Flight Safety Information - December 12, 2025 No. 247 In This Issue : Incident: UPS B763 at Shannon on Dec 10th 2025, hydraulic and gear problem : Incident: Cathay Pacific B773 at Hong Kong on Dec 10th 2025, burst tyre on departure : Ryanair plane crashed while ground vehicle driver was advising trainee : Security Guard Drove Car Onto Taxiway and Sped by Multiple Airplanes. Driver Had 'Possible Medical Emergency,' Airport Says : British Airways passengers from London to Mexico had a 9-hour flight to nowhere when their plane U-turned 150 miles off the coast of Canada : Canada transport regulator reviews pilot fatigue rules following industry complaints : Senators Say NDAA Would Roll Back Air Safety Reforms : Honolulu airport to see first in-flight power bank ban on this airline : Calendar of Event Incident: UPS B763 at Shannon on Dec 10th 2025, hydraulic and gear problem A UPS United Parcel Service Boeing 767-300, registration N391UP performing flight 5X-6249 from Shannon (Ireland) to Cologne (Germany) with 2 crew, was climbing out of Shannon's runway 24 when the crew requested to stop the climb at FL100 advising they had a mechanical problem and wanted to enter a hold. After about 30 minutes the crew declared PAN PAN stating, they had a hydraulic problem that caused a gear problem. The aircraft returned to Shannon for a safe landing on runway 24 about 45 minutes after departure. The aircraft, with the same crew at the controls, had returned to Shannon the previous day, too, see Incident: UPS B763 at Shannon on Dec 9th 2025, gear problem on departure. https://avherald.com/h?article=53101ae9&opt=0 Incident: Cathay Pacific B773 at Hong Kong on Dec 10th 2025, burst tyre on departure A Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300, registration B-KQC performing flight CX-105 from Hong Kong (China) to Melbourne,VI (Australia), departed Hong Kong's runway 07R when the crew stopped the climb at 5000 feet and decided to return to Hong Kong due to a burst tyre. The aircraft landed safely on runway 07L about 25 minutes after departure, vacated the runway and stopped on the parallel taxiway. A passenger reported there was a loud bang just as the aircraft took off. The airline reported the aircraft returned to Hong Kong after a flat tyre was detected after departure. A replacement Boeing 777-300 registration B-KQY reached Melbourne with a delay of about 6:45 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Hong Kong about 23 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=530f35e2&opt=0 Ryanair plane crashed while ground vehicle driver was advising trainee A Ryanair plane crashed into a fence at Stansted airport while being moved by a tug driving instructor who was focused on advising a trainee, an investigation has found. Around 181 passengers and six crew were on board the Boeing 737 jet, which suffered “substantial damage” in the incident on Aug 21 last year, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said. The aircraft was being moved to the Essex airport’s apron – where planes await runway departure slots – by a ground vehicle known as a tug. The tug was initially driven by a female trainee, who turned a corner too early and then made “several corrective turns” before stopping, the report stated. An instructor sitting alongside her took over the controls and “continued to reassure and advise the trainee while performing the pushback, looking at her while doing so”, the report said. The plane’s nosewheel moved beyond the tug release point (TRP) ground markings – where it was meant to stop – resulting in the aircraft striking a blast barrier, which protects areas from jet exhaust air. This damaged the rear of the plane, but caused no injuries. The airport’s fire service attended the scene. ‘Focused on speaking to trainee’ Following the crash, the instructor was given drug and alcohol tests, which he passed. The man explained he had been “focusing on speaking to the trainee” when he drove past the TRP, the report said. He added that the markings were “not very prominent” and were “obscured” underneath the plane. The trainee said she did not say anything when her instructor failed to stop as she was “assuming he must have known what he was doing”, the report stated. The manoeuvre was carried out by workers for Blue Handling, a ground handling team from the facility management provider ABM, which serves Ryanair at Stansted. ABM was approached for a comment. Since the accident, the airport has doubled the length of TRPs from 50cm to one metre, and painted them on both sides of the centre lines rather than just one side. In October 2023, a Ryanair plane collided with a passenger assistance vehicle on a road at Stansted. The jet’s right wing hit the roof of the vehicle, causing damage to both. A report by the AAIB found the plane had the right of way, and the vehicle’s driver may have been tired and distracted. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/ryanair-plane-crashed-tug-driver-150059316.html Security Guard Drove Car Onto Taxiway and Sped by Multiple Airplanes. Driver Had 'Possible Medical Emergency,' Airport Says The driver, a contract security guard for the airport, remains under medical observation Sam Gillette A car was filmed speeding by airplanes on a taxiway in California on Dec. 8 The driver was quickly detained without further incident The airport confirms that "the individual was evaluated on scene and determined to be experiencing a possible medical emergency" A chaotic scene erupted at a California airport after a car was captured on video speeding by airplanes on a taxiway. The dangerous incident began on Monday, Dec. 8, around 1:12 p.m. local time, when a contract security guard, who was supposed to be stationed at an airfield security checkpoint, allegedly drove a vehicle on the taxiway at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana at a “high rate of speed,” a spokesperson for the airport, AnnaSophia Servin, confirms in a statement shared with PEOPLE. In footage obtained by PEOPLE, a white sedan could be seen shooting down the aircraft-designated path as airport workers shouted in surprise. While some people yelled at the driver to stop, others on the taxiway cursed in shock as the car passed multiple planes. At the end of the video, a sheriff’s patrol vehicle could be seen chasing after the car. "Me and all my co-workers were just like yelling, giving him the X, holding the [traffic] wands, telling him to stop the plane, and then he zoomed right past," Rijken Vanderweide, an airport worker who shot the video, told ABC affiliate KABC. "Honestly, if we didn't tell that plane to stop, he came really close, and if no one noticed or stopped ... he probably would've collided with that nose gear and possibly collapsed that front end of the plane." In air traffic controller recordings reviewed by the outlet, the controller could be heard warning a Southwest Airlines plane of the car and holding all aircraft on the runway in position as officials arrived on the scene. "Southwest 1057 hold position, there's a high-speed chase on the taxiway," the controller said, according to the outlet. The employee could also be heard speaking with pilots about the male driver exiting his car and attempting to barricade himself, KABC reported. Shortly after the unidentified driver entered the taxiway, the person was detained by deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office without further incident, Servin says. “Due to the subject’s erratic behavior, deputies requested a medical assessment by the Orange County Fire Authority,” the spokesperson continues in the statement shared with PEOPLE, “the individual was evaluated on scene and determined to be experiencing a possible medical emergency.” 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. The security guard was transported to a local hospital, and there was no interruption to airport operations. As of Thursday, Dec. 11, the driver remains under medical observation. Servin adds, “The employee has been placed on suspension pending final review of the incident.” https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/security-guard-drove-car-onto-173605851.html British Airways passengers from London to Mexico had a 9-hour flight to nowhere when their plane U-turned 150 miles off the coast of Canada • British Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft as seen on final approach flying over the houses of Myrtle avenue in London a famous location for plane spotting, for landing at London Heathrow Airport LHR • A British Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner.Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images • A British Airways flight to Mexico returned to London on Wednesday. It turned around over the Atlantic Ocean, five hours into the journey. Passengers were on the plane for nine hours before landing back at Heathrow Airport. British Airways passengers spent more than nine hours on a transatlantic flight that ended up back where it started. Wednesday's Flight 243 took off from London Heathrow Airport at 1:22 p.m. and was supposed to land in Mexico City around 11 hours later. However, five hours into the journey, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner turned around over the Atlantic Ocean. It had already passed Greenland and was only about 150 miles off the coast of Canada's Nunavut territory, according to data from Flightradar24. The plane then headed back across the ocean, arriving in London just after 10 p.m. The airline said in a statement that the diversion was due to an unspecified technical issue. "The flight landed safely and customers disembarked normally following reports of a technical issue with the aircraft. We've apologised to our customers for the delay, and our teams are working to get their journeys back on track," the statement said. It can be frustrating for passengers when they're diverted to their origin — a so-called flight to nowhere — but often it's the best course of action. Returning to Heathrow, BA's main hub, makes it easier for the airline to rebook passengers on alternative flights and fix any problems with the aircraft. Diverting elsewhere might have also left the plane and crew out of place, disrupting the airline's schedule. Plus, a stopover in Canada or the US may have caused the crew to reach their maximum working hours. When BA Flight 243 turned around, its closest airport was Iqaluit in northern Canada, less than 300 miles away. Some flights have diverted to this remote town in the past, but it can ultimately be more disruptive. Last year, an Air France flight diverted to Iqaluit after a burning smell was detected in the cabin. The pilots declared an emergency, and a different plane was rerouted to rescue the passengers. It was originally scheduled for another flight, so that had to be canceled. Passengers were then taken to New York, where they were rebooked onto other flights to reach their intended destination of Seattle. Ultimately, it depends on how urgent the diversion is, since safety is the top concern. However, if possible, returning to the flight's origin can be the simplest option for both passengers and the airline. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/british-airways-passengers-london-mexico-090001804.html Canada transport regulator reviews pilot fatigue rules following industry complaints MONTREAL, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Canada's transport regulator is reviewing its regulations to curb pilot fatigue due to industry concerns they are too complex, in the latest case of a country wrestling with rules designed to improve safety. India's aviation regulator granted its largest carrier IndiGo (INGL.NS), opens new tab a one-time exemption from new pilot night-duty rules, among other regulations, after poor planning by the airline resulted in at least 2,000 flight cancellations this month. Transport Canada told Reuters on Tuesday it has been "diligently reviewing" pilots' flight and duty time regulations in consultation with pilots and air operators. Since the current rules took effect in 2018, industry participants had shared concerns over the "complexity and inoperability of the current framework," the regulator said. The head of a global pilot union group said this week that India's decision to grant the exemption from the rest rules was concerning, while in Canada, a union representing aviators said Transport Canada had proposed exemptions to the country's duty-time regulations. The Air Line Pilots Association said Transport Canada had proposed allowing pilots to work up to 23 days in a row rather than having a guaranteed day off per week. Transport Canada did not comment on the proposed exemptions. Canada and other countries have introduced regulations over the years to limit the maximum number of hours that commercial pilots can fly and cap the time they remain on duty to improve safety. Transport Canada said in 2018 that the rules would lower the number of flight hours to 1,000 from 1,200 over 365 days and set a maximum work day anywhere from nine to 13 hours, depending on start time. A commercial airline pilot's flight duty period was previously capped at 13 hours and 45 minutes. In India, under the new rules, the maximum time pilots can fly during flights that stretch into the night, between midnight and early morning, is capped at 10 hours. The United States faced industry opposition when it released new rules to combat pilot fatigue in 2011, with an industry group arguing the regulations would cost $2 billion a year and over time cut 27,000 jobs directly tied to the industry. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canada-transport-regulator-reviews-pilot-fatigue-rules-following-industry-2025-12-11/ Senators Say NDAA Would Roll Back Air Safety Reforms NTSB's Homendy Calls Bill a 'Significant Safety Setback' That's Inviting a Repeat of January's Passenger Jet-Army Helicopter Crash in D.C. Senators from both parties on Dec. 11 pushed for changes to a massive defense bill after crash investigators and victims' families warned the legislation would undo key safety reforms stemming from a collision between an airliner and Army helicopter over Washington that killed 67 people. The head of the National Transportation Safety Board investigating the crash, a group of the victims' family members and senators on the Commerce Committee all said the bill the House advanced Dec. 10 would make America's skies less safe. It would allow the military to operate essentially the same way as it did before the January crash, which was the deadliest in more than two decades, they said. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Republican Committee Chairman Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas filed two amendments Dec. 11 to strip out the worrisome helicopter safety provisions and replace them with a bill they introduced during the summer to strengthen requirements, but it’s unclear if Republican leadership will allow the National Defense Authorization Act to be changed at this stage because that would delay its passage. “We owe it to the families to put into law actual safety improvements, not give the Department of Defense bigger loopholes to exploit,” the senators said. Right now, the bill includes exceptions that would allow military helicopters to fly through the crowded airspace around the nation's capital without using a key system called ADS-B to broadcast their locations just like they did before the January collision. The Federal Aviation Administration began requiring that in March. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy called the bill a “significant safety setback” that is inviting a repeat of that disaster. “It represents an unacceptable risk to the flying public, to commercial and military aircraft, crews and to the residents in the region,” Homendy said. “It’s also an unthinkable dismissal of our investigation and of 67 families ... who lost loved ones in a tragedy that was entirely preventable. This is shameful.” The biggest unions representing pilots, flight attendants and other transportation workers joined the chorus criticizing the bill Dec. 11. Sara Nelson, who is president of the Association of Flight Attendants, questioned why this was proposed. She said these provisions are “not only reckless and indefensible, but also a direct undermining of the NTSB’s safety guidance.” Another Bill May Fix Concerns Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he is looking into the concerns but thinks they can be addressed by quickly passing the aviation safety bill that Cruz and Cantwell proposed last summer that would require all aircraft operators to use both forms of ADS-B, or Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast, the technology to broadcast aircraft