The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said yesterday that two military planes nearly collided on March 11, coming within 200m of each other during a routine training exercise.
The Air Force confirmed the report, which came on top of news of another close call between an F-16 and a civilian plane.
The Air Force said that on March 11, as the Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) crew took off from Tainan’s air base for regular training, an IDF fighter responsible for following and covering an IDF jet ahead failed to follow the leading jet and deviated off course.
As the jet flew to around 1,200m, it came close to an F-16 fighter returning to Chiayi base. The distance between the two planes was around 200m at the closest, far less than regulations allow. After air traffic controllers told the pilot of the IDF jet to execute an emergency ascent, it flew up to 1,500m.
The Air Force said the IDF fighter pilot has been disciplined over the incident.
On April 21, an F-16 fighter jet came within 300m of a civilian plane in the airspace above Chaiyi. That pilot was also disciplined.
Air Force officials said because the CAA’s control towers are in charge of the take off and landing of combat planes, it should shoulder some responsibility for not correctly guiding Air Force pilots.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁方) said unlike other countries that have a wide air space, Taiwan’s narrow air space is a safety challenge for Air Force jets.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY VINCENT Y. CHAO
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