Flight Safety Information - August 14, 2025 No. 162 In This Issue : Incident: UPS B748 at Taipei on Aug 13th 2025, engine pod strike on landing : Incident: Eastern B763 at Tallahassee on Aug 11th 2025, hydraulic failure : Incident: Electra A320 at Tel Aviv on Aug 11th 2025, unsafe gear : F-15 Ride-Along Passenger Accidentally Ejects While On The Ground : Delta Plane Collides With Another Jet Before Takeoff in Atlanta : FBI investigating midair brawl that forced Breeze Airways flight to divert : United 737 Pilots Encounter Close Call Amid Inaccurate Flight Tracking Data : British Airways Pilots Demoted Over Alleged Venice Trip Misconduct : Porter Airlines pilots join ALPA following CIRB certification : Spirit Pilots Told to ‘Consider All Options’ : Latvia Says Baltic Jamming Being Caused By Three Sites In Russia : ISASI - 2025 - Denver, CO - September 29-October 3, 2025 Annual Seminar - Hotel Rate Deadline approaching (September 5) : Calendar of Events Incident: UPS B748 at Taipei on Aug 13th 2025, engine pod strike on landing A UPS United Parcel Service Boeing 747-8 freighter, registration N613UP performing flight 5X-61 from Hong Kong (China) to Taipei (Taiwan), was on its third approach to Taipei's runway 05L in gusting winds at 20:08L (12:08Z), when the right hand wing lowered after touchdown causing the engine #4 (outboard right) nacelle to contact the ground briefly. The aircraft rolled out without further incident and taxied to the apron. Engine #4 received damage to its nacelle. https://avherald.com/h?article=52ba0abd&opt=0 Incident: Eastern B763 at Tallahassee on Aug 11th 2025, hydraulic failure An Eastern Airlines Boeing 767-300, registration N700KW performing flight 2D-3013 from Riverside,CA to Tallahassee,FL (USA) with 169 passengers and 12 crew, was on approach to Tallahassee at 3000 feet when the crew reported a hydraulic issue and requested emergency services on standby. The aircraft landed safely on runway 18 about 10 minutes later. The aircraft became disabled on the runway and was towed to the apron. https://avherald.com/h?article=52ba0d26&opt=0 Incident: Electra A320 at Tel Aviv on Aug 11th 2025, unsafe gear An Electra Airways Airbus A320-200 on behalf of Arkia, registration LZ-EAJ performing flight IZ-76 from Rhodes (Greece) to Tel Aviv (Israel) with 161 people on board, was on approach to Tele Aviv's runway 21 when the crew initiated a go around due to an unsafe nose gear indication. The aircraft performed an overflight of the aerodrome, then positioned for a low approach to runway 12. Subsequently the aircraft positioned for an approach to runway 26 and touched down, the crew kept the nose up as long as practicable, lowered the nose gently and rolled out without further incident. A passenger reported the crew announced a landing gear malfunction following the first go around. The aircraft positioned over the sea, the crew attempted to re-cycle the landing gear five times before performing a low approach to runway 12 to have the landing gear inspected by tower, then the aircraft landed on runway 26 with emergency services on stand by. The cabin had been prepared for a possible evacuation, which wasn't needed. Upon deboarding the passenger observed the landing gears doors were all open. https://avherald.com/h?article=52b9fb05&opt=0 F-15 Ride-Along Passenger Accidentally Ejects While On The Ground A backseat passenger in an F-15D Eagle belonging to the 104th Fighter Wing appears to have accidentally ejected from the aircraft while it was on the ground at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Massachusetts. An undated video posted on social media shows the aftermath of the incident. A puff of smoke is seen wafting from the backseat as the F-15 is still taxiing. The canopy, having been blown off during the ejection sequence, is laying on the Eagle’s left wing. The passenger appears to be crawling next to the runway near what looks like a parachute as the F-15 continues to roll by. A near zero-zero (no speed or altitude) ejection has its own added dangers, but it’s not the first time someone on a ride-along has inadvertently punched out of a tactical jet, although it is certainly a very rare occasion. “Incentive flight ejected on the flight line before even taking off, member was apparently a recruiting officer from the 104FW at Barnes ANGB,” the Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page stated under their post of the video. We cannot confirm who the rear seat occupant was at this time. We reached out to the 104th Fighter Wing for details and will update this story with any pertinent information provided. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/f-15-ride-along-passenger-234114304.html Delta Plane Collides With Another Jet Before Takeoff in Atlanta A Delta Airlines plane clipped an empty airliner on the runway in Atlanta on Sunday. The jet, which was ready for departure to Guatemala City, was pushing back from the gate when its wing “reportedly made contact” with another aircraft, the airline announced. “The wing of DL1830 reportedly made contact with another Delta aircraft during pushback at the gate. There were no reports of injuries for crew or customers on the flight," a spokesperson for the airline said. "We apologize to our customers for the experience and delay in their travels." With nearly 200 passengers and crew onboard, there were no injuries reported. The passengers were transferred to another aircraft and, after a four-hour delay, were on their way to their destination. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the collision occurred “in an area where air traffic controllers do not communicate with flight crews." An investigation is currently being conducted. One week prior, Delta announced it would be terminating its contract with Unifi, a ground handling service, and more than 300 employees in Atlanta would be laid off at the end of the contract. Delta "recently notified Unifi that it will no longer need aviation commissary services after the last contracted department on Sept. 30, 2025, and will terminate the aviation commissary services provided by Unifi pursuant to contractual provisions," a letter from the company stated. According to WSB-TV, however, the affected Delta employees "will be offered roles with the next company Delta uses or in other roles at the airport." The airline announced its new partnership with Newrest, adding that "all Unifi employees have been given the opportunity to join the Newrest team.” https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/delta-plane-collides-another-jet-171820079.html FBI investigating midair brawl that forced Breeze Airways flight to divert The FBI is investigating after a sky-high brawl broke out Wednesday morning on a Breeze Airways flight from Virginia to California. Breeze flight MX704, which was headed from Norfolk International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, diverted to Grand Junction Regional Airport in Colorado after a passenger onboard "initiated a physical altercation with other guests and flight attendants," the airline told Fox News Digital. Grand Junction Police Department officials told Fox News Digital that an intoxicated male passenger "became agitated," and started "yelling racist slurs at airline staff while waving a skateboard." Airline staff placed the man in restraints twice, but he was able to break free both times, police said. While the airline told Fox News Digital one flight attendant and one guest were evaluated for minor injuries, police said no injuries were reported to law enforcement. When the plane landed, the passenger was taken into custody by the Grand Junction Police Department at the direction of the FBI and remains at the Mesa County Detention Facility. "This is an ongoing investigation and any further information and charges will be released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation," the department wrote in a statement. Terrified Passengers 'Flew Out Of Their Seats' During Dramatic Southwest Nosedive To Avoid Mid-air Crash The carrier offers nonstop flights to about 70 locations, including smaller airports that would normally require layovers. "Our focus now is on taking care of our Crew and remaining Guests who have been unfairly inconvenienced by this unfortunate event and getting them safely to their final destination as quickly as possible," the airline wrote in a statement. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/fbi-investigating-midair-brawl-forced-220936948.html United 737 Pilots Encounter Close Call Amid Inaccurate Flight Tracking Data As the two aircraft converged, the United crew received a TCAS RA prompting them to take immediate evasive action. NEW YORK- A United Airlines (UA) Boeing 737-900, operating flight UA3930 from Indianapolis International Airport (IND) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), encountered a near-miss with a privately operated Piper Cherokee Arrow III (PA28R) while on approach to Newark on August 8, 2025. The incident occurred at around 5,000 feet when the United crew initiated a climb to 5,300 feet after receiving a TCAS Resolution Advisory (RA). The pilots later reported that the other aircraft came within approximately 200 feet of their position, though flight tracking data indicated a vertical separation of about 500 feet. Air traffic control (ATC) recordings show that the United Boeing 737-900, registration N37456, was instructed to maintain 5,000 feet during its approach into Newark. Meanwhile, the Piper Cherokee Arrow III, registration N525VB, was operating under visual flight rules (VFR) and descending through the same airspace. As the two aircraft converged, the United crew received a TCAS RA prompting them to take immediate evasive action. ATC then issued multiple heading and altitude changes to maintain separation, ultimately directing UA3930 to descend to 2,500 feet and proceed for a landing on runway 22L at Newark. According to the United pilots, the encounter occurred about 10 miles west of the airport at 4,000 feet. They informed the tower immediately after landing and were given a phone number to contact, a common post-incident protocol in air traffic events. Based on ATC communications, the Piper Cherokee was instructed to start a VFR descent to 4,500 feet shortly before the incident. United 3930 was directed through several heading changes, with the RA triggering during a right turn. The United captain’s statement to Newark Tower indicated the aircraft had to react quickly to avoid conflict. While official radar playback suggested slightly greater separation than the crew perceived, pilots emphasized that onboard collision avoidance alerts take precedence over ATC radar estimations in real-time safety scenarios. United 737 Pilots Encounter Close Call Amid Inaccurate Flight Tracking Data Here’s the detailed communication transcript between United pilots and Newark Air Traffic Controller, as flagged by You Can See ATC: • ATC: Victor Bravo, start VFR descent to 4,500. • Pilot (Warrior 425VB): Starting descent, 425 Victor Bravo. Approach 