Flight Safety Information - February 21, 2024 No. 038 In This Issue : Incident: United B752 near Denver on Feb 19th 2024, slat damage in flight : Incident: Eurowings A320 at Hamburg on Feb 18th 2024, tyre damage on landing : Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner - Ground Damage (UK) : Flight attendant details her account of jet crash near Naples in new report : Google co-founder Sergey Brin sued by the widow of a pilot who was flying one of the billionaire’s planes to his private island in Fiji when it crashed : Pilot in Denver arrested for attempting to takeoff at five times the legal alcohol limit : $18,000 Ticket to Nowhere: United Airlines Pilot Grounds 1K Passenger for Foul Language : American Airlines Flier Dogpiled, Accused of Trying to Open Door in Flight : Exam Fraud Scandal Uncovered at Tokyo's Haneda Airport : Embry Riddle President Lauds Hands-On Learning and Collaboration with Industry to Advance Engineering Education : FAA Adopts Carbon Limits For Airliners : Allegiant Inks Pilot Pathway Partnership With Berry Aviation : CALENDAR OF EVENTS Incident: United B752 near Denver on Feb 19th 2024, slat damage in flight A United Boeing 757-200, registration N57111 performing flight UA-354 from San Francisco,CA to Boston,MA (USA) with 165 people on board, was enroute at FL310 about 100nm northwest of Denver,CO (USA) when the crew decided to divert to Denver after passengers observed slat damage to the right hand wing. The aircraft landed safely on Denver's runway 16R about 25 minutes later. A replacement Boeing 757-200 registration N34137 reached Boston with a delay of about 3.5 hours. The FAA reported the aircraft diverted to Denver after the crew reported a possible flap issue. https://avherald.com/h?article=51530e9d&opt=0 Incident: Eurowings A320 at Hamburg on Feb 18th 2024, tyre damage on landing A Eurowings Airbus A320-200, registration D-AEWN performing flight EW-6004 from Las Palmas,CI (Spain) to Hamburg (Germany) with 168 people on board, landed on Hamburg's runway 15 at 14:42L (13:42Z) but became disabled during the roll out and stopped on the runway. Emergency services responded and are currently assisting passengers to disembark via mobile stairs onto the runway. According to preliminary information by police the aircraft suffered damage on two tyres on landing, airport emergency services are evacuating the aircraft. https://avherald.com/h?article=5151b660&opt=0 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner - Ground Damage (UK) Date: Monday 19 February 2024 Time: Type: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Owner/operator: TUI Airways Registration: G-TUIF MSN: 36428 LN:198 Year of manufacture: 2014 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Birmingham Airport (BHX, EGBB) - United Kingdom Phase: Standing Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Cancún Airport (CUN/MMUN) Destination airport: Birmingham International Airport (BHX/EGBB) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: A moving walkway lifted the left front door and ripped it off. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/351821 Flight attendant details her account of jet crash near Naples in new report The sole flight attendant on board revealed that she was able to get the rear door open moments before the explosion Shocked witnesses who watched a small jet crash and burst into flames on Interstate 75 in southwest Florida last week are heard in new 911 calls from the incident. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has released an incident report on the jet that crashed near Naples on February 9. The jet, a Bombardier Challenger 604, was on its way from Ohio to Naples when it went down on I-75 just east of the Naples Airport, hitting two cars, officials said. Crew member Sydney Ann Bosmans and passengers Aaron Baker and Audra Green survived. Meanwhile, Pilot Edward Daniel Murphy, 50, of Oakland Park, and his second in command, Ian Frederick Hofmann, 65, of Pompano Beach, were killed. Bosmans, the sole flight attendant on board, shared her account of the fiery crash in a report obtained by NBC6 on Tuesday. She stated that there was a dual engine failure, to which the pilots then told her and the passengers to brace for impact, according to a the CCSO report. Bosmans also revealed that she was able to get the rear door open following the crash, before the explosion occurred. The two passengers were able to escape through that door as well, Bosmans added. Cell phone video provided by witness Kyle Cavaliere appears to show them running away from the jet. All three survivors were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Bosmans was left with minor injuries to her face and hand. The extent of the passengers’ injuries is unclear. The jet