2 people safely eject from jet that later crashed during Thunder Over Michigan air show 8/13/2023

[fholbert]

CNN —
Two people ejected from a jet that later crashed during the Thunder Over Michigan air show on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

Neither suffered significant injuries but both were taken to a local hospital as a precaution, the Wayne County Airport Authority said in a statement.

The two people, who parachuted from the aircraft, landed in Belleville Lake, the Federal Aviation Administration told CNN.

The agency described the aircraft as an MiG-23 jet and said the two individuals ejected just south of Willow Run Airport, near the city of Ypsilanti.

Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident.

Leaders of Thunder Over Michigan, a two-day event of airshows, said they would stop the show after a “situation,” but did not share further details.

“Please make your way into your vehicles and calmly make your way out of the airfield,” the post said. “Please be patient as we control traffic around the area.”

https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/13/us/thunder-over-michigan-air-show-crash/index.html

 

[MikeD]

Same Flogger that lost part of its canopy at OSH. If the pilot was doing a performance routine, there shouldn’t have been a pax onboard. This will attract a good amount of FAA attention, and likely some downstream effects to LOAs of other tactical jet warbirds.

 

[fholbert]

Good video here

https://twitter.com/x/status/1690821669206523905

View: https://twitter.com/i/status/1690821669206523905



Plane that crashed.

Date:	13-AUG-2023
Time:	c. 16:15
Type:	Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23UB Flogger C
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N23UB
MSN:	1038107
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Category:	Accident
Location:	Willow Run Airport (YIP/KYIP), Ypsilanti, MI - United States of America
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Demo/Airshow/Display
Departure airport:	Detroit-Willow Run Airport, MI (YIP/KYIP)
Destination airport:	Detroit-Willow Run Airport, MI (YIP/KYIP)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23UB Flogger C jet was destroyed when it crashed near an apartment complex during an airshow near Willow Run Airport (YIP/KYIP), Ypsilanti, Michigan.
The two occupants ejected at low altitude and one of them landed in the lake.
They survived with minor injuries.

Sources:

Jet crashes during Thunder Over Michigan air show at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti
Plane crashes during Thunder over Michigan airshow finale at Willow Run

https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/6/622265_1690331278.jpg (photo)

 

[fholbert]

Same Flogger that lost part of its canopy at OSH. If the pilot was doing a performance routine, there shouldn’t have been a pax onboard. This will attract a good amount of FAA attention, and likely some downstream effects to LOAs of other tactical jet warbirds.

Yes, it is.

 

[Seggy]

I flew with the owner of that plane A LOT and it seems like he was in one of those ejection seats. Interesting stories around it, how he got the parts for it, how he got a mechanic for it, etc….

 

[CFI A&P]

I flew with the owner of that plane A LOT and it seems like he was in one of those ejection seats. Interesting stories around it, how he got the parts for it, how he got a mechanic for it, etc….

Out of curiosity, what plane were you flying in ?

 

[Seggy]

Out of curiosity, what plane were you flying in ?

Huh?

 

[CFI A&P]

I flew with the owner of that plane A LOT and it seems like he was in one of those ejection seats. Interesting stories around it, how he got the parts for it, how he got a mechanic for it, etc….

Out of curiosity, what plane were you flying in ?

Huh?

What plane were you flying with the the owner in?

 

[MikeD]

What plane were you flying with the the owner in?

Probably the work plane, I’m thinking.

 

[Seggy]

What plane were you flying with the the owner in?

I flew with him on the A320. Out of curiosity, why you ask?

 

[CFI A&P]

I flew with him on the A320. Out of curiosity, why you ask?

Just curious if it happened to be in a warbird or even the accident aircraft.

 

[invadertim]

One of the big issues regarding civilian ejection seats, or even just bailing out, is that the aircraft doesn’t just disappear once the crew hits the silk. Once abandon and uncontrolled they can, and have, hit stuff on the ground. Sometimes that stuff has people in it. It’s one thing for a military aircraft, or perhaps civil aicraft; to some extent we all risk paying the ultimate price for our nation’s wellbeing, it’s entirely a different story when it’s some rich bro playing and showing off in an expensive and risky toy.

I have no idea if in this instance sticking with the aircraft would have mattered, and I’m glad the two guys made it. I like seeing unusual aircraft and air shows can be fun. There is however something that rubs me raw about things like this, and I really don’t know to to reconcile it satisfactorily.

We seem to have gotten lucky this time. Insurance will cover the losses ( I hope! ) and there are no funerals…

https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/13/us/thunder-over-michigan-air-show-crash

 

[///AMG]

I think the idea of "sticking with it" is probably a little bit romantic. I've fortunately never been in such a scenario myself, but most of the scenarios that would dictate a low altitude ejection involve some (or a complete) inability to control the aircraft.

 

[Murdoughnut]

Sounds like it landed in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Which means it was probably a few dozen or so feet from landing in an actual apartment, and likely ending this air show for good.

