# Accident 20230813014049A: Mikoyan Gurevich MIG-23UB, Belleville, MI, August 13, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 13, 2023, 16:10 local time
- Place: Belleville, MI
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.2184° N, 83.5108° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2184&lon=-83.5108&mi=10
- Aircraft: N23UB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N23UB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mikoyan Gurevich MIG-23UB (registry code 05604BD, https://openairdocs.org/model/mikoyan-gurevich-mig-23ub) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MIKOYAN GUREVICH MIG-23UB
- Reported engine: AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 21,297 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23FA361](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA361) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230813014049A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN23FA361](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA361), Aug 13, 2023: Mikoyan Gurevich MIG-23UB (N23UB), Belleville, MI, destroyed. Probable cause: A reported partial loss of engine power while maneuvering for reasons that could not be determined.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.