WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. – Federal officials released a report detailing what was happening inside the cockpit just before a jet crashed at the Thunder Over Michigan air show.
A vintage MiG-23 fighter jet was performing at the Thunder Over Michigan air show at Willow Run Airport when it crashed at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 13. Its crew members safely ejected seconds before it crashed.
Witnesses captured video of the pilot and backseat passenger ejecting from the jet and parachuting down into the water below.
---> Video: Pilots eject from jet before it crashes at Michigan air show
Just one day after the crash, federal officials said the cause was due to engine failure. Now, a preliminary investigation done by the National Transportation Safety Board has been released.
The preliminary report doesn’t say whether it would have been possible for the pilot to safely land the plane given the problems it was experiencing. The report does say that the pilot and back seat passenger were at odds about when to pull the eject lever, and it only takes one person to decide.
The report states that as the plane was going down, the pilot “was actively troubleshooting when the rear seat observer stated they needed to eject. The pilot stated he was not ready to eject and was still troubleshooting the problem and maneuvering the airplane toward (the) runway ... when his ejection seat fired and he was out of the plane.”
The plane crashed into the parking lot of a nearby apartment complex, coming mere feet from the building.
The pilot told investigators that if either occupant pulls the ejection handle, both seats eject. The passenger told investigators they “were compressed for time and needed to get out.”
The passenger doesn’t specifically remember pulling the exit lever. Both men survived with only minor injuries. The cause of the engine trouble is still under investigation.
The NTSB investigations are thorough, so it could be up to two years before more answers are revealed.
---> Officials: Engine failure caused jet to crash at Michigan air show; pilot was injured