Watch as Soviet-Era Jet Ejects Passengers Seconds Before Fiery Crash! Two individuals aboard a Soviet-era warplane managed to eject to safety just moments before it crashed and ignited into a fiery spectacle during an air show in Michigan. The incident took place during the Thunder Over Michigan air show, where the pilot and passenger, seated in tandem within the MiG-23 jet, were operating the aircraft.
With parachutes ensuring a safe descent, both occupants landed on the ground unharmed and were subsequently taken to a hospital as a precautionary measure. Remarkably, no injuries were reported.
The crash transpired a little after 4:00 PM ET (9:00 PM BST) on Sunday in Belleville, Michigan, specifically at the Yankee Air Museum’s Thunder Over Michigan air show, as stated by the Wayne County Airport Authority. The jet crashed into an unoccupied parking lot at the Waverly on the Lake Apartments, narrowly missing an apartment building, according to the airport authority.
Local media vividly described the scene as the aircraft swiftly transformed into a blazing fireball, only moments before emergency response teams arrived to quell the flames. The sight of thick black smoke billowing into the sky was visible from the ground below.
Video footage captured the incident, showing brief bursts of flames emanating from the plane as both the pilot and passenger were safely ejected.
The exact cause behind the crash remains uncertain, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration to initiate an investigation into the incident.
Notably, the MiG-23 warplane was being piloted by Dan Filer, a retired Navy pilot hailing from Texas, as confirmed by the air show’s official website. Mr. Filer, who has a penchant for collecting Soviet-made fighter jets, revealed that this particular aircraft is the sole privately owned functional MiG-23 in existence. Last year, he mentioned to a local news outlet in Louisiana that his collection includes these historic aircraft.
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 held significance as one of the most widely deployed Soviet warplanes during the Cold War era, renowned for its advanced radar and fire control system capabilities. The jet was capable of launching missiles at targets beyond visual range, according to information provided by the National Museum of the United States Air Force.