as well as its pilot and co-pilot were part of Fort Lauderdale-based company Hop-A-Jet Worldwide Charter. The National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the cause of the crash. https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/flight-attendant-details-her-account-of-jet-crash-near-naples-in-new-report/3238472/ Google co-founder Sergey Brin sued by the widow of a pilot who was flying one of the billionaire’s planes to his private island in Fiji when it crashed Google co-founder Sergey Brin is facing a wrongful-death suit in California from the widow of the pilot who was flying one of the billionaire’s planes from Santa Rosa to his private island in Fiji last year when it crashed into the Pacific Ocean. The suit, filed in state court in Santa Clara County, alleges Brin’s $8 million twin-engine seaplane was improperly outfitted with an auxiliary fuel tank that malfunctioned several hours into the May 20 flight, forcing an emergency return to California. It crashed off the coast of Half Moon Bay, killing pilot Lance Maclean and his co-pilot Dean Rushfeldt. Alphabet Inc.’s Google, which was allegedly part owner of the aircraft, was named as a co-defendant, as were the maintenance company that installed the fuel system and the firm that hired the pilots. The lawsuit also accused Brin of seeking to destroy evidence at the crash scene by obstructing recovery efforts. “Brin is among the richest people in the world,” lawyers for Maclean’s widow, Maria Magdalena Olarte, said in an amended complaint filed Feb. 13. “If he wanted to recover the aircraft and the remains of those lost, it would be done.” Brin and representatives for Google didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. The plane, a Viking Air Ltd. DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400, was being flown to Fiji so Brin could treat his guests to some island hopping, according to the suit. The billionaire often hosts parties around the world and flies his guests from the US on his $15 million wide-body jet, according to the complaint. Out of Fuel The aircraft didn’t have sufficient fuel capacity to reach Hawaii — the first leg of the trip to Fiji — so Brin and others authorized a mechanic in Santa Rosa to install an auxiliary system inside the fuselage to increase capacity, the suit alleged. But the mechanic didn’t have an assembly checklist and illegally installed it “from memory,” according to the complaint. During the flight, fuel wasn’t transferring from the auxiliary system to the main tanks, eventually causing the crash, the suit says. In the months that followed, Brin stated publicly that he would help the recovery effort while working behind the scenes to delay and obstruct it, Olarte’s lawyers alleged. At one point, Brin’s representatives told the pilot’s widow that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was blocking recovery efforts, according to the lawsuit. NOAA allegedly later denied that it had done so. The lawsuit also accuses Brin’s representatives of misrepresenting weather conditions at the recovery site and their interactions with the US Coast Guard. “From the outset of the crash, despite publicly assuring Plaintiff that her husband’s remains would be recovered, Brin and his agents decided to leave him at the bottom of the ocean along with evidence that would establish that Defendants were responsible for the crash that killed the two pilots,” according to the complaint. The case is Maria Magdalena Olarte et al. v. Theodore Neale et al., 24CV430717, Superior Court of the State of California, County of Santa Clara. https://fortune.com/2024/02/21/google-co-founder-sergey-brin-sued-widow-pilot-flying-billionaires-planes-private-island-fiji-crashed/ Pilot in Denver arrested for attempting to takeoff at five times the legal alcohol limit If you’ve had a rough flight experience lately, just be thankful this guy wasn’t your pilot… After a strange radio conversation with traffic control (audio is below) at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport located in Broomfield, Colorado, on a 1964 Mooney M20E, police said the pilot taxied back to a hangar and was observed by airport officers and a sheriff. The pilot also reportedly exhibited signs of clear impairment, including red and watery eyes, difficulty standing, slurred speech and the smell of alcohol on his breath. Police said the sheriff attempted a field sobriety test on the pilot, but due to the severity of the impairment, the test was unsuccessful and the pilot was then arrested. Back at the station, the pilot completed a breathalyzer test which gave a result of a .20 BAC or the equivalent of 200mg per 100ml ethanol in his blood. https://kygo.com/pilot-in-denver-arrested-for-attempting-to-takeoff-at-five-times-the-legal-alcohol-limit/ $18,000 Ticket to Nowhere: United Airlines Pilot Grounds 1K Passenger for Foul Language A United Airlines pilot who flies Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft kicked a top MileagePlus elite passenger off of a cross country flight from Newark to San Francisco and shared the story to social media. The captain had gone up to the gate for paperwork and overheard this ‘1K’ customer cursing at the gate agent prior to boarding at Newark airport. Standing there, literally throwing every combination of the “F” word at the gate agent was a 1K member (or so he claimed) angry about something. I stood there for a second, looked at him, and asked if he was flying to SFO. He confirmed he was. I then turned to the [gate agent] and told her to re-accommodate him on another flight, because he WAS not flying with me that day. I honestly thought he was going to punch one of us at that point but to his credit, he simply threw a few F-bombs at us and walked away. 1K status requires spending at least $18,000 per year with United. It does not, however, require class. The pilot didn’t have context for why the customer was swearing. It’s Newark, so reasonable to assume they were receiving poor service. But the customer’s reaction crossed a line. I say good for the pilot! But does a pilot have the right to kick a passenger off for their choice of language? Sort of. 49 USC § 44902 provides broad latitude, within certain bounds laid out by the FAA, for the captain of an aircraft to refuse transportation to a passenger if they feel that passenger might be “inimical to safety.” A pilot’s decision cannot be arbitrary or capricious – but that’s not the same as saying it has to be reasonable. It’s generally presumed that the actions of the pilot are reasonable, and judged based on facts the pilot was aware of at the time and the time constraints they’re under. If they hear only one side of the story, and it’s incomplete And they make a decision based on that information And they’re in a rush to get the plane out That’s probably going to be fine under the law If the captain felt that a passenger could be a safety risk solely because they heard the passenger’s foul language, they’re probably within their rights to refuse that passenger transportation. They cannot kick you off for using bad words. But they can kick you off if they feel your bad words make you a safety risk. And as long as that judgment isn’t arbitrary or capricious it won’t be reviewed. https://viewfromthewing.com/18000-ticket-to-nowhere-united-airlines-pilot-grounds-1k-passenger-for-foul-language/ American Airlines Flier Dogpiled, Accused of Trying to Open Door in Flight An American Airlines flight was forced to make an unscheduled landing after a man attempted to open an emergency exit while the plane was in flight, authorities said. A spokesperson for the airline said in a statement emailed to Newsweek on Tuesday night that a flight scheduled to travel from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Chicago earlier in the day turned back "shortly after takeoff due to a disturbance in the cabin involving a disruptive customer." The spokesperson said that Flight 1219 "landed safely" and "was met by local law enforcement upon arrival" at Albuquerque International Sunport. The city's division of the FBI is also investigating the incident, according to New Mexico NBC affiliate KOB. Fellow passengers quickly responded to the unnamed man's alleged attempt to open the door by forcefully restraining him, according to passenger Zach Etkind, host of the Barstool Sports series Donnie Does. Etkind wrote in a post to X, formerly Twitter, that he was "was shaken out of [his] Panda Express and Tequila induced stupor by a man trying to aggressively open the airplane door 4 rows back" 30 minutes after the flight departed. "Me and 5 other dudes had to wrestle him into the aisle, duct tape his legs, and throw flexi-cuffs on him," he added, while sharing an image of the several men hovering over and restraining the man. "Just safely landed back in ABQ but HOLY S***." An image of a man in a hooded sweatshirt being led on the outside of a jet bridge by four law enforcement officers was shared in a subsequent post by Etkind, who captioned the photo,"Ladies and gentlemen, WE GOT HIM." Etkind later told Fox News Digital that fellow passengers had heard the suspect say that he "had to get off this plane" before attempting to open the door. He added that the man did not resist "too aggressively" after being taken away from the door and restrained. The incident on Tuesday was far from the first time that a passenger was accused of attempting to open an emergency exit in flight. Attempts usually fail, due to the pressure differential between the air inside the