The tail strike occurred during at a 1990 airshow in Harrison, Arkansas. Kelly, who was a technician for the FAA and somewhat of a camera buff, was tracking with his camera, as this guy looped off the deck in a MiG-15.
The pilot had just completed a loop and misjudged his pull-out. Everyone
considering themselves as potential victims, took-off running in all directions.
But Kelly had a non-threatening position along with a strong motivation to take the picture. So just as the MiG scraped the ground, Kelly captured this rare image.
Had it been circulated at the time, this once in a lifetime photograph might have earned an award.
Oh, by the way, the guy just made a wide circle, lowered his landing gear, touched down . . then taxied in showing scratched paint, but no sheet metal damage.
