Scary Video Captures Pilots Ejecting From Fighter Jet Before Fiery Crash At Michigan Air Show

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Aviation enthusiasts regularly flock to air shows for the chance to get up close and personal with the planes and jets that serve as the main attraction, but some of those events have been marred by some pretty harrowing incidents—including one that unfolded in Michigan over the weekend.

On Sunday, Willow Run Airport in the town of Ypsilanti hosted the Thunder Over Michigan Air Show, which boasted dozens of historic aircraft that took to the skies (including a few that attendees could book a ride on for a premium).

That roster included a MiG-23, which comes from the line of third-generation Russian fighter jets the Soviet Union harnessed during the Cold War. The first plane came off the line in 1967 before production ultimately ceased in 1985, so while some of them are still in service, you do run the risk of running into issues if they haven’t been properly maintained.

It’s unclear what caused things to go south at the aforementioned air show, but a number of eyewitnesses were filming the MiG when the two pilots were forced to eject over Belleville Lake shortly before the unmanned jet crashed into the ground near an apartment complex and created a massive ball of smoke that could be seen miles away.

According to Fox2, the pilots were quickly rescued from the water where they landed after deploying their parachutes, and while they were taken to the hospital, it doesn’t appear they were seriously injured.

First responders also rushed to the site where the MiG came down, and while it reportedly damaged some vehicles in the parking lot where it crashed, there were thankfully no injuries reported (which is somewhat miraculous when you take a look at the buildings it came pretty close to colliding with).

The FAA is now investigating the incident in the hopes of determining what went wrong.