Flight Safety Information - November 19, 2025 No. 231 In This Issue : Incident: Royal Jordanian A321 at Maastricht on Nov 16th 2025, bird strike : Incident: Avianca Mexico A333 at San Pedro Sula on Nov 18th 2025, runway excursion on line up : Boeing 777-300ER - Burning Odor in Cabin (San Francisco, CA) : Engine accelerated after landing, a probe into deadly Hong Kong plane crash finds : Elderly Passenger Claims American Airlines Crew Burst Into Bathroom and Accused Him of Smoking : Industry Warnings Ahead of Wednesday Aviation Hearing : World’s Fastest Growing Aviation Country Needs 30,000 New Pilots : PhD GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST : Calendar of Event Incident: Royal Jordanian A321 at Maastricht on Nov 16th 2025, bird strike A Royal Jordanian Airbus A321-200 freighter, registration JY-RAZ performing flight RJ-34 from Maastricht (Netherlands) to Amman (Jordan), was climbing out of Maastricht's runway 03 when the crew stopped the climb at FL080 and entered a hold following a bird strike into one of the engines (V2533). The crew subsequently decided to divert to Dusseldorf (Germany) where the aircraft landed safely on runway 05R about 45 minutes after departure. The aircraft is still on the ground in Dusseldorf about 48 hours after landing. According to information The Aviation Herald received, the engine is being replaced. https://avherald.com/h?article=52fde8aa&opt=0 Incident: Avianca Mexico A333 at San Pedro Sula on Nov 18th 2025, runway excursion on line up An Avianca Cargo Mexico Airbus A330-300 freighter, registration N337QT performing flight 4R-4274 from San Pedro Sula (Honduras) to Miami,FL (USA), was taxiing for departure backtracking runway 22. While turning around to line up runway 22 the nose gear went off paved surface. The aircraft became disabled with the nose gear on the grass. https://avherald.com/h?article=52fe054d&opt=0 Boeing 777-300ER - Burning Odor in Cabin (San Francisco, CA) Date: Tuesday 18 November 2025 Time: 21:27 UTC Type: Boeing 777-300ER Owner/operator: United Airlines Registration: N2250U MSN: 66590/1639 Year of manufacture: 2019 Engine model: General Electric GE90-115B Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Category: Incident Location: NW of San Francisco, CA - United States of America Phase: En route Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: San Francisco International Airport, CA (SFO/KSFO) Destination airport: Hong Kong-Chek Lap Kok International Airport (HKG/VHHH) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: United Airlines flight UA869, a Boeing 777-300ER, had just departed SFO on a flight to Hong Kong (HKG) when the smell of burning rubber in the cabin forced a return to SFO. The flight landed safely back at SFO after dumping fuel, one hour after takeoff. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/562055 Engine accelerated after landing, a probe into deadly Hong Kong plane crash finds HONG KONG (AP) — An investigation into a deadly plane crash in Hong Kong last month found an engine of the aircraft accelerated after touching down, according to a preliminary report on Tuesday. The Boeing 747, flown by Turkey-based ACT Airlines from Dubai, skidded after landing at the city's airport on Oct. 20 and collided with a security patrol car, sending both vehicles into the sea. Two workers in the car were killed. The four crew members on the plane were unhurt. The Transport and Logistics Bureau wrote in a Facebook post that existing evidence showed the flight and conditions such as weather, runway and air traffic control were all normal before the plane veered off. The report from the Air Accident Investigation Authority listed the crash as an accident, saying its Number 4 engine accelerated after landing. Examination of the flight deck showed thrust levers of Number 1, 2 and 3 engines were closed and their reverse thrust levers were selected to the maximum. “The Number 4 engine thrust lever was in the full forward thrust position. Number 4 engine reverse thrust lever was fully forward,” the report said. The bureau said the investigation would focus on why Number 4 engine’s thrust lever was in that position, including whether there were problems that caused its loss of control. The investigation authority will collect further data and conduct analysis focusing on issues such as those related to aircraft systems and performance, conditions of the engines, maintenance records and human factors. The bureau said the investigative agency aims to finish a comprehensive report within a year. It added the authority was assisted by representatives from Turkey's Transport Safety Investigation Center and U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, in addition to Boeing's experts. The aircraft was operated under lease by Emirates, a long-haul carrier based in Dubai. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/engine-accelerated-landing-probe-deadly-104339369.html Elderly Passenger Claims American Airlines Crew Burst Into Bathroom and Accused Him of Smoking Ali Warisuzzaman, 79, claims flight attendants opened the locked lavatory door to “harass and humiliate" him Colson Thayer An American Airlines passenger claims flight attendants burst in on him using the lavatory to accuse him of smoking Ali Warisuzzaman, 79, claims the flight attendants intentionally harassed and humiliated him The passenger filed a complaint against the airline in court on Nov. 10, seeking at least $1 million in damages An American Airlines passenger is suing the company and multiple crew members claiming flight attendants burst into the bathroom to accuse him of smoking. Now the customer is alleging racial discrimination, seeking damages of at least $1 million. According to a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Eastern Pennsylvania on Nov. 10, 79-year-old Ali Warisuzzaman, who identifies as “Indian American" and has been a U.S. citizen for 40 years, boarded an American flight from Philadelphia to Phoenix on Oct. 3 to attend his granddaughter’s birthday. Sitting towards the back of the plane, the passenger claims a flight attendant initially ignored him during the first round of beverage service. After asking another flight attendant why he was skipped, the passenger claims he continued to receive “dirty looks” from the former. American Airlines planes at the gate at LaGuardia Airport in New York About an hour into the flight, Warisuzzaman says he went to the plane’s rear lavatory located about two feet away from his seat. Moments later, he claims he heard a loud bang on the door followed by someone asking, “Are you smoking?” After allegedly explaining he doesn't smoke, Warisuzzaman claims the flight attendant he encountered first opened the locked door and peeped inside while the passenger was seated on the toilet. Soon, a third flight attendant and another individual he claims "looked like a crew member,” allegedly opened the door too. “If the aircraft is equipped with audio-visual cameras, one would see that in a matter of one minute, a crew member violently banged and opened [the] lavatory door at least five times. Maybe six or seven times,” Warisuzzaman alleges in the complaint. Warisuzzaman alleges that once he came out of the lavatory everything was normal on the plane. He claims the flight attendants used the “emergency” as an excuse to “harass and humiliate the plaintiff stemming from their racial animus.” When the passenger arrived in Phoenix, he claims he was surrounded by seven to ten “heavily armed policemen." Warisuzzaman believes one of the flight attendants told the pilot to request police upon arrival. After the passenger claims police interrogated him “for a while,” he says he was free to leave and there was no charge made against him. 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. Warisuzzaman is suing the airline and two crew members and the captain on eight counts, including the violation of equal rights, violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and defamation. He is seeking no less than $1 million to be determined at trial. Advertisement Neither Warisuzzaman nor a representative for American Airlines immediately responded to PEOPLE’s requests for comments. Passenger aircrafts are equipped with sensitive detection systems in lavatories to alert crew to anyone smoking or vaping, though other passengers have reportedly made similar claims that crew members accused them of smoking when they say they were not smokers and didn't have any smoking device in their possession. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, “FAA regulations prohibit smoking, including the use of electronic cigarettes, on board airliners." https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/elderly-passenger-claims-american-airlines-180138889.html Industry Warnings Ahead of Wednesday Aviation Hearing Testimony during aviation hearing to urge lawmakers to protect FAA operations during future funding lapses. Key Takeaways: Industry groups are pressing Congress to confront the aviation fallout from the recent 43-day government shutdown as lawmakers prepare for Wednesday’s Senate aviation subcommittee hearing. Airlines for America told Reuters that rising controller absences contributed to disruptions that impacted an estimated 50,000 flights and 6 million passengers during the shutdown, while other organizations say the shutdown exposed vulnerabilities across the broader FAA workforce. Ahead of the aviation hearing, the Center for Transportation Policy called on Congress to grant the FAA automatic access to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund during future budget standoffs. The group said the move would ensure controllers receive pay, towers remain staffed and essential operations continue even when other federal functions pause. “The recent government shutdown exposed just how fragile our nation’s air traffic control system has become,” Jackson Shedelbower, CTP’s executive director, said. “By giving the FAA automatic access to its own trust fund when the lights go dark on