cabin and outside the aircraft essentially locking the door shut. During an American Airlines flight in 2021, a woman had to be restrained and duct-taped to her seat after allegedly attempting to open an exit before biting and spitting on a flight attendant who tried to stop her. The airline told The Charlotte Observer at the time that it was "typically physically impossible" to open an airplane door in flight. However, a passenger managed to successfully open the door of an Asiana Airlines flight last year while it was preparing to land in the South Korean city of Daegu. The man attempted to jump out of the aircraft at a height of over 800 feet before being restrained, with the flight making a safe landing shortly thereafter. https://www.newsweek.com/american-airlines-flier-dogpiled-accused-trying-open-door-flight-1871805 Exam Fraud Scandal Uncovered at Tokyo's Haneda Airport Uncover the shocking scandal at Haneda Airport involving safety breaches by employees of ANA and JAL. Learn about the potential risks, reputation damage, and industry implications as calls for accountability grow louder. Imagine, for a moment, you're about to board a flight from Tokyo's bustling Haneda Airport, one of Japan's gateways to the world. The excitement or perhaps the routine of air travel envelops you, but beneath this facade of orderly operations, a troubling revelation has surfaced. Two of Japan's aviation giants, All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL), are grappling with a scandal that strikes at the heart of safety and trust. A Breach of Trust The essence of the issue lies in the malpractice uncovered within the subsidiaries of ANA and JAL, specifically among employees operating baggage cars and catering vehicles. These individuals, tasked with the crucial role of servicing aircraft in the restricted areas of Haneda Airport, were found to have engaged in cheating during their written driving license examinations. This misconduct not only raises immediate safety concerns but also casts a long shadow over the integrity of the airlines' training and certification processes. According to reports, 9 employees at JAL Sky, 6 employees at All Nippon Airways, and a staggering 72 employees at ANA Airport Service were involved in these deceitful practices. The companies have since canceled the compromised exams and issued apologies, putting a temporary halt to further examinations as they investigate the breach. The Ripple Effects The consequences of such actions extend far beyond the confines of Haneda Airport. For one, there's the immediate concern of safety. Employees operating without proper certification pose a risk not just to themselves but to everyone around them, potentially leading to accidents that could have far-reaching implications. Moreover, this scandal puts the airlines' reputation on the line. In an industry where safety and trust are paramount, the revelation that employees circumvented essential training procedures could deter passengers, affecting the airlines' bottom lines. Yet, it's the broader implications that are perhaps most concerning. This incident prompts a critical reevaluation of oversight mechanisms within the aviation sector. How could such a widespread breach of protocol occur? And more importantly, what steps can be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future? These are questions that regulators, airlines, and the public at large are now forced to confront. Looking Ahead The revelations at Haneda Airport serve as a stark reminder of the complexities and challenges inherent in maintaining safety and integrity within the aviation industry. As ANA and JAL work to address the fallout from this scandal, the incident underscores the need for robust oversight and accountability mechanisms. Ensuring the integrity of training and certification processes is not just about preventing fraud; it's about safeguarding the lives of millions who travel by air every day. As we await the outcomes of the investigations and the implementation of corrective measures, one thing is clear: the path forward must be paved with transparency, accountability, and a renewed commitment to the highest standards of safety and integrity. For the sake of passengers and employees alike, let's hope that this incident serves as a wake-up call, prompting a rigorous reexamination of practices across the aviation industry. https://bnnbreaking.com/aviation/safety-and-integrity-under-scrutiny-exam-fraud-at-tokyos-haneda-airport-unveiled Embry Riddle President Lauds Hands-On Learning and Collaboration with Industry to Advance Engineering Education In his latest “Aviation Week”essay, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University President P. Barry Butler, Ph.D., notes that collaborations among