location data to other planes and air traffic controllers. Most aircraft today are equipped with ADS-B Out equipment but the airlines would have to add the more comprehensive ADS-B In technology to their planes. That legislation would also revoke an exemption on ADS-B transmission requests for Department of Defense aircraft. “I think that would resolve the concerns that people have about that provision, and hoping — we’ll see if we can find a pathway forward to get that bill done,” said Thune, a South Dakota Republican. Military Routinely Flew Without ADS-B On The military used national security waivers before the crash to skirt FAA safety requirements on the grounds that they worried about the security risks of disclosing their helicopters’ locations. Tim and Sheri Lilley, whose son Sam was the first officer on the American Airlines jet, said this bill only adds “a window dressing fix that would continue to allow for the setting aside of requirements with nothing more than a cursory risk assessment.” Military helicopters like the Black Hawk involved in the crash did send some location data to controllers through a transponder, but the FAA has said that ADS-B data is more precise and the NTSB has been recommending for decades that all aircraft be equipped with such systems. The Army was concerned about using those systems because anyone — including a plane enthusiast on the ground — can use them to know precisely where a helicopter or airplane is located. Homendy said it would be ridiculous to entrust the military with assessing the safety risks when they aren't the experts, and neither the Army nor the FAA noticed 85 close calls around Ronald Reagan National Airport in the years before the crash. She said the military doesn't know how to do that kind of risk assessment, adding that no one writing the bill bothered to consult the experts at the NTSB who do know. The NTSB's final report on the cause of the D.C. crash won't be released until next year, but investigators have already identified a number of factors that contributed, including that the helicopter was flying too high on a route that only provided scant separation between helicopters and planes landing on Reagan's secondary runway. https://www.ttnews.com/article/senators-ndaa-air-safety Honolulu airport to see first in-flight power bank ban on this airline HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Heads up travelers: new restrictions on power banks are coming to Honolulu airport. Starting Monday, Qantas Airways will no longer allow you to use power banks on board. You can still pack them in your carry-on luggage, but you can’t use them in the air. While it only affects travelers to and from Australia for now, experts say it’s just the beginning of a wider safety trend. Flights in and out of Hawaii require at least five hours over open ocean, making us more vulnerable to the dangers of lithium-ion battery chargers. “Over the water, there’s limited options of where to go, especially if you have a fire in the cabin,” said Al Ogata, tech security expert and CEO of CyberHawaii. “This means that we want to keep you guys safe while you’re in the air and as a precaution, we want you to handle them a certain way and like any other technology, things evolve over time and over time, it’s possible that the technology will improve, the risk of, say, spontaneous combustion may come down,” he added. Many international carriers began banning in-flight use of personal power banks this year, after they overheated or sparked fires on board. On Dec. 15, Qantas will be the first major carrier to bring that ban to Hawaii on its nonstop flights between Sydney and Honolulu. Aviation industry watchers predict U.S. carriers will soon follow as international regulators tighten safety standards. Here’s what to expect: You cannot plug power banks into devices while airborne. You can use seat outlets to charge phones, tablets and laptops directly, but not to charge power banks. Power banks must remain within view, not stored in overhead bins. “From a risk standpoint, being able to say, the battery is close, the battery is under observation, and minimizing the use of it can reduce the risk of combustion,” Ogata said. Experts advise planning ahead to minimize inconvenience. Here are some travel tips: • Charge devices fully before your flight • Ration battery use by dimming screens and shutting down apps you’re not using • Pack cords to use for seat outlets • Read the battery label to make sure it’s within the watt-hour requirement • Be prepared for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents to stop and check your power banks during screening as they step up enforcement • “Because batteries come from all over the world. Some may be more susceptible to mishaps than others,” Ogata said. TSA allows lithium-ion battery chargers less than 100 watt hours in carry-on bags with no quantity limitations. Check with your airline about chargers between 101 and 160 watt hours, which are usually limited to two per person. The quality of seat outlets vary depending on the airline and aircraft so one pro tip is to pack a charging brick, European style plug adaptor, and USB cords of different lengths so you’re ready for any situation. https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/12/12/honolulu-airport-see-first-ban-in-flight-power-bank-use-this-airline/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS . Singapore Airshow 2026 - FEBRUARY 3-6, 2026. . 60th Annual SMU Air Law Symposium - March 31 - April 1, 2026 (Irving, TX) . 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