What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While manuevering to return to airport environment for high speed pass during airshow the engine would not go into afterburner and would not respond to power lever movements.
While the pilot was running emergency checklist and troubleshooting issue the ATP rated passenger, (did not have MIG-23 as authorized aircraft) acting as safety observer in rear cockpit called for ejection. The pilot said not yet as he had altitude and some thrust and was trying to return to airport.
At 300' AGL in a left turn the safety observer stated that he felt a stall buffet and again called for ejection and he did not hear a response from the pilot. While the pilot was troubleshooting and focusing on emergency panel by his left knee, the safety observer initiated ejection resulting in both occupants departing the aircraft in controlled flight.
According to ATC tapes the safety observer declared MIG-23 emergency at 2010:44Z and called MIG-23 2 ejected at 2010:55Z.
The aircraft continued flight and struck a dirt berm catching on fire due to ruptured fuel tanks from the impact. It then contacted several trees, a creek bank, and more trees. The engine and aft fuselage came to rest next to an occupied apartment building. The debris field from first contact with the ground to where the main part of the wreckage came to a stop was approximately 600 feet long and 400 feet wide.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE MANUEVERING TO RETURN TO AIRPORT ENVIRONMENT FOR HIGH SPEED PASS DURING AIRSHOW THE ENGINE WOULD NOT GO INTO AFTERBURNER AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO POWER LEVER MOVEMENTS.
WHILE THE PILOT WAS RUNNING EMERGENCY CHECKLIST AND TROUBLESHOOTING ISSUE THE ATP RATED PASSENGER, (DID NOT HAVE MIG-23 AS AUTHORIZED AIRCRAFT) ACTING AS SAFETY OBSERVER IN REAR COCKPIT CALLED FOR EJECTION. THE PILOT SAID NOT YET AS HE HAD ALTITUDE AND SOME THRUST AND WAS TRYING TO RETURN TO AIRPORT.
AT 300' AGL IN A LEFT TURN THE SAFETY OBSERVER STATED THAT HE FELT A STALL BUFFET AND AGAIN CALLED FOR EJECTION AND HE DID NOT HEAR A RESPONSE FROM THE PILOT. WHILE THE PILOT WAS TROUBLESHOOTING AND FOCUSING ON EMERGENCY PANEL BY HIS LEFT KNEE, THE SAFETY OBSERVER INITIATED EJECTION RESULTING IN BOTH OCCUPANTS DEPARTING THE AIRCRAFT IN CONTROLLED FLIGHT.
ACCORDING TO ATC TAPES THE SAFETY OBSERVER DECLARED MIG-23 EMERGENCY AT 2010:44Z AND CALLED MIG-23 2 EJECTED AT 2010:55Z.
THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED FLIGHT AND STRUCK A DIRT BERM CATCHING ON FIRE DUE TO RUPTURED FUEL TANKS FROM THE IMPACT. IT THEN CONTACTED SEVERAL TREES, A CREEK BANK, AND MORE TREES. THE ENGINE AND AFT FUSELAGE CAME TO REST NEXT TO AN OCCUPIED APARTMENT BUILDING. THE DEBRIS FIELD FROM FIRST CONTACT WITH THE GROUND TO WHERE THE MAIN PART OF THE WRECKAGE CAME TO A STOP WAS APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET LONG AND 400 FEET WIDE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.