industry, academia and government agencies have resulted in dramatic improvements to engineering education. Dr. Butler’s essay was published by “Aviation Week” on Feb. 17, 2024. Through the Hunt Library, the Eagle community can log onto ERNIE to freely access the essay. Alternatively, subscribers to “Aviation Week” can log in here. The article is also provided below. By P. Barry Butler Steps from where students learn to repair the latest jet engines and avionics inside Embry Riddle Aeronautical University’s Aviation Maintenance Science Building stands a working scale replica of the wind tunnel built by Orville and Wilbur Wright. The original — a long wooden box with a gas-powered fan and balances made from bicycle-spoke wires — proved essential to the advent of flight. The brothers used it to complete hundreds of tests of airfoils, made from modified hack-saw blades, at 0-45-deg. angles in winds up to 27 mph, writes historian David McCullough in his book on the aviation pioneers. This Wright brothers’ brand of ingenuity — blending calculation, experimentation and intuition — serves as a time-tested model for the project-based learning in today’s university engineering programs. As the aerospace industry seeks fresh talent, Engineering education has evolved to include many real-world, hands-on opportunities that are essential for keeping students inspired about their career options. This was not always the case. In the post-World War II era, the launch of Sputnik and other factors prompted changes to engineering curricula. Hands-on learning took a back seat to modeling and theory. Computer technology furthered that trend. Simulations became widespread in engineering practice and education, limiting hands-on lab work. But educators and industry representatives soon realized the limits of that emphasis and shifted to hands-on learning. Thanks to collaborations among industry, academia and government agencies, today’s aspiring engineers are building an array of uncrewed aerial vehicles, constructing rockets that reach record-setting altitudes and testing their research in space. The role of industry in advising academia on curricular content and sponsoring project-based learning cannot be understated. Even as early as high school, students are encouraged to engage in hands-on learning experiences, such as the immersive aviation elective course sponsored by the Embraer Foundation and Embry Riddle that asks students to conceive and design an electric vertical-take-off-and-landing vehicle using a professional design platform. Winners receive photorealistic virtual reality images of their aircraft and internship opportunities — the illustration above, titled “The Seamoth Search and Rescue Drone,” depicts the design that won the 2023 challenge. More important, students are given a chance to experience the exciting fields of aviation and aerospace. Such programs as the First Robotics Competition and the American Rocketry Challenge also provide formative experiences that attract young people to science, technology, engineering and math disciplines. The result of such efforts is that higher education engineering programs are filled with students eager to contribute to the future of aviation and spaceflight. Some are making the kinds of contributions that years ago would have been unthinkable for their peer group — or for anyone outside of NASA. A lightweight rover, built by students at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, was onboard the Peregrine lander that unfortunately failed to reach the moon recently. While the students who designed, tested and built the lunar rover might have been disappointed, the experience they gained is priceless. At Embry Riddle, meanwhile, we eagerly watched the Feb. 15 launch of Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander. Steve Altemus, Embry Riddle alumnus and CEO of Intuitive Machines, challenged students to engineer a camera system to capture the IM-1 mission’s Nova-C lander about four years ago. The result was EagleCam, a brick-shape satellite camera designed to be ejected from the lander seconds before touchdown. From ejection to the moon’s surface, EagleCam should capture images of the spacecraft and other valuable data. The EagleCam team includes undergraduate and graduate students who worked to ensure that the camera could withstand the freefall to the moon’s surface and still take and transmit photos. Listening to the team members talk about this challenge brings to mind the Wright brothers’ ingenuity — the students tackled a complex physics problem and executed hands-on tests. If all goes well, the EagleCam images will be the first to capture a spacecraft from a third-person point of view landing on the moon. And this will be thanks in part to a giant