Flight Safety Information - October 20, 2025 No. 209 In This Issue : Incident: AZAL A320 at St. Petersburg on Oct 20th 2025, problems with landing gear, overran runway on landing back : Accident: ACT B744 at Hong Kong on Oct 20th 2025, runway excursion, aircraft broken up in waters : Incident: EAT Leipzig A306 at Amsterdam on Oct 18th 2025, rejected takeoff due to bird strike : Incident: Eastern Express B734 at Ft. Myers on Oct 18th 2025, runway excursion : Incident: Wizz Malta A21N near Naples on Oct 14th 2025, cargo smoke indication : Incident: DHL Expreso B763 at Buenos Aires on Oct 14th 2025, runway incursion : Incident: Air China A321 over East China Sea on Oct 18th 2025, PED LiOn Battery ablaze in flight : Incident: United B38M near Salt Lake City on Oct 16th 2025, cracked windshield : FAA says US air traffic control staffing issues cause more flight delays : At Least 2 Dead After Plane Slides Off Runway, Crashes into Vehicle and Then Plummets in the Ocean Nearby : Boeing Just Received Good 737 MAX News. The Stock Should React Well : Jet Carrying 155 Skids Off Runway in Scary Emergency Landing : International Day of the Controller, Oct. 20, 2025 : United plane clips tail of another aircraft at Chicago’s O’Hare airport : IndiGo finalises order for 30 Airbus A350 aircraft : United Airlines pilot injured when mystery object smashes windshield at 36,000 feet : Calendar of Event Incident: AZAL A320 at St. Petersburg on Oct 20th 2025, problems with landing gear, overran runway on landing back An AZAL Azerbaijan Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration 4K-AZ84 performing flight J2-20 from St. Petersburg (Russia) to Baku (Azerbaijan) with 155 people on board, was climbing out of St. Petersburg's runway 28R when the crew stopped the climb at FL060 and entered a hold due to problems with the landing gear. The aircraft performed two low approaches to runway 28R, then entered a hold for about one hour, then performed another low approach to runway 28R and positioned for a full stop landing on runway 28R. Upon landing the aircraft overran the end of the runway and came to a stop with all gear on soft ground past the runway around 100 meters/330 feet past the runway end about 3 hours after departure. There were no injuries. The airline reported the crew decided to return to St. Petersburg due to a technical problem with the landing gear and burned off fuel. A replacement aircraft has been dispatched. A replacement Airbus A320-200N registration 4K-AZ143 is estimated to reach Baku with a delay of about 9 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=52e9cfd6&opt=0 Accident: ACT B744 at Hong Kong on Oct 20th 2025, runway excursion, aircraft broken up in waters An ACT Airlines Boeing 747-400 freighter on behalf of Emirates, registration TC-ACF performing flight EK-9788 (dep Oct 19th) from Dubai Al Maktoum (United Arab Emirates) to Hong Kong (China) with 4 crew, landed on Hong Kong's runway 07L at 03:52L (19:52Z Oct 19th), slowed to about 100 knots over ground normally but then began to veer left off the runway, broke through the airport perimeter fence, collided with a ground patrol car at the road outside the fence killing both occupants, and went into the sea still at about 60 knots over ground, the aircraft broke up. All 4 crew were rescued and were taken to hospitals. Emirates reported all 4 crew are safe, there had been no cargo on board of the aircraft. Hong Kong's AAIA opened an investigation stating: "The Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) has launched an investigation into an accident involving a B744 cargo aircraft (flight number UAE9788), arriving from Al Maktoum International Airport, United Arab Emirates, deviating from the North Runway after landing and ditched into the sea this morning (October 20). It was also found that a ground handling vehicle had fallen into the sea, causing the death of two people on board." https://avherald.com/h?article=52e9be9f&opt=0 Incident: EAT Leipzig A306 at Amsterdam on Oct 18th 2025, rejected takeoff due to bird strike An EAT Leipzig Airbus A300-600 on behalf of DHL, registration D-AEAB performing flight QY-6731 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was accelerating for takeoff from Amsterdam's runway 36C when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed (about 100 knots over ground) due to a bird strike into the right hand engine (PW4158). Tower reported seeing the right hand engine flame out. The crew requested emergency services to inspect the aircraft for damage, shut the right hand engine down for that inspection and subsequently returned to the apron on one engine. The aircraft is still on the ground in Amsterdam about 26 hours after the rejected takeoff. https://avherald.com/h?article=52e96d95&opt=0 Incident: Eastern Express B734 at Ft. Myers on Oct 18th 2025, runway excursion An Eastern Air Express Boeing 737-400, registration N804TJ performing flight BBQ-2150 from