120.15, 5VB. • • ATC: United 3930, right turn heading 070, maintain 5,000. • Pilot (United 3930): Heading 070, maintaining 5,000. • • Pilot (United 3930): Confirmed — heading 050, 5,000. • ATC: United 3930, that’s heading 050, maintain 5,000. • • ATC: United 3930, turn right heading 080. • Pilot (United 3930): Heading 080… United 3930, right turn heading 120. • Pilot (continues): …United 3930, we just had a TCAS RA. • • ATC: United 3930, speed is your discretion. Turn right heading 180, maintain 3,000. • Pilot: Heading 180, maintaining 3,000, speed discretion, United 3930. • • ATC: United 3930, reduce speed, maintain 3,000 — correction — descend to maintain 2,500. • Pilot: Down to 2,500, United 3930. • • ATC: United 3930, right turn… left turn, contact tower 118.3. • Pilot: Left turn, contacting tower, United 3930. • • Pilot (to Tower): Newark Tower, United 3930, inbound for runway 22L. • Tower: United 3930, Newark Tower, wind 160 at 6, runway 22L cleared to land. • Pilot: Cleared to land 22L, United 3930. Just want to give you a heads-up — we responded to a TCAS RA about 10 miles west of the pattern, time 1741 Zulu. • • Tower: Roger. • Tower asks: Where was it? • Pilot: About 10 miles west of the pattern at time 1741, 4,000 feet. • • Pilot: That plane came in within 200 feet of us. • Tower: United 3930, exit at Echo and hold short right. • Pilot: Exiting at Echo, holding short right, United 3930. • • Tower: Sorry about that. United 3930, cross to your right at Echo, contact Ground 121.9. She’ll have a phone number for you — be ready to copy. • Pilot: Crossing right at Echo, will copy the number, United 3930. The FAA will review radar data, pilot statements, and ATC recordings as part of its standard investigation into loss-of-separation incidents. These reports are taken seriously because even small deviations from required separation standards can have significant safety implications. Commercial airliners such as the Boeing 737-900 are equipped with TCAS, which autonomously monitors airspace around the aircraft and issues climb or descent commands if another aircraft is projected to breach safe separation limits. General aviation aircraft like the Piper Cherokee Arrow III may or may not have equivalent systems, increasing the reliance on ATC and pilot visual scanning in mixed-use airspace. https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/08/13/united-737-pilots-encounter-close-call/ British Airways Pilots Demoted Over Alleged Venice Trip Misconduct Following the investigation, British Airways confirmed in a letter to staff that the female pilot, who held higher seniority, LONDON— Two senior British Airways (BA) pilots have been removed from their management positions after allegedly manipulating flight rosters to ensure they were assigned to the same trip to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE). The internal investigation began after a whistleblower reported the matter to the airline’s leadership. The trip, which included an overnight stay in Venice, led to scrutiny over whether their actions breached company rules. Both pilots continue to fly for British Airways but no longer hold management responsibilities. Two senior British Airways (BA) pilots have been removed from their management positions after allegedly manipulating flight rosters to ensure they were assigned to the same trip to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE). Representative Photo: British Airways British Airways Pilots’ Misconduct British Airways launched a formal inquiry after reports emerged that a married female pilot in a management role and a male colleague, also in a senior position, arranged a roster to place them on the same Venice flight. Sources indicated that the trip was not operationally necessary for both to attend, raising questions about compliance with internal scheduling protocols. An insider stated that the arrangement drew attention within the pilot community and prompted questions from senior management. The alleged planning for a leisure-driven trip rather than an operational requirement was considered a serious breach of conduct standards for management-level personnel, The Standard UK reported. Disciplinary Actions Following the investigation, British Airways confirmed in a letter to staff that the female pilot, who held higher seniority, had stepped down from her management role. The communication expressed appreciation for her service over the past 15 months and confirmed her return to line flying duties. The male pilot, described internally as highly respected and experienced in pilot training, also lost his management role. Both pilots remain employed and continue to operate flights for British Airways in standard line duties. The British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa) was understood to have been informed about the process but declined to comment publicly on the matter. British Airways reiterated its position of not commenting on internal personnel issues when approached by media outlets. Airlines typically maintain strict guidelines on roster assignments, particularly for those in senior operational or training positions. Manipulating schedules for personal reasons can undermine operational efficiency, raise fairness concerns among crew, and risk reputational damage to the carrier. In this case, the overnight stay in Venice, coupled with the absence of a clear operational need for both management-level pilots to be on the same flight, prompted the internal probe. While the airline has not disclosed