Flight Safety Information - August 27, 2025 No. 171 In This Issue : Incident: United A319 at Chicago on Aug 24th 2025, electrical something burning in cockpit : Incident: Azul A20N at Sao Paulo on Aug 25th 2025, bird strike : Incident: Air China B773 near Nizhnevartovsk on Aug 26th 2025, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Condor A321 at Pristina on Aug 24th 2025, bird strike : Incident: Transavia B738 at Amsterdam on Aug 25th 2025, flight control problems : US FAA to conduct scenario-based planning with Boeing before it may lift 737 MAX production cap : Dramatic F-35 Crash At Alaskan Air Base Caused By Iced-Up Landing Gear : Jet bridge at Santa Barbara Airport collapses during maintenance : Advances in Cloud-Based FDR Tech Aim to Make Business Aviation Safer : NTSB: Maintenance Error 'Likely' Behind Cargojet 767 Incident : Philadelphia International Airport Introduces New Runway Cushion To Help Stop Aircraft Overruns : FAA Moving Washington Headquarters : ISASI - 2025 - Denver, CO - September 29-October 3, 2025 Annual Seminar - Hotel Rate Deadline approaching (September 5) : Calendar of Events Incident: Azul A20N at Sao Paulo on Aug 25th 2025, bird strike An Azul Linhas Aereas Airbus A320-200N, registration PR-YSD performing flight AD-4269 from Sao Paulo Congonhas,SP to Recife,PE (Brazil), was climbing out of Congonhas' runway 17R when the crew stopped the climb at FL090 following a bird strike into the right hand engine (Leap). The aircraft entered a hold, then diverted to Sao Paulo's Guarulhos,SP (Brazil) Airport for a safe landing on runway 10R about 25 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 26 hours before returning to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=52c2559f&opt=0 Incident: Indonesia AirAsia A320 at Perth on Aug 24th 2025, engine shut down in flight An Indonesia AirAsia Airbus A320-200, registration PK-AXY performing flight QZ-545 from Perth,WA (Australia) to Denpasar (Indonesia), was climbing out of Perth's runway 21 when the crew levelled off at 5000 feet and shut the right hand engine (CFM56) down after the engine had suffered a number of compressor stalls. The aircraft burned off fuel and returned to Perth for a safe landing on runway 21 about one hour after departure. The aircraft is still on the ground in Perth about 27 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=52c18dfe&opt=0 Incident: Air China B773 near Nizhnevartovsk on Aug 26th 2025, engine shut down in flight An Air China Boeing 777-300, registration B-2033 performing flight CA-856 (dep Aug 25th) from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Beijing (China) with 251 passengers and 15 crew, was enroute at FL350 about 330nm west of Nizhnevartovsk (Russia) when the crew declared PAN PAN reporting an engine (GE90) malfunction and shut the engine down. The aircraft drifted down to FL240 and diverted to Nizhnevartovsk for a safe landing on runway 03 about 55 minutes after leaving FL350. The aircraft is still on the ground in Nizhnevartovsk about 12 hours after landing. https://app.constantcontact.com/pages/dashboard/home Incident: Condor A321 at Pristina on Aug 24th 2025, bird strike A Condor Airbus A321-200, registration D-ATCC performing flight DE-145 from Pristina (Kosovo) to Dusseldorf (Germany), was climbing out of Pristina's runway 35 when the crew stopped the climb at 8000 feet due to a bird strike into the right hand engine (CFM56). The aircraft returned to Pristina for a safe landing on runway 35 about 40 minutes after departure. According to information The Aviation Herald received the fan of the right hand engine was completely dismantled. The aircraft is still on the ground in Pristina about 54 hours (2 days 6 hours) after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=52c231e7&opt=0 Incident: Transavia B738 at Amsterdam on Aug 25th 2025, flight control problems A Transavia Boeing 737-800, registration PH-HXI performing flight HV-5517 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Pafos (Cyprus), was climbing out of Amsterdam's runway 18L when the crew requested to stop the climb to work on an issue, the aircraft levelled off at FL080. Subsequently the crew advised they wanted to climb in steps and requested FL100 and further to FL130, but then declared PAN PAN reporting a flight control problem, something wasn't right with the inputs on rotation already, subsequently the problm disappeared on autopilot, but they were seeing also other issues. The crew requested runway 18C and a slow descent, they weren't able to predict what would happen even though at that time (on autopilot) they were flying okay. The aircraft landed on runway 18C about 35 minutes after departure and taxied to the apron. The aircraft is still on the ground in Amsterdam about 22 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=52c21feb&opt=0 US FAA to conduct scenario-based planning with Boeing before it may lift 737 MAX production cap PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) -The head of the Federal Aviation Administration said on Tuesday the agency intends to conduct scenario-based planning, known as tabletop exercises, with Boeing before it will consider lifting the 38-plane-per-month cap on 737 MAX production. The exercises will review potential issues Boeing may face if it boosts production and aim to ensure the planemaker maintains progress on quality, officials said. "They still