactical bombing training at the Pilsung shooting range in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Province. Two pilots died.

▲ February 26, 2002 = A KF-16C fighter jet crashed during flight training in the Seosan area, Chungnam Province. One pilot ejected safely.

▲ September 18, 2002 = An F-16D fighter jet crashed on a mountainside in Sabal-myeon, Sangju, Gyeongbuk Province. Two pilots ejected safely.

▲ October 4, 2002 = An F-4 fighter jet crashed in a rice field in front of Jayang Middle School, Okgu-eup, Gunsan, Jeonbuk Province. Two pilots ejected safely.

▲ May 13, 2003 = An F-5E fighter jet crashed into a greenhouse in Yucheon-myeon, Yecheon-gun, Gyeongbuk Province. One pilot died.

▲ September 19, 2003 = Two F-5E fighter jets crashed in mountainous areas of Yeongdong, Chungbuk Province during training. Two pilots died.

▲ March 11, 2004 = Two F-5E fighter jets collided over the West Sea. Two pilots died.

▲ July 13, 2005 = F-5F and F-4E fighter jets crashed consecutively over the West and South Seas. Four pilots died.

▲ January 27, 2006 = An F-16C fighter jet crashed near Chungju, Chungbuk Province. One pilot ejected safely.

▲ May 5, 2006 = A Black Eagles A-37 aerobatic aircraft crashed during aerobatics over Suwon Airfield. One pilot died.

▲ June 7, 2006 = An F-15K fighter jet crashed during night flight training over the East Sea. Two pilots died.

▲ February 13, 2007 = A KF-16C fighter jet crashed during training over Ungcheon shooting range, Boryeong, Chungnam Province. One pilot ejected safely.

▲ July 20, 2007 = A KF-16D fighter jet crashed during night interception training about 90 km southwest after takeoff from Seosan base, Chungnam Province. Two pilots died.

▲ November 4, 2008 = Two F-5E fighter jets collided over Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province. One crashed, the other returned safely. The pilot of the crashed jet ejected safely.

▲ March 31, 2009 = A KF-16D fighter jet that took off from Seosan base crashed into the sea west of Taean Peninsula. Two pilots ejected safely.

▲ March 2, 2010 = F-5E and F-5F fighter jets crashed near Hwangbyeongsan, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon Province during a mission. Three pilots died.

▲ June 18, 2010 = An F-5F fighter jet crashed over the East Sea near Gangneung, Gangwon Province. Two pilots died.

▲ December 5, 2011 = An Air Force T-59 trainer crashed near the 16th Fighter Wing in Yecheon-gun, Gyeongbuk Province. Two pilots died.

▲ November 15, 2012 = A Black Eagles T-50B aerobatic aircraft crashed in a mountain in Hoengseong-gun, Gangwon Province. One pilot died.

▲ August 28, 2013 = A T-50 advanced trainer crashed in a vacant lot 1.6 km east of the runway at the 1st Fighter Wing in Gwangju. Two pilots died.

▲ September 26, 2013 = An F-5E fighter jet crashed on a mountain behind Haenggal Village, Doan-myeon, Jeungpyeong-gun, Chungbuk Province. One pilot ejected safely.

▲ March 30, 2016 = An F-16D fighter jet crashed in Bunam-myeon, Cheongsong-gun, Gyeongbuk Province.

▲ April 5, 2018 = An F-15K fighter jet crashed in Chilgok, Gyeongbuk Province. Two pilots died.

▲ February 27, 2019 = A KF-16D fighter jet that took off from Gunsan base, Jeonbuk Province crashed into the sea near Gungdo, Taean, Chungnam Province. Two pilots ejected safely.

▲ January 11, 2022 = An F-5E fighter jet crashed in a mountain in Jeongnam-myeon, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. One pilot died.

▲ April 1, 2022 = Two KT-1 trainers collided mid-air during flight training at the 3rd Training Wing in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, then crashed. Four, including student pilots and flight instructors, died.

▲ August 12, 2022 = An F-4E fighter jet crashed in Seosin-myeon, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. Two pilots ejected safely.

▲ November 20, 2022 = A KF-16C fighter jet crashed about 20 km west of Wonju base during a combat patrol mission due to engine malfunction. One pilot ejected safely.

▲ December 26, 2022 = A KA-1 light attack aircraft crashed in Hoengseong-gun, Gangwon Province. Two pilots ejected safely.