specific disciplinary measures beyond the demotions, the outcome highlights the emphasis on maintaining integrity in operational planning. https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/08/10/british-airways-pilots-demoted-over-venice-trip-misconduct/ Porter Airlines pilots join ALPA following CIRB certification The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) has certified the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) as the bargaining agent for more than 800 pilots at Porter Airlines. The move makes Porter’s pilots the 43rd pilot group to join ALPA and the 22nd in Canada. "We are proud to welcome the pilots of Porter Airlines to ALPA and expand the strength and power of our international union,” said ALPA president, Captain Jason Ambrosi. “We are always stronger together, and bringing our brothers and sisters at Porter into ALPA will not only improve their ability to negotiate good contracts but also ensure that safety and workers’ rights remain front and center.” Porter’s pilot group has grown significantly in the last five years, operating Embraer E195-E2 and De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft. The airline is now the fourth-largest pilot group in Canada. Globus - In-Feed (Desktop & tablet) - Avalon Prior to the certification, Porter was the largest non-unionized carrier in the country. “With the addition of the Porter pilots, more than 13,500 pilots, representing 95% of Canada’s professional pilots, are now represented by ALPA,” said Captain Tim Perry, ALPA Canada president. “Porter pilots are instrumental to the airline’s considerable success. Our immediate priority is to help Porter pilots negotiate a fair collective agreement that recognizes their significant contributions to the airline. Porter pilots are entering a new chapter, and we stand with them as they build a strong and bright future within our industry.” ALPA has recently added pilots from other Canadian carriers, including Air Borealis, Air Canada, Air Inuit, Cargojet, Flair, Keewatin Air, Morningstar Air Express, PAL Airlines, PAL Aerospace, Pascan Aviation and Perimeter Aviation. Founded in 1931, ALPA represents more than 79,000 pilots at 43 U.S. and Canadian airlines. https://www.paxnews.com/news/airline/porter-airlines-pilots-join-alpa-following-cirb-certification Spirit Pilots Told to ‘Consider All Options’ Union cites losses and management’s warning of “substantial doubt” about Spirit’s ability to continue operations. Spirit’s Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Master Executive Council (MEC) – which represents the carrier’s roughly 3,000 pilots – has warned members that the airline is in a “fragile financial position” and encouraged pilots to take a “clear-eyed” look at their personal situations. Tuesday’s message – which was viewed by AirlineGeeks – follows the ultra-low-cost carrier’s disclosure in its latest SEC filing that there is “substantial doubt” about the company’s ability to continue operating over the next year without significant changes. Spirit MEC chair Captain Ryan Muller told pilots that Spirit reported a second-quarter pre-tax loss of about $250 million, bringing its year-to-date loss to roughly $560 million. Management has taken steps, including network changes, spare engine sale-leasebacks, cost reductions, and three rounds of pilot furloughs since September 2024, Muller added. The airline has furloughed over 500 pilots at the time of writing. “We won’t sugarcoat it: Spirit is in a fragile financial position. The reality we face today is not the one many of us envisioned when we joined this airline,” the letter states. Even with these measures, the union said Spirit does not expect results to improve quickly enough to meet minimum liquidity covenants tied to debt agreements and a credit card processing contract. Additional potential actions include selling or monetizing aircraft, real estate, and excess airport gate capacity. “Management cautions there is no guarantee these initiatives will succeed; failure could trigger covenant defaults and debt acceleration,” he added. The MEC also noted that Spirit’s credit card processor is requesting more collateral before renewing its agreement, which expires in December 2025, a move that could reduce unrestricted cash. While the union said it will continue working to protect jobs and pursue a third furlough mitigation agreement, it urged pilots to prepare for a range of possible outcomes. “Each pilot must ultimately decide what is best for themselves and their families,” Muller told members. “We urge you to take a clear-eyed look at your personal situation, explore all available options, and prepare for a range of possible outcomes.” CEO Pushes Back In a separate message to Spirit employees seen by CBS News, Spirit CEO Dave Davis shared that this disclosure was required by the airline’s auditors. “Let me start by providing some context around what’s included in the report. The report uses the phrase ‘substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.’ This is a phrase required by our outside auditors to convey that there is risk if we do not make changes. But, we are,” he said. https://airlinegeeks.com/2025/08/13/spirit-pilots-told-to-consider-all-options/ Latvia Says Baltic Jamming Being Caused By Three Sites In Russia Latvia’s Electronic Communications Office says that Russia is interfering with global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) from three sites, impacting flight navigation and airport operations in the region. After several months of investigation, the office, working in cooperation with Latvia’s State Border Guard, says it has pinpointed the sources of the interference using specialized radio frequency measurements. The agency says the “growing problem” of satellite navigation interference in the eastern borderlands of Europe and the Baltic Sea region has now “outgrown the national scale and has become a regional and international security issue.” Signals from these sites are primarily designed to impact military operations but have become a routine issue for commercial flight crews flying in the region. This has impacted navigation, the enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS), and ADS-B Out, forcing pilots to use fallback options. Jamming has also affected airports reliant on GNSS approaches. Last year, Finnish carrier Finnair briefly halted flights into the Estonian city of Tartu because of GPS interference that prevented several of its flights from safely landing there. Estonian ministers have previously described the use of GPS jamming by Russia as a “deliberate hybrid attack” that is interfering in daily life. According to the agency’s measurements, there are three permanent jamming “hot spots.” One is in the Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia’s exclave between Lithuania and Poland. Another is in the Leningrad Oblast, and a third in the Pskov Oblast. “These areas are known to host significant Russian military bases, including units specializing in electronic warfare, which are likely responsible for the detected signal interference,” the agency says, without specifying which bases are home to the jamming equipment. One of these sites is understood to be at Pionersky on the Baltic coast of Kaliningrad, home to a Tobol electronic warfare system. Data from the measurements has been supplied to international organizations including the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which oversees the regulation and use of radio communications worldwide; the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which provides the regulatory framework for global aviation safety; and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Russia is a signatory to all three agencies, but Moscow has not responded to requests from countries that border it and are being affected by the jamming, so officials have decided to raise the issues at the international level. “From an engineering point of view, these disturbances are clearly observable—the GNSS monitoring system we have created with high-precision sensors has been recording disturbances both at ground level and above ground for several months,” said Lauris Labanovskis, Latvia’s electronic communications office head of radio monitoring and control. “Cases of signal falsification are also visible—coordinate shifts, which indicate targeted spoofing tactics,” Labanovskis adds. The agency says the Russian side has responded to the ITU’s inquiries and claims that the measures are being taken for national defense purposes to protect its civil and military infrastructure. https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/safety-ops-regulation/latvia-says-baltic-jamming-being-caused-three-sites-russia ISASI 2025 September 29 – October 2, 2025 Denver Hotel and Conference Center 3801 Quebec St Denver, Colorado ISASI 2025 will be here soon, and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone to Denver. Tutorials will be presented on Monday September 29, followed by plenary sessions from September 30 – October 2. To register, please go to ISASI’s online and click on the seminar icon at the top right of the home page. Or go directly to the seminar page by clicking here. Once on the seminar page you will find a link to the hotel reservation site as well as the most up to date information on the Tutorials and the technical program. To see the technical program and other details at the top of the page, beside the “register now” button are tabs with further details. PLEASE NOTE: the seminar rate at the hotel will close on September 5; after that there is no guarantee the special rate will be available. Thanks from the ISASI 2025 Committee https://web.cvent.com/event/a6ec0291-9280-4529-b72f-fb38e0cabc17/summary CALENDAR OF EVENTS . Asia Pacific Aviation Safety Seminar 2025; 10-11 September 2025; Manila, Philippines . 2025 PROS IOSA SUMMIT - SEPT 10-11 - Denver, CO · ISASI ANNUAL SEMINAR 2025'September 29, 2025 – October 3, 2025, DENVER, COLORADO . 2025 NBAA Single-Pilot Safety Standdown; Monday, Oct. 13 | 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; Las Vegas, NV . 2025 NBAA National Safety Forum, Tuesday, Oct. 14 – Wednesday, Oct. 15; Las Vegas, NV . Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC™) - 2025 – October 27-29th (Omaha, Nebraska) . 78TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY SUMMIT (IASS) - Lisbon, November 4–6 . 29th annual Bombardier Safety Standdown, November 11-13, 2025; Wichita, Kansas · CHC Safety & Quality Summit, 11th – 13th November 2025, Vancouver, BC Canada . 2026 ACSF Safety Symposium; April 7-9, 2026; ERAU Daytona Beach, FL . 2026 NBAA Maintenance Conference; May 5-7, 2026; New Orleans, LA . BASS 2026 - 71st Business Aviation Safety Summit - May 5-6, 2026 | Provo, Utah . The African Aviation Safety & Operations Summit - May 19-20 | Johannesburg, South Africa . Safeskies Australia - Australia’s renowned Aviation Safety Conference - Canberra Australia 20 and 21 May 2026 . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV Curt Lewis