Capitol Hill, lawmakers can ensure America’s skies don’t fall prey to future congressional games of chicken.” Stakeholders also note that shutdown impacts extended beyond air traffic control. The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union, which represents technicians, inspectors and other personnel responsible for maintaining navigation systems and overseeing aircraft and pilot safety, was not included among scheduled witnesses for the aviation hearing. Observers told AVweb the omission may leave key shutdown-related strain unaddressed. https://avweb.com/aviation-news/industry-warning-ahead-of-aviation-hearing/ World’s Fastest Growing Aviation Country Needs 30,000 New Pilots NEW DELHI- India is facing a pressing shortage of pilots, with the Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu warning that approximately 30,000 new pilots will be required to man the 1,700 aircraft currently on order by domestic airlines. This staggering demand reflects an upcoming surge in commercial aviation investment. At present, India has some 8,000 licensed pilots, of whom 2,000–3,000 are not actively flying, according to the Minister. He stressed that existing pilot training capacity is inadequate and urged a rapid expansion of Flying Training Organizations (FTOs) to bridge the looming gap. India Seeks 30,000 Pilots Minister Naidu calculated that, with each aircraft requiring 10–15 pilots, the 1,700-aircraft order book translates into demand for 25,000–30,000 pilots when the planes are delivered. The expansion is seen as inevitable given India’s role as one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets. To meet this surge, Naidu proposed elevating India’s pilot-training infrastructure, rating 38 FTOs nationwide, and encouraging high-quality institutions. He also floated the idea of developing training-oriented airports, similar to cargo hubs, to support future pilot education. Workforce and Jobs Impact The minister highlighted a broader economic impact, pointing out that one aviation job can generate up to 15 indirect positions in sectors such as logistics, maintenance, and airport services — far exceeding the six indirect jobs per aviation job estimated by IATA. He also noted that India currently operates a fleet of about 834 aircraft, yet fewer than 8,000 pilots are fully active — indicating a serious shortfall even without accounting for future deliveries. T Training Ecosystem Gap Naidu argued that the existing FTOs lack the capacity to scale up, warning that without urgent enhancement, the pilot shortfall could derail fleet expansion plans. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to evaluating and upgrading training organisations, proposing a rating system to ensure their quality and capacity. In parallel, he emphasised making India a global training hub for pilots — not only to meet domestic demand but also to attract international cadets. Beyond pilot training, the government is pushing “Make in India” ambitions in aerospace. Naidu revealed plans to boost domestic aircraft-component manufacturing from US$2 billion to US$4 billion by 2030, underscoring a long-term strategy to design, build, and maintain aircraft locally. He also proposed dedicated cargo and training airports as part of a broader infrastructure roadmap to sustain aviation growth. Bottom Line India’s aviation boom has set off an urgent scramble for skilled pilots: with 1,700 aircraft on order, the country could need 30,000 additional pilots in the next 15–20 years. The government has signalled strong support for expanding pilot training infrastructure and FTO capacity, even exploring dedicated airports and domestic aircraft manufacturing to ensure the pilot pipeline keeps pace with industry growth. https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/11/18/india-needs-30000-new-pilots/ PhD GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST My name is Nathan Schultz, and I am a doctoral candidate at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the Ph.D. in Aviation program. I am conducting my dissertation research under the guidance of Dr. Scott Winter. We are interested in understanding pilot perspectives on operating at airports under various weather conditions. I am seeking participants to complete a brief online survey (5-7 minutes). Eligibility Requirements: -Must be 18 years of age or older -Must hold an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) certification -Must be a current or former pilot of crewed aircraft (UAS-only pilots are not eligible) Additional Information: -Participation is entirely voluntary and anonymous -There will be no compensation for participation -The study has been approved by the Embry-Riddle Institutional Review Board (IRB) Please use the following electronic questionnaire link: https://forms.gle/x6rbqNRGiRYm96ADA Best regards, Nathan Schultz PhD in Aviation, Candidate Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University CALENDAR OF EVENTS . 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