Havana (Cuba) to Ft. Myers,FL (USA), was on approach to Fort Myers' runway 06 when the crew went around from about 900 feet and repositioned for another approach to runway 06. The aircraft landed on runway 06 about 15 minutes after the go around but veered off the runway. There were no injuries, the runway needed to be closed for about 90 minutes. https://avherald.com/h?article=52e96aae&opt=0 Incident: Wizz Malta A21N near Naples on Oct 14th 2025, cargo smoke indication A Wizz Air Malta Airbus A321-200N, registration 9H-WNO performing flight W4-6118 from Sharm el Sheikh (Egypt) to Rome Fiumicino (Italy), was enroute at FL340 about 100nm east of Naples (Italy) and about 200nm southeast of Rome when the crew decided to divert to Naples after received a cargo smoke indication. The aircraft landed safely on Naples' runway 24 about 25 minutes later. The aircraft remained on the ground in Naples for about 10 hours, then continued the flight to Rome and reached Fiumicino Airport with a delay of about 11 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=52e8d79e&opt=0 Incident: DHL Expreso B763 at Buenos Aires on Oct 14th 2025, runway incursion A DHL Aero Expreso Boeing 767-300, registration HP-3610DAE performing flight D5-1558 from Buenos Aires Ezeiza,BA (Argentina) to Santiago (Chile), was taxiing for departure from runway 29, when the aircraft crossed the runway. An Avianca Airbus A320-200N, registration HK-5360 performing flight AV-111 (dep Oct 13th) from Medellin (Colombia) to Buenos Aires Ezeiza,BA (Argentina), was on short final to runway 29 about 1.37nm before the runway threshold when the 767 crossed the hold short line, was about 0.77nm before the runway threshold when the 767 crossed the runway edge line, was about 0.53nm before the runway threshold when the 767 crossed the other runway edge line to exit the runway and was about 100 meters/330 feet past the runway threshold when the 767 crossed the other hold short line and thus vacated the runway. Argentina's JST reported a runway incursion occurred when one aircraft (HK-5360) was landing and the other one was taxiing for departure. The occurrence was rated a serious incident and is being investigated. https://avherald.com/h?article=52e8c149&opt=0 Incident: Air China A321 over East China Sea on Oct 18th 2025, PED LiOn Battery ablaze in flight An Air China Airbus A321-200, registration B-8583 performing flight CA-139 from Hangzhou (China) to Seoul (South Korea), was enroute at FL330 over the East China Sea about 120nm east of Shanghai (China) when a passenger's LiOn Battery stored in the overhead locker overheated and burst ablaze. While cabin crew doused the fire and contained the device, flight crew turned the aircraft around to divert to Shanghai Pudong (China). The aircraft landed without further incident on Pudong's runway 34L about 40 minutes later. No injuries are being reported. The airline reported a LiOn Battery spontaneously combusted within a passenger's luggage, the crew reacted according to procedures and secured the device. No injuries occurred, the aircraft diverted to Shanghai for an emergency landing. A replacement aircraft was provided. Several passengers reported the fire suddenly broke out and posted videos and photos on China's social networks. A replacement A321-200 registration B-6883 continued the flight and reached Seoul with a delay of about 5:15 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Shanghai about 6 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=52e88f66&opt=0 Incident: United B38M near Salt Lake City on Oct 16th 2025, cracked windshield A United Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration N17327 performing flight UA-1093 from Denver,CO to Los Angeles,CA (USA) with 140 people on board, was enroute at FL360 about 180nm southeast of Salt Lake City,UT (USA) when the crew descended the aircraft to FL260 and subsequently decided to divert to Salt Lake City where the aircraft landed safely on runway 16L about 50 minutes after leaving FL360. The airline reported the aircraft diverted to address a crack in one layer of the multilayer windshield. A replacement Boeing 737-9 MAX reached Los Angeles with a delay of about 6 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Salt Lake City about 26 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=52e80701&opt=0 FAA says US air traffic control staffing issues cause more flight delays WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Aviation Administration said late Sunday that air traffic control staffing issues were delaying travel at airports in Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta and Newark as a U.S. government shutdown hit its 19th day. The FAA said numerous staffing triggers had been received for the evening shift and flights could also be delayed in Las Vegas and Phoenix because of air traffic control absences. FlightAware said more than 5,800 flights had been delayed on Sunday. Weather