Mig-23 down - Thunder over Michigan

[PeteHemsley]

Videos quickly coming through of the privately owned mig-23ub crashing in Michigan during a show. Both pilots ejected.

[garyscott]

Isn’t that the same bird that had bits of a canopy come off during flight at EAA couple weeks ago?

[TS010]

Cause being reported as engine failure.

[Kurnass]

Isn’t that the same bird that had bits of a canopy come off during flight at EAA couple weeks ago?

There is (or was) only one flying Mig-23 in the US, so must be the same.

Are there still any Mig-23 flying anywhere? Maybe in Africa?

[MiG_Eater]

That's a crying shame. Seeing those videos from Oshkosh was exciting enough I had really hoped to see it in the flesh one day.

[seven]

Isn’t that the same bird that had bits of a canopy come off during flight at EAA couple weeks ago?

There is (or was) only one flying Mig-23 in the US, so must be the same.

Are there still any Mig-23 flying anywhere? Maybe in Africa?

North Korea, possibly Libya.

[Timmo]

Isn’t that the same bird that had bits of a canopy come off during flight at EAA couple weeks ago?

There was an L-39 that lost its canopy on take off at Air Venture.

[NorvilleRogers]

Isn’t that the same bird that had bits of a canopy come off during flight at EAA couple weeks ago?

There was an L-39 that lost its canopy on take off at Air Venture.

The same Mig-23 at Oshkosh did, see...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2574073 ... pP3BA&_rdr

[Timmo]

Isn’t that the same bird that had bits of a canopy come off during flight at EAA couple weeks ago?

There was an L-39 that lost its canopy on take off at Air Venture.

The same Mig-23 at Oshkosh did, see...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2574073 ... pP3BA&_rdr

Ah, I missed that, cheers

[Col Nago]

From the local news reports on YouTube it narrowly missed an apartment block when it came down - as in meters away - it came down on a section of abandoned golf course, hit some trees, an unoccupied car and then stopped just before the apartment!

[mustang5861]

Isn’t that the same bird that had bits of a canopy come off during flight at EAA couple weeks ago?

There is (or was) only one flying Mig-23 in the US, so must be the same.

Are there still any Mig-23 flying anywhere? Maybe in Africa?

North Korea, possibly Libya.

I think Cuba still operates a few, but they must be ripe for retirement soon.

[Stroudy]

There is (or was) only one flying Mig-23 in the US, so must be the same.

Are there still any Mig-23 flying anywhere? Maybe in Africa?

North Korea, possibly Libya.

I think Cuba still operates a few, but they must be ripe for retirement soon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-G ... #Operators

[SniperElite]

It was N23UB C/N1038107.

[James Cutting]

Interesting read, preliminary report - https://theaviationist.com/2023/08/25/n ... yI1IDDd5xw

The preliminary report now sheds some more light on what happened, and it appears that the ejection was initiated by the backseater while the pilot was still troubleshooting engine problems.

The pilot reported that the flight departed from runway 23 at YIP, followed by a right turn to a “banana pass” (a low-level knife edge pass) along runway 23. Following the pass, he started banking the airplane and noticed that the engine afterburner did not ignite, and the airspeed began to decrease. He brought the swing wings into the fully forward position (16° sweep) to increase lift and began troubleshooting the problem. He was actively troubleshooting when the rear seat observer stated that they needed to eject. The pilot reported that he was not ready to eject and was still troubleshooting the problem and maneuvering the airplane toward runway 27 at YIP when his ejection seat fired, and he was out of the airplane. He stated that if either occupant pulls the ejection handle, both seats eject.

The rear seat observer stated that the airplane made a pass along the runway and the plan was to go to the left for another pass followed by a landing. He stated that the engine was not accelerating. He and the pilot had a brief discussion and began to climb up and gain altitude. They determined that they had some type of engine problem and needed to get back on the ground. He stated that they determined they did not have sufficient altitude to make it to a runway at the airport. He said they were compressed for time and needed to get out. When asked if he had pulled the ejection seat handles, he stated that he could not specifically remember but thinks that he would have pulled them

[Steven]

I’m intrigued by the wording in that preliminary report with the backseater being referred to as an “observer”.

Obviously in a military capacity the backseater would be a WSO/Navigator etc. but with this aircraft being operated in a civilian guise there would be no need to refer to them as such.

My question therefore is; is “observer” a normal way of describing the backseater in this instance or does it suggest a passenger not qualified to decide when to eject etc.

[raptor9]

I think he is an experienced pilot himself, because I understand that he was in negotiations to buy a MiG 23 for himself.

[Thunder]

Obviously in a military capacity the backseater would be a WSO/Navigator etc. but with this aircraft being operated in a civilian guise there would be no need to refer to them as such.

My understanding is the UB is the training version of the MiG23 family, so no WSO/Navigator.

[Canberra TT.18]

American safety investigators say the aircraft’s backseat crew member initiated ejection procedures without direction from the pilot and owner.

https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing ... 14.article

[Agent K]

Obviously in a military capacity the backseater would be a WSO/Navigator etc. but with this aircraft being operated in a civilian guise there would be no need to refer to them as such.

This is the 2-seat trainer version of a single seat combat aircraft, so the back seat in normal operations would be the instructor pilot, in private hands would be an observer.