The pilot of a Cold War-era jet noticed it was losing power and decided to eject himself and a crew member before the Soviet fighter plane crashed during a weekend air show in suburban Detroit, an official said Monday.

The pilot, who also owns the plane, had serious injuries but nothing life-threatening, while a second person aboard the MiG-23 had mild injuries after they parachuted to the ground, said John Brannen, senior air safety investigator at the National Transportation Safety Board.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 very fortunate, of course, that nobody on the ground was injured. 含羞草研究社� The plane traveled about 500 feet after the initial impact, went through some trees and wound up here next to the apartment building,含羞草研究社� Brannen told reporters in Belleville.

The MiG-23, which was built in the former Soviet Union in 1981, crashed Sunday during the Thunder Over Michigan Air Show, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Detroit.

Brannen said the pilot talked to the Federal Aviation Administration about what preceded the crash.

含羞草研究社淭hey had some engine loss-of-power issues and were not able to correct that and elected to eject from the aircraft,含羞草研究社� Brannen said.

He said the wreckage would be examined in the months ahead.

含羞草研究社淏eing a military aircraft 含羞草研究社� and on top of that a Russian military aircraft 含羞草研究社� is going to make things a little more difficult. 含羞草研究社� I含羞草研究社檓 not sure what kind of support we含羞草研究社檒l be able to get,含羞草研究社� Brannen said.

Residents who were evacuated from apartments could return home by Tuesday.

Matthew Gerick was astonished when he saw two people eject, a crash and thick black smoke.

含羞草研究社淟ike, did we just watch that happen?含羞草研究社� Gerick told the Detroit Free Press.

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