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An investigation into the sudden crash of a new Boeing F-15K fighter in the East Sea off the coast of Pohang on July 7 concluded the cause of the crash was the pilots' sudden loss of conscious due to g-force acceleration. The plane took off from the Daegu base at 7:42 p.m. for a nighttime intercept training mission and crashed at 8:12 p.m.

"After the craft had dipped in altitude, the pilots attempted to regain altitude but for a moment lost consciousness due to the acceleration of gravity which caused the accident,” Vice Air Force Chief of Staff Kim Eun-ki said Friday.

Kim said investigators failed to recover the black box but brought up 75 percent of the craft. "After inspecting engine components, warning equipment indicating any defects in the craft and automated flight control equipment, no malfunctions in the fuselage or engine were discovered,” he said.

That means US$100 million in compensation Boeing would have paid if the crash was due to equipment problems will not be available.

Kim said flights of F-15Ks, which were grounded for the investigation, will resume on Aug. 21, and the schedule for boosting combat capability with the introduction of 40 F-15K fighters by 2008 will go ahead as planned.

(englishnews@chosun.com )