haven't asked us to increase the rate, and we haven't agreed to do anything," FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told Reuters on the sidelines of an event at the Philadelphia airport on Tuesday. "We agreed that it would make sense to start to develop the process by which we would entertain a rate increase conversation." Bedford added he hopes to complete those exercises, which are still being developed, by the end of September. "Then if they want to ask us for an increase, at least, we'll have a roadmap on how we can evaluate it," Bedford said. The FAA imposed the unprecedented production cap shortly after a January 2024 mid-air emergency involving a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 missing four key bolts. Since then, the FAA has maintained enhanced in-person oversight of Boeing production. Boeing did not immediately comment. CEO Kelly Ortberg said in May the planemaker is "pretty confident" that it can increase production of its best-selling 737 MAX jets to 42 a month. Bedford visited Boeing's Renton, Washington, factory on August 15, met with Ortberg, and received briefings on Boeing’s safety and quality initiatives and supply chain stability. He also toured the production line. The FAA in May extended by three years a program that allows Boeing to perform some tasks on the agency's behalf, such as inspections, rather than the traditional five years. Bedford praised Boeing for making a lot of enhancements and changes in the processes they have implemented in terms of quality control but there are still issues with traveled work - which are jobs completed at a later than originally planned stage. "In general, good news, cautiously optimistic, but there's still work to be done," Bedford said. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/us-faa-plans-table-top-155121451.html Dramatic F-35 Crash At Alaskan Air Base Caused By Iced-Up Landing Gear Ice buildup in the landing gear of a U.S. Air Force F-35A was the root cause of a crash at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska in January, according to a recently released report on the mishap. Ice buildup in the landing gear of a U.S. Air Force F-35A due to hydraulic fluid contaminated by water was the root cause of a crash at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska in January, according to a recently released report on the mishap. The incident also highlights an automated ground-operation mode in the F-35’s avionics, which wrongly determined that the jet had landed while it was still airborne because of how the ice had impacted the landing gear struts. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) released an unclassified report yesterday on the mishap in question, which occurred back on Jan. 28. A video, seen below, showing the F-35A tumbling vertically into the ground and then bursting into a fireball, quickly went viral at the time. The pilot, assigned to Eielson’s 354th Fighter Wing, was able to eject and suffered minor injuries. The aircraft was a total loss, and the accident cost the Air Force approximately $196.5 million. “After initial takeoff, the MA’s [mishap aircraft’s] nose landing gear (NLG) did not retract properly due to hydraulic fluid contaminated with water that froze, preventing full strut extension and resulting in the NLG being canted to the left. After running initial checklists, the NLG was still turned approximately 17 degrees to the left,” the report’s executive summary explains. “The MP [mishap pilot] initiated a conference call with Lockheed Martin engineers through the on-duty supervisor of flying (SOF). The MA held for approximately 50 minutes while the team developed a plan of action.” The canted nose wheel made it unsafe to attempt an emergency barrier engagement landing using the arresting gear installed of the main runway at Eielson. “The MP accomplished two touch-and-go landings attempting to recenter the NLG wheel. While both attempts failed to center the NLG wheel, the right main landing gear (MLG) strut and then left MLG strut did not fully extend after takeoff due to ice forming inside the strut,” it continues. “After the second touch-and-go, all valid Weight on Wheels (WoW) sensors indicated the MA was on the ground, and the MA transitioned to the ‘on ground’ flight control law (i.e., automated ground-operation mode causing the MA to operate as though it was on the ground when flying). However, because it was actually airborne, the MA was uncontrollable. The pilot successfully ejected and emergency responders were at the scene within a minute.” The report separately notes that the F-35 flew upward after the pilot ejected and reached an altitude of 3,205 feet mean sea level (MSL), or 2,665 feet above ground level (AGL), before it stalled and fell back to Earth. This helps explain the vertical descent seen in the viral video. The report says the aircraft was already pitched up 30 to 40 degrees, and was in a 38-degree bank to the left, when the pilot punched out. Yesterday, A USAF F-35A Lightning II aircraft crashed during its approach to Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The pilot successfully ejected using the Martin-Baker US16E seat. This was the 10th successful ejection from the F-35 https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/dramatic-f-35-crash-alaskan-192627180.html Jet bridge at Santa Barbara Airport collapses during