issues and a Formula 1 race in Austin were also impacting flights. More than 20% of American Airlines and Southwest Airlines flights were delayed Sunday, according to FlightAware. Some 13,000 air traffic controllers and about 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers must work during the government shutdown, but are not being paid. Earlier this month, more than 23,000 flights were delayed over a week and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said 53% of flight delays were due to staffing issues, compared with 5% normally, but staffing issues have largely improved over the last week. Air traffic control has become a flashpoint in the debate over the shutdown with both parties blaming the other. Unions and airlines have urged a quick end to the standoff. The Trump administration is airing videos at some airport security checkpoints blaming Democrats, but many airports have refused to run them. In 2019, during a 35-day shutdown, the number of absences by controllers and TSA officers rose as workers missed paychecks, extending checkpoint wait times at some airports. Authorities were forced to slow air traffic in New York and Washington, which put pressure on lawmakers to quickly end the standoff. The FAA is about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels and many had been working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks even before the shutdown. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/faa-says-us-air-traffic-002416270.html At Least 2 Dead After Plane Slides Off Runway, Crashes into Vehicle and Then Plummets in the Ocean Nearby The aircraft was arriving from Dubai when the tragedy occurred At least two people are dead after a plane ventured off a runway, hit a car and landed in the ocean An Emirates Boeing 747 cargo plane crashed as it was arriving from Dubai at the Hong Kong International Airport At least two people are dead after a plane ventured off a runway, hit a car and landed in the ocean. An Emirates Boeing 747 cargo plane — identified as EK9788 and operating as Aerotranscargo — crashed just before 4 a.m. local time on Monday, Oct. 20, as it was arriving from Dubai at the Hong Kong International Airport, according to ABC News, Reuters and the BBC, which cited airport authorities. The plane struck a car on the runway, and both the vehicle and the aircraft plummeted into the ocean at the same time. Two workers in the vehicle died. One was pronounced dead at the scene and the other was declared deceased after being taken to a local hospital, per the outlets. Investigators believe the plane struck the car as it veered off the runway. Four employees aboard the plane survived and were taken to a nearby hospital, the outlets said. Photos taken of the aftermath show the aircraft partially submerged in water near the airport's sea wall. The plane's inflatable escape slide was deployed, and the nose and tail sections of the plane separated. Emirates confirmed to Reuters that its plane was leased from and operated by ACT Airlines, a Turkish carrier that provides extra cargo capacity to major airlines. "Crew are confirmed to be safe and there was no cargo onboard," the airline told the outlet in a statement. Flight tracking information obtained by Reuters stated that the aircraft was 32 years old and had previously been used as a passenger plane. Emirates and ACT Airlines did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Local media has reported that Hong Kong's Government Flying Service deployed helicopters above the affected runway, and Fire Services Department vessels also assisted with the rescue operations. Investigators have not yet shared what caused the plane to skid off the runway. According to the BBC, the incident marks a rare occurrence at the Hong Kong airport, as the facility has good safety records. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/least-2-dead-plane-slides-015749254.html Boeing Just Received Good 737 MAX News. The Stock Should React Well. Boeing 737 Max fuselages are seen on railcars in Seattle, Washington. Through Friday trading, Boeing stock was up 20% year to date. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images) Key Points The Federal Aviation Administration increased Boeing’s 737 MAX production cap from 38 to 42 jets per month. The previous cap was imposed after a door plug incident on a 737 MAX 9 jet in Jan. 2024. Boeing’s stock has gained 20% in 2025 and 37% over the past 12 months, with expected profit in 2026. Boeing’s turnaround story hit another milestone on Friday. Investors should show their appreciation on Monday. Friday evening, the Federal Aviation Administration gave Boeing the go-ahead to produce up to 42 Boeing 737 MAX jets a month, from the prior cap of 38 per month. The cap was put in place after an emergency door plug blew out of a 737 MAX 9 jet operated by Alaska Air ALK on Jan. 5, 2024. The incident was caused by quality and manufacturing