leap in hands-on, project-based learning experiences in higher education engineering. P. Barry Butler is president of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. https://news.erau.edu/headlines/op-ed-erau-president-lauds-learning-collaboration-industry-advance-engineering-education FAA Adopts Carbon Limits For Airliners The FAA has issued a final rule that will require most larger aircraft built after Jan. 1, 2028, to meet new efficiency standards designed to reduce their carbon emissions per passenger mile. The new rule will cover all subsonic jets with a maximum takeoff weight of more than 12,500 pounds and turboprops with an MTOW of 19,000 pounds. The new rules will bring the U.S. in line with ICAO standards and are part of the U.S. Aviation Climate Action Plan. “We are taking a large step forward to ensure the manufacture of more fuel-efficient airplanes, reduce carbon pollution, and reach our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050,” said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. The rule sets fuel efficiency limits based on calculations of the planes’ size vs. fuel burn. The FAA says the rule covers everything from a Citation to a 787 and includes turboprops like Viking Q400s and ATR42s. It will not be applied retroactively to aircraft built before Jan. 1, 2028, but it may end production of one of the longest-running designs currently being built. It’s been years since production of passenger versions of the Boeing 767 have been built but the freight version is still being built, more than 40 years after the type went into service. FedEx and UPS have a total of 37 of the freighters on order but Boeing says orders beyond 2028 are thought to be minimal. The plane would have to get new engines to carry on, and Boeing has already hinted at building a freight version of the much more efficient 787. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/faa-adopts-carbon-limits-for-airliners/ Allegiant Inks Pilot Pathway Partnership With Berry Aviation The ULCC will start sourcing new hire pilots from a Texas-based charter operator. Ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant announced a new partnership with Berry Aviation to expand its pilot recruitment pipeline. Through the “Allegiant Incentive” program, Berry pilots with relevant experience will gain a streamlined path to joining Allegiant’s aviator ranks. “We see tremendous value in our pilot pathway programs and are excited to expand with Berry Aviation,” said Allegiant President Gregory C. Anderson in a press release. “Our out-and-back business model provides flight crews with a unique balance between work and home life, making Allegiant a desirable airline for pilots at all levels of experience. We believe this partnership fits beautifully in supporting the future growth of our pilot ranks.” With the partnership, Allegiant gains access to a pool of pre-vetted pilots trained by Berry Aviation. On the other hand, Berry Aviation – a Texas-based Part 135 charter operator – can offer its pilots a clear pathway to transition to a commercial airline career with Allegiant. Berry Aviation often serves as a career stepping stone for pilots, requiring a minimum of 1,500 flight hours for entry. The partnership creates a smoother transition for qualified Berry pilots to enter Allegiant’s new hire training program, the airline said. In order to join Allegiant’s ranks, Berry pilots enrolled in the program must be qualified as a Pilot in Command (PIC) for at least 18 months. In addition, they are required to meet certain criteria, including the completion of periodic check rides and working towards ATP-CTP certification. On Allegiant’s Q4 2023 earnings call, Anderson said the company hired over 100 net new pilots in the back half of 2023. The company and pilots’ union are currently in federal mediation over a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). https://airlinegeeks.com/2024/02/20/allegiant-inks-pilot-pathway-partnership-with-berry-aviation/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS • HAI Heli-Expo 2024 - February 26 - 29 - Anaheim, CA • 2024 Women in Aviation International Conference - March 21-23 (Orlando) • SMU Air Law Symposium - March 21-22, 2024 ( Dallas, TX) • 2024 ACSF Safety Symposium – Air Charter Safety Foundation - April 1-3, 2024 • Blazetech - Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection, and Investigation Course June 4 - 7, 2024 • Airborne Public Safety Association, Inc. (APSCON 2024) - July 29 - August 3; Houston TX • Asia Pacific Airline Training Symposium - APATS 2024, 0-11 September, 2024, Singapore • 2024 ISASI - Lisbon, Portugal - September 30 to October 4, 2024 • 2024 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition - Oct. 22-24 (Vegas) Curt Lewis