maintenance A jet bridge at the Santa Barbara Airport collapsed Tuesday morning while undergoing maintenance, according to airport officials. The incident happened at about 9:25 a.m. Airport officials say there were no passengers on the jet bridge at the time. However, two maintenance workers sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to a local hospital for observation. "You know, it's kind of surprising. You always expect the jet bridges to be pretty secure. You don't expect them to collapse like that, so it makes you a little nervous," said traveler Dan Peck. Airport Director Chris Hastert says the cause of the collapse is not known at this time. "We take safety very seriously here and do a lot of preventative maintenance, so obviously, there's going to be an investigation. We'll find out why this happened. But no, this is a serious issue that has never come up before," he said. Hastert says the airport's other three jet bridges were visually inspected after the incident and remain in use. The incident did not impact travel at the airport on Tuesday. https://www.ksby.com/santa-barbara-south-coast/jet-bridge-at-santa-barbara-airport-collapses-during-maintenance Advances in Cloud-Based FDR Tech Aim to Make Business Aviation Safer Developments in cloud-based flight data recorder (FDR) technologies, data management and analytics offer opportunities for business aircraft operators to add value to their existing systems while bolstering overall flight safety. “There is a missed opportunity with integrated data collection and analysis,” said Dror Yahav, CEO of Universal Avionics. “While many OEMs, install it to check a requirement, flight data recorders are a powerful tool that links to everything that your aircraft is connected to.” Although their FDRs and cockpit voice recorders collect massive amounts of data, many operators often fail to do anything with it. Capturing the right data can be the first step toward improving pilot performance. It can help provide effective analysis to determine what factors may have contributed to an incident or accident. It has the potential to help prevent future accidents and enable more efficient operations. Within the past two decades, innovations in this technology for the business aviation sector have been significant. ForeFlight Mobile, for example, is designed to efficiently and effectively help pilots and professional flight crews gather information on weather and on their destinations. “One current development is the ongoing integration of flight data management and analysis into cloud platforms, bringing airline-style Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) and Flight Operations Quality Assurance programs to business aviation.” Cloud solutions, such as ForeFlight’s CloudAhoy, aim to improve post-flight debriefings to advance flight training. ForeFlight Cloud integrates with FDR systems, stores data and enables data sharing as well as data analysis. This allows FDRs to go beyond tracking and recording features. The focus is flight safety, data security – including of cloud-stored pilot flight logs, regulatory compliance and enhanced operational efficiency. “One current development is the ongoing integration of flight data management and analysis into cloud platforms, bringing airline-style flight data monitoring and Flight Operations Quality Assurance programs to business aviation,” said Hannes Griebel, director consulting services, aerospace and assured space systems at CGI. CGI has developed its VirtualFlightRecorder, a cloud-based flight recorder data storage and protection system. “It complements the functions traditionally performed by the conventional crash-resistant FDRs by storing flight recorder data transmitted by an aircraft in flight,” Griebel said. Griebel acknowledged that modern avionics or retrofit units, which are often quick-access recorders or data gateways, can upload recorded flight data to cloud services after each flight, where it is processed for trends and safety insights. The initiative adds a layer of data security by using blockchain technology to authenticate, log and secure incoming flight data records to ensure confidence in the data collated for analysis. CVR + FDR = CVFDR FDRs and CVRs are usually two separate boxes. Universal Avionics decided to change this. The company has developed a new generation of these systems called KAPTURE. Installed in business jets and other aircraft, the new systems were designed to comply with European regulations and the latest FAA Technical Standard Orders. “We wanted to ensure that customers are compliant with the latest mandate, which required new airplanes to equip a 25-hour CVR by May 16, 2025, and all airplanes will need to retrofit to this regulation by 2030,” Griebel said. The legislation was part of the 2024 FAA reauthorization. “After the base regulation requirements were met, we still wanted to provide customers with more value for their daily workflows,” said Yahav. There is much stored value available in FDRs, which most users do not use to improve their operations. Universal Avionics aims to support customers with their data analysis as well as with their compliance obligations. This involves the development of products and services, including the integration of FDR and CVR functions into one black box to create a single CVFDR unit. It records voice audio, flight data or both. For security