issues that put Boeing’s production processes under a microscope. Lifting the cap shows progress and confidence from Boeing’s regulator that things are moving in the right direction. “Our team has followed a disciplined rate readiness process guided by our Safety Management System and tracked by key performance indicators that were agreed upon with the FAA,” said the company in an emailed statement to Barron’s. “We remain committed to implementing our Safety and Quality Plan and working with our suppliers to increase production in a disciplined manner. We appreciate the work by our team, our suppliers, and the FAA to ensure we are prepared to increase production with safety and quality at the forefront.” Producing—and then delivering—more jets will help Boeing make money in 2026. The company hasn’t produced a full-year profit since 2018, and isn’t expected to report a profit in 2025, either. Boeing delivered 387 MAX jets in 2023, before the door plug incident. It delivered 260 MAX jets in 2024. Boeing is expected to deliver about 450 MAX jets in 2025, rising to 530 in 2026 and more than 600 in 2027, according to analyst estimates aggregated by FactSet. Investors should be happy with the higher cap, which should provide a tailwind to the stock on Monday. Exactly how big a tailwind is hard to say. Investors were ready for the production rate increase to be announced soon. It essentially came when it was expected. Still, after years of losses, staying on schedule is a positive. Through Friday trading, Boeing stock has gained 20% in 2025 and climbed 37% higher over the past 12 months. Shares were roughly $250 a share before the door plug blowout in Jan. 2024. Shares were north of $440 a piece before the second tragic 737 MAX crash in March 2019, which grounded the jet worldwide until late 2020. https://www.barrons.com/articles/boeing-737-max-stock-price-news-77e6f595?siteid=yhoof2 Jet Carrying 155 Skids Off Runway in Scary Emergency Landing An Airbus A320 carrying 155 people skidded off the runway after doubling back to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff. Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-020 ran off the tarmac at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport in Russia on Monday. It had been bound for Baku in Azerbaijan, but turned around after detecting a landing gear problem. Russia’s North-West Transport Prosecutor’s Office shared images of the plane standing on grass next to evacuation equipment at one of Russia’s busiest airports. The incident caused flights to be delayed, The Moscow Times reports. Azerbaijan Airlines said a second plane was dispatched from Baku, roughly a four-hour flight away. In Hong Kong, a cargo plane collided with a ground vehicle. Both vehicles ended up in shallow water, with the jet’s fuselage snapped, and the car submerged. Two people were killed in the accident. The cargo plane, flight EK9788, had flown from Dubai. It veered off the runway during the crash, The Guardian reports. The plane was operated by Turkish freight carrier ACT Airlines on behalf of Emirates. https://www.thedailybeast.com/jet-carrying-155-skids-off-runway-in-scary-emergency-landing/ International Day of the Controller, Oct. 20, 2025 Today, NATCA recognizes the International Day of the Controller, the observance recognizing the vital work that is done by air traffic controllers around the world to keep the global airspace operating safely and efficiently. In the U.S., American controllers are presently operating under enormous stress and distraction as they continue to be responsible for moving 35,000 flights with millions of passengers and many tons of cargo every day without pay. These hardworking workers are a vital engine for the U.S. economy and our modern way of life and deserve to be paid for the work they are performing. NATCA honors our members and thanks them for their unwavering commitment to aviation safety. This current situation is unacceptable. The government shutdown must end immediately. https://www.natca.org/2025/10/20/international-day-of-the-controller-oct-20-2025/ United plane clips tail of another aircraft at Chicago’s O’Hare airport No one was hurt in the incident when a wing from one plane struck the tail of another United aircraft A United Airlines plane heading for its gate clipped the tail of another United aircraft at Chicago’s O’Hare airport, authorities said. No one was hurt in Friday’s incident, and the 113 passengers on flight 2652 from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, were able to leave the plane normally after a delay, United officials said in a statement. Runway collisions like these could add to worries about aviation safety in the wake of recent crashes and near misses – including the deadliest plane crash in the United States in decades, when an army helicopter collided with an airliner preparing to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National airport