A MiG-23 aircraft crashed during the Thunder Over Michigan air show on Sunday, August 13, 2023. The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 had crashed near an apartment complex near Belleville Road off I-94. At least three pilots were ejected from the aircraft before the plane crashed. Video footage shows at least three pilots parachuting out of the jet fighter as it started to smoke. The pilots were all recovered in good condition in a lake.
@airlivenet mig-23 has crashed at the Thunder of Michigan airshow in Ypsilanti Michigan pic.twitter.com/LFuEpwtkha
— Ryan Staffeld (@Ryan_Staffeld) August 13, 2023
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The Thunder Over Michigan show was taking place at Willow Run Airport, featuring several aircraft, including the MiG-23 aircraft, performing various maneuvers in the air. This was the 25th year of the Thunder Over Michigan show⁵. The remainder of the show was stopped after the crash.
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is a third-generation jet fighter, alongside similar Soviet aircraft such as the Su-17 “Fitter”.
Authorities are actively investigating the incident. No other information, including the cause of the crash, is known at this time. It is fortunate that there were no casualties at the scene of the crash and that the pilots were able to eject safely. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this incident.