reasons, in the business aviation sector, the data is encrypted. This has to be decrypted when there is an accident. “Users of our flight management system have constant access to their data, enabling them to optimize their operations and to undertake proactive and predictive maintenance,” said Yahav. AI tools can be used when there are large amounts of data to analyze, for predictive maintenance, or to improve fuel efficiency. “You do not want to waste time performing maintenance too early or risk unscheduled downtime when it’s too late,” Yahav said. Adding Video Data to FDRs Technology also enables the integration of video into flight data recorders, connecting a cockpit camera to make a visual record of pilot activities or intruders entering the flight deck. “The evolution of data recorders is mostly around video recording and providing additional information whenever there is an incident,” said Yahav. “Virtual recorder (VR) technologies have the potential to revolutionize CVR and FDR analysis by providing immersive and interactive experiences for investigators,” said Borka Vlacic, director of product management, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. With this kind of technology, it is possible to recreate a cockpit environment and overlay any relevant data. Connectivity Is Key These innovations can often work with any kind of connectivity, but not always. “Only satellite communications provide practical connectivity solutions for operations over water or remote areas, where the safety benefits are greatest,” said Griebel. Satellite is the only practical method to reach cloud-based storage solutions to back up data for an aircraft that operates in remote areas. “In practice, this means flight data is no longer confined to a physical device on board – it is also sent to remote storage in real time or near-real-time,” Griebel said. With modern satellite communications systems, connected recorders can transmit continuously, at intervals, or be triggered by an emergency, depending on operator preference. https://nbaa.org/aircraft-operations/safety/safety-through-innovation/advances-in-cloud-based-fdr-tech-aim-to-make-business-aviation-safer/ NTSB: Maintenance Error 'Likely' Behind Cargojet 767 Incident A Cargojet Airways Boeing 767-300ER suffered "substantial" elevator surface damage when its auxiliary power unit (APU) doors—apparently not fully latched following routine maintenance—broke away in flight and struck the aircraft, an NTSB investigation found. The June 17, 2024, incident occurred as the 767 was climbing through 13,000 ft. shortly after departing Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) en route to Vancouver International Airport. Following a routine takeoff roll and start of climb, the two-pilot crew reported a "loud bang," airframe vibrations and multiple fault messages, said an NTSB final report released Aug. 20. The aircraft was handling "normally," but the vibration intensity steadily increased, the report said. The pilots opted to return to CVG and made an uneventful landing. A post-flight inspection found both APU doors were missing. Parts of one door—the left-hand panel—were recovered. Investigators found no signs of failure on the door latch components. Flight data recorder data suggested the APU door began to separate when the aircraft was passing through 12,000 ft. "A review of the data also revealed no further anomalies that were related to the occurrence," the report said. A review of company maintenance records showed the 767 underwent two separate routine inspections June 15-17. Both required opening the access doors. "The maintenance technician who conducted the pre-departure check for the accident flight stated that he visually observed the APU doors and that they appeared to be latched and secured," the report said. Following the incident, Cargojet inspected its fleet of 17 757s and 24 767s for APU access door anomalies. It found six aircraft that needed latch assembly adjustments "to bring them within minimum and maximum closure force limits," the NTSB said. While conducting the work, Cargojet said it attempted to "simulate vibration and external forces to pull open" doors that needed adjustments. "They were unable to duplicate a failure and open the doors when an out-of-limit latch was correctly closed," the report said. NTSB's inability to examine the missing door pieces prevented it from determining a probable cause. However, "it is likely that one or more latches were not fully engaged and closed before departure," the report said. https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/safety-ops-regulation/ntsb-maintenance-error-likely-behind-cargojet-767-incident Philadelphia International Airport Introduces New Runway Cushion To Help Stop Aircraft Overruns Thank to a federal grant to improve airport infrastructure Engineered Materials Arresting Systems, or EMAS, has been installed at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). The innovative safety technology is deigned to make emergency takeoff or landing scenarios safer and less destructive. Coverage by ABC 6 states that runway 8-26 is the first to receive the new safety cushion. Similar to a runaway truck ramp on the interstate, the EMAS is sacrificed when the aircraft enters the cushion and slows it down in a way similar to a sand trap. Making America’s Airports Safer Federally provided funding to the tune of $8.5 million dollars made the installation of the new system possible. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Philadelphia Airport launched the project in September 2024, according to CBS News. The system features concrete blocks that collapse under a plane as it rolls over them and slows it down safely. Philadelphia’s new EMAS system was built by Runway Safe which is the one and only FAA approved makers in the United States right now. They produce two different systems at this time, but PHL’s is the cellular concrete block system called EMASMAX. Following the completion of the project, Trip Thomas of Runway Safe commented to Action News on the company’s track record of reliable results, saying: "To date we've had 24 real-world arrestments anywhere from 747s to business jets and they've all been 100% successful." Reducing Risk To Critical Phases Of Flight Runway overruns are the most common type of aviation accident in the world, accounting for 22% of mishaps, according to Runway Safe. They may be less common in the commercial jets category but the consequences are more dire than with private planes or general aviation aircraft. Some incidents only result in ugly repair invoices but others can be more tragic. A good case for EMAS is what happened to Korean Air Flight 631 crash from Incheon International Airport (ICN) to Mactan Cebu International Airport (CEB) in 2022. On Flight 631’s fifth attempt to land, the Airbus A330 ran 770 feet (235 meters) past the end of the runway before its gear collapsed. According to details recorded by the Aviation Safety network, there 20 injuries aboard but no fatalities. The damage was so great however, that the plane had to be written off. This is the exact type of incident where EMAS can save the day. If Cebu Airport had a runway safety area (RSA), the outcome would have been far less costly. Runway Safe’s EMAS systems can be built 500 feet wide and up to 1000 feet long. The FAA says a standard EMAS installation will stop most aircraft overrunning the runway at 70 knots (80 miles per hour). The Korean Air A330 came to rest in less distance simply by sinking into a grassy field, a specially designed safety area would have certainly brought to a halt in a shorter distance with a stable arrested stop. Modern Technology For Legacy Airfields Runway Safe is based in New Jersey, with its products made in the USA. They also make EMASgreen which uses silica foam to stop aircraft instead of a destructible concrete surface. Every RSA made by Runway Safe is the full width of the runway while its length its tailored to the airport’s configuration and operating aircraft fleet. The key features of the EMASMAX® system are: Feature Description Predictable Developed and validated using live aircraft testing. Each block is individually “punch tested” to ensure that it meets design parameters. Proven 20+ years of field experience with more than 120 systems fielded. Durable The current 4th generation system, has been improved to provide for a significant reduction in maintenance cost over it’s 20 year design life. Versatile Systems are provided in three different strength options with each installation unique in design with performance optimized to accommodate a wide range of aircraft. Repairable Only the sections of an EMAS bed damaged by the aircraft’s tire/landing gear during an overrun need to be replaced. Many of America’s airports were built before the adoption of RSA standards in the 1980s, such as PHL which was was established in the 1940s. The available land or terrain may not allow for 1000 foot long RSAs, which is why EMAS is valuable for the US air travel network. It can be tailored to provide safe overrun zones despite land-constraints. As of March 2025, the FAA had successfully helped fund the construction of RSAs using EMAS technology at 500 commercial airports in the USA. That comes out to 1,000 installations at runway ends across America, making the US the world leader in runway safety technology according to Travel and Tour World. https://simpleflying.com/philadelphia-international-airport-runway-cushion-aircraft-overruns/ FAA Moving Washington Headquarters Staff will be moved into the DOT's current headquarters. Key Takeaways: The Federal Aviation Administration is planning to relocate its headquarters staff from the agency’s current offices — the adjacent Orville Wright Federal Building and the Wilbur Wright Federal Building — on Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C., to a new location. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told workers about the move on Tuesday in a memo seen by Reuters. Workers at the current FAA headquarters will move to the Department of Transportation’s building at the Navy Yard. The move is part of a broader effort to consolidate IT infrastructure and other legacy systems at the DOT. “Bringing the FAA and DOT under one roof will: Ensure employees are working in modern facilities that reflect the importance of the agency’s; Enhance the agency’s safety mission; Make the agency more accountable; [and] Streamline redundant IT/HR operations and create new efficiencies,” Duffy stated in the memo. Neither the DOT nor the FAA provided timelines for the move, with more details expected in the coming weeks. https://avweb.com/aviation-news/faa-moving-washington-headquarters/ 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