Ypsilanti — The 25th Thunder Over Michigan airshow took a terrifying turn on Sunday when a MiG-23UB fighter jet crashed during the finale of the event. The crash occurred at 4:15 p.m. at Willow Run Airport, causing billows of black smoke and cries from the crowd.
Fortunately, the two pilots on board the jet were able to eject from the aircraft in mid-air and were rescued from Belleville Lake. The jet crashed into unoccupied vehicles in the parking lot of the Waverly on the Lake Apartments in Van Buren Township. Thankfully, there were no injuries reported.
Witnesses at the airshow described the chaotic scene as the jet plummeted to the ground. Marsha Bogardus, who was watching the show with her children on Belleville Lake, captured the incident on video. She said, “We heard these huge booms. I started recording and saw the two pilots eject. It scared my kids and everyone was freaking out. It dropped like a bullet straight down near an apartment complex we live by. Not sure where it landed.”
The pilots were taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Superior Township for precautionary measures, although it appeared that they did not sustain any significant injuries.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will be conducting an investigation into the crash. The NTSB will take the lead in determining the cause of the incident.
Videos of the crash showed the two pilots ejecting from the jet and parachutes deploying. Smoke could be seen south of the airport, according to another witness.
Authorities, including Van Buren Township police and county sheriff’s deputies, were on the scene near Interstate 94 and the service drive, blocking off roads and directing show fans away from the area.
The Thunder Over Michigan airshow, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is one of the leading airshows in the nation. The event features a variety of modern and vintage military planes from all over the world. This year’s theme was “Greatest of Thunder,” and included a performance by the F-22 Raptor Eye.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, expressed relief that both pilots were safe and that there were no human injuries. She emphasized the importance of completing comprehensive physical assessments to ensure everyone’s safety.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, and further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
What actions were taken to minimize the potential damage and risk to people on the ground when the MiG-23UB fighter jet crashed at the airshow
Re no reported injuries on the ground.
The Thunder Over Michigan airshow, in its 25th year, took a frightening turn when a MiG-23UB fighter jet crashed during the event’s finale on Sunday. The incident happened at Willow Run Airport at 4:15 p.m., filling the air with thick black smoke and eliciting cries of shock from the spectators.
Thankfully, the two pilots aboard the jet managed to eject themselves from the aircraft while in mid-air and were promptly rescued from Belleville Lake. The jet collided into unoccupied vehicles in the parking lot of the Waverly on the Lake Apartments in Van Buren Township, but fortunately, there were no reported injuries to anyone on the ground.
Thank goodness the pilots ejected safely! Their quick thinking and training must have saved their lives.
Wow, that must have been a terrifying moment for everyone involved. So relieved to hear that the pilots made it out safely.