 

[ChasenSFO]

One of the big issues regarding civilian ejection seats, or even just bailing out, is that the aircraft doesn’t just disappear once the crew hits the silk. Once abandon and uncontrolled they can, and have, hit stuff on the ground. Sometimes that stuff has people in it. It’s one thing for a military aircraft, or perhaps civil aicraft; to some extent we all risk paying the ultimate price for our nation’s wellbeing, it’s entirely a different story when it’s some rich bro playing and showing off in an expensive and risky toy.

I have no idea if in this instance sticking with the aircraft would have mattered, and I’m glad the two guys made it. I like seeing unusual aircraft and air shows can be fun. There is however something that rubs me raw about things like this, and I really don’t know to to reconcile it satisfactorily.

We seem to have gotten lucky this time. Insurance will cover the losses ( I hope! ) and there are no funerals…

https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/13/us/thunder-over-michigan-air-show-crash

Yeah, this incident comes to mind:

1987 Indianapolis Ramada Inn A-7D Corsair II crash - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Very sad. I can't imagine punching out and then watching the jet take on a mind of its own and bank and curve right into a hotel...

That said, I truly think the vast, vast, vast majority of civilian-owned "rich bro" jets seem to operate safely and under heavy regulation. I read many more stories about former fighter pilots even being rejected by the FAA in trying to fly an F4 or F14 than I do seeing people get the certification. An airplane is an airplane, so long as the individual is able to fly it safely and legally. I trust the guy in the MIG in general more than I trust the average weekend warrior honestly. And no, if it looks like you won't kill people below, "sticking with it" is pointless. I mean, why? Add another death to the tragedy if you can't avoid killing people below, or kill yourself for no reason if you won't hit anyone? I don't buy that.

 

[MikeD]

Yeah, this incident comes to mind:

1987 Indianapolis Ramada Inn A-7D Corsair II crash - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Very sad. I can't imagine punching out and then watching the jet take on a mind of its own and bank and curve right into a hotel...

That said, I truly think the vast, vast, vast majority of civilian-owned "rich bro" jets seem to operate safely and under heavy regulation. I read many more stories about former fighter pilots even being rejected by the FAA in trying to fly an F4 or F14 than I do seeing people get the certification. An airplane is an airplane, so long as the individual is able to fly it safely and legally. I trust the guy in the MIG in general more than I trust the average weekend warrior honestly. And no, if it looks like you won't kill people below, "sticking with it" is pointless. I mean, why? Add another death to the tragedy if you can't avoid killing people below, or kill yourself for no reason if you won't hit anyone? I don't buy that.

I wrote about that one here

Dead Stick Leads to a Dead End

The best time to keep your shirt on is when you are hot under the collar...... 20 October 1987 Indianapolis International Airport (KIND) Indianapolis, Indiana Ling-Temco-Vought A-7D Corsair II, 69-6207, c/s Chaps 24 4450th Tactical Group, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada Tactical Air Command, USAF 1...

jetcareers.com

 

[NovemberEcho]

There was also 2 Harriers that crashed into homes in San Diego after the pilot ejected. One killed 4 people on the ground, the second one fortunately didn’t kill anyone.

 

[///AMG]

There was also 2 Harriers that crashed into homes in San Diego after the pilot ejected. One killed 4 people on the ground, the second one fortunately didn’t kill anyone.

I think one of those you are referring to was the 2008 F/A-18 mishap. Jet went into a house in the UTC area IIRC, and killed an entire family, save the father. Terrible one.

 

[MikeD]

I think one of those you are referring to was the 2008 F/A-18 mishap. Jet went into a house in the UTC area IIRC, and killed an entire family, save the father. Terrible one.

There was the Harrier that crashed into a house/neighborhood in El Centro a few years back, with no injuries. That may be the non-injury one he’s referring to.

 

[Pilot Fighter]

One of the big issues regarding civilian ejection seats, or even just bailing out, is that the aircraft doesn’t just disappear once the crew hits the silk. Once abandon and uncontrolled they can, and have, hit stuff on the ground. Sometimes that stuff has people in it. It’s one thing for a military aircraft, or perhaps civil aicraft; to some extent we all risk paying the ultimate price for our nation’s wellbeing, it’s entirely a different story when it’s some rich bro playing and showing off in an expensive and risky toy.

I have no idea if in this instance sticking with the aircraft would have mattered, and I’m glad the two guys made it. I like seeing unusual aircraft and air shows can be fun. There is however something that rubs me raw about things like this, and I really don’t know to to reconcile it satisfactorily.

We seem to have gotten lucky this time. Insurance will cover the losses ( I hope! ) and there are no funerals…

https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/13/us/thunder-over-michigan-air-show-crash

For a long stretch, the stated issue with the FAA was whether the seat manufacturer would support the seat when operated in the experimental-exhibition category. Maybe the path of a crewless craft was an underlying concern.