in January. Earlier in October, two Delta Air Lines regional jets collided at the intersection of taxiways at LaGuardia airport in New York, injuring a flight attendant. In Friday’s case, the second United plane had its horizontal stabilizer struck and was not moving when the planes hit, officials said. Bill Marcus, a passenger on the flight from Wyoming, said he didn’t even realize anything happened until the pilot said there would be a delay to document something and passengers on the plane saw a number of people gather around the right wing. “I was shocked that I didn’t feel something more, although when they separated the planes there was some shuddering,” Marcus told CBS News Chicago. It took about 40 extra minutes for the plane to get to the gate, he said. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/oct/18/united-plane-clips-tail-chicago-ohare-airport IndiGo finalises order for 30 Airbus A350 aircraft IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has finalised a firm order for 30 Airbus A350 aircraft. This deal converts a memorandum of understanding signed in June into a confirmed contract. As a result, IndiGo’s total A350 orders now stand at 60. The agreement marks a key turning point for the airline. It signals IndiGo’s entry into the long-haul international market. Moreover, the A350’s impressive range and fuel efficiency will help the carrier expand globally while improving operational sustainability. “Today is a special day for IndiGo as we solidify our commitment to expanding our international footprint and offering unparalleled connectivity to our customers,” said Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo. “The conversion of this MoU into a firm order for 30 additional A350-900s is a testament to our confidence in the future of Indian aviation and our strategic partnership with Airbus.” He continued, “In line with India’s vision of becoming a global aviation hub and our aspiration to establish ourselves as a leading global aviation player by 2030, IndiGo is taking decisive steps forward. These aircraft, as they join our fleet in the years to come, will play a pivotal role in enabling IndiGo to expand its reach, connect India with more destinations across the globe, and offer our customers new international travel opportunities.” Meanwhile, India’s aviation market continues to grow rapidly. As household incomes rise and the economy strengthens, demand for international travel is increasing sharply. Therefore, the A350 is ideally placed to meet this new wave of long-range demand. For over five decades, Airbus has supported India’s aviation growth. Its A320 Family democratised domestic air travel. Now, the A350 will help Indian airlines, including IndiGo, capture global opportunities and enhance connectivity worldwide. https://avitrader.com/2025/10/20/indigo-finalises-order-for-30-airbus-a350-aircraft/ United Airlines pilot injured when mystery object smashes windshield at 36,000 feet A United Airlines pilot was injured and forced to make an emergency landing after a mystery object smashed the windshield of a Boeing 737 at 36,000 feet. Photos circulating online reportedly show the pilot’s arms bleeding and bruised, with injuries consistent with glass cuts. Broken glass also covered the dashboard and cockpit. Other photos show what appear to be scorch marks at the point of impact. United Flight 1093 from Denver to Los Angeles had to make an emergency landing in Salt Lake City on Thursday. Some online observers suggested that the strike might have been the result of space debris or even a meteor hitting the jet. The Federal Aviation Administration placed the probability of space debris causing serious injury to a commercial airline passenger at 1 trillion to 1 in a 2023 report. Experts said the windshield crack could be explained by an electrical malfunction, but the scorch marks and the broken glass indicate the plane was likely hit by something. Birds, hail, and other objects tend to collide with planes at lower altitudes. What makes this reported incident different is that the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was at cruising altitude — far above those concerns. The windshield appeared scorched and cracked. “On Thursday, United flight 1093 landed safely in Salt Lake City to address damage to its multilayered windshield. We arranged for another aircraft to take customers to Los Angeles later that day and our maintenance team is working to return the aircraft to service,” United said. The plane remains grounded in Salt Lake City, according to reports. The amount of space debris circling the Earth continues to grow, with NASA tracking over 25,000 pieces of space debris larger than 4 inches. https://nypost.com/2025/10/19/us-news/united-airlines-pilot-injured-after-mystery-object-smashes-windshield-at-36000-feet/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS . 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