Flight Safety Information - April 16, 2026 No. 075 In This Issue : 14 April 2026 - Trans Guyana Airways Beechcraft 1900D accident : Cessna 550 Citation Bravo Fatal Accident (Bolivia) : Aircraft Cabin Air International Conference - 22-23 September 2026 (London) : Honda HA-420 HondaJet - Runway Excursion (Japan) : 10 Passengers Arrested for 'Unruly' Behavior on Flight to Mexico Before Plane Even Took Off : American Airlines pilot forced to "slam on the brakes" to avoid colliding with truck at Charlotte airport : Bizjet Incursion Triggers Air France Rejected Takeoff : Delhi airport mishap: Taxiing SpiceJet aircraft collides with stationary Akasa plane at IGI : Inspector general finds O'Hare Airport workers drinking on the job, CPD employees committing PPP fraud : Gulfstream Delivers 10th G700 Aircraft to Qatar Executive : Former U.S. Marine pilot accused of training Chinese aviators loses extradition appeal in Australia : Proposed merger of major airlines would create world’s largest carrier : Spirit Airlines could liquidate as early as this week, sources say : Calendar of Events 14 April 2026 - Trans Guyana Airways Beechcraft 1900D accident Date: Tuesday 14 April 2026 Time: 18:13 Type: Beechcraft 1900D Owner/operator: Trans Guyana Airways Registration: 8R-GAQ MSN: UE-363 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 14 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Category: Accident Location: Georgetown-Eugene F. Correira International Airport (OGL/SYGO) - Guyana Phase: Landing Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Paramaribo-Eduard Alexander Gummels Airport (EAX/SMEG) Destination airport: Georgetown-Eugene F. Correira International Airport (OGL/SYGO) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: Trans Guyana Airways flight TGY441, a Beech 1900D, was landing on runway 07 at Georgetown (OGL), Guyana, when it hit a herd of capybara. The airplane veered off the runway and sustained a nose landing gear collapse. There were no personal injuries. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/569164 Cessna 550 Citation Bravo Fatal Accident (Bolivia) Date: Monday 13 April 2026 Time: 10:57 LT Type: Cessna 550 Citation Bravo Owner/operator: private Registration: CP-3243 MSN: 550-1132 Year of manufacture: 2006 Engine model: P&W Canada PW530A Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Destroyed Category: Accident Location: c 115 km NE of Cochabamba - Bolivia Phase: En route Nature: Unknown Departure airport: La Paz-El Alto Airport (LPB/SLLP) Destination airport: Santa Cruz-El Trompillo Airport (SRZ/SLET) Investigating agency: DGAC-AIG Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: A Cessna 550 Citation, CP-3243, is missing and presumed to have crashed in Bolivia with two pilots on board. The aircraft took off at 08:19 local time (12:19 UTC) from La Paz (LPB). Last contact with air traffic control was around 08:50. It entered a circular pattern starting at 08:55 that was repeated about 20 times at 39,000 feet until 10:55, when it entered a high rate of descent until radar contact was lost at 19,375 feet, two minutes later. The aircraft was located in a wooded area by helicopters. Both occupants are confirmed to have been killed. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/569101 Honda HA-420 HondaJet - Runway Excursion (Japan) Date: Thursday 16 April 2026 Time: 04:00 UTC Type: Honda HA-420 HondaJet Owner/operator: Only You Air Registration: JA20YA MSN: 42000212 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Unknown Location: Tokyo-Narita Airport (NRT/RJAA) - Japan Phase: Landing Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Makinohara / Shimada-Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport (FSZ/RJNS) Destination airport: Tokyo-Narita Airport (NRT/RJAA) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: A Honda HA-420 HondaJet, JA20YA, veered off the left side of runway 34L during landing at Tokyo-Narita (NRT). The incident occurred during the second attempt to land. The first attempt to land on runway 34R, at 12:40 LT (03:40 UTC) resulted in a go around. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/569226 10 Passengers Arrested for 'Unruly' Behavior on Flight to Mexico Before Plane Even Took Off Police recommend charges of mischief and failing to comply with flight crew instructions Christopher Edwards 10 passengers were arrested for allegedly refusing to follow flight crew instructions, causing safety concerns before takeoff The incident delayed the WestJet flight from Vancouver to Cabo San Lucas on Saturday, April 11 Police are recommending charges including mischief and failing to comply with flight crew instructions Ten plane passengers on a flight from Vancouver, Canada to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico have been arrested for "unruly" behavior. According to a statement from the Richmond Royal Canadian Mounted Police, law enforcement responded to reports of "disruptive behavior" aboard a commercial flight at Vancouver International Airport on the morning of Saturday, April 11. The passengers were allegedly not cooperating with flight crew instructions, causing safety concerns on board, police said. Ten individuals were arrested in the incident, and police are recommending charges including mischief and failing to comply with flight crew. They were later released and are scheduled to appear in Richmond Provincial Court. The incident resulted in a delay of the flight. The plane, a WestJet Boeing 737 MAX, took off at 9:37 a.m. PST and landed at 2:36 p.m. MST, according to FlightAware. There were no reported injuries. 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. WestJet confirmed the incident in a statement to PEOPLE. "On April 11, prior to departure of WestJet flight WS2662 from Vancouver to Los Cabos, cabin crew identified a safety concern regarding several unruly passengers and made the decision to have them removed," the airline said. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/10-passengers-arrested-unruly-behavior-174508744.html American Airlines pilot forced to "slam on the brakes" to avoid colliding with truck at Charlotte airport An American Airlines pilot was forced to "slam on the brakes" to avoid colliding with a truck at Charlotte's airport on Wednesday, according to Air Traffic Control audio. "They just went right in front of us," the pilot of American Airlines Flight 1197 can be heard telling a ramp controller in the audio, referring to the truck. "We nearly hit them. I had to slam on the brakes." The pilot went on to explain that his taxi light was switched on, and the plane was moving, when the vehicle sped past. He described it as a white-and-black pickup truck used for airport operations. "Someone's got to be notified right away," the pilot said. "That's really bad." It appears the American aircraft was leaving the concourse area of the North Carolina airport and headed toward the runway when the encounter took place. According to the tracking site FlightAware, the flight to Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., departed on time from Charlotte. "Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is aware of the reported incident involving an American Airlines aircraft and a CLT ground vehicle while taxiing near the gate on Wednesday morning," a spokesperson for the airport said in a statement to CBS News, adding: "Safety and security are top priorities at CLT." The airport spokesperson said the incident was under investigation "in accordance with safety standards." A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration told CBS News that the agency was "looking into" the incident, which occurred several weeks after a deadly crash between an Air Canada jet and a firefighting truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. In a separate statement, American Airlines praised the crew of Flight 1197 and said the truck was not associated with the airline. "We're proud of the professionalism of our crew and the action they took when a ground vehicle not affiliated with American Airlines entered the aircraft's path on a taxiway," the airline said. Unlike the truck involved in the LaGuardia crash, the one in Charlotte appeared to have a transponder, which is a device that allows vehicles to communicate with air traffic controllers using radio signals. The Air Traffic Control audio from Wednesday's incident concluded with the controller informing Flight 1197 that they could see the operations vehicle. "I got him now," the controller said. The truck is visible in a recording of the control screen at the Charlotte airport during that call, which CBS News has reviewed. The incident comes about a week after the FAA launched an investigation after a Frontier Airlines plane nearly collided with two trucks on a taxiway at Los Angeles International Airport. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/american-airlines-pilot-forced-slam-brakes-avoid-truck-charlotte-airport/ Bizjet Incursion Triggers Air France Rejected Takeoff Runway lights reportedly alerted pilots before ATC canceled takeoff clearance The FAA is investigating after a business jet crossed into an Air France 777's path during takeoff at LAX, forcing the crew to reject departure April 8. The FAA is investigating a runway incursion at Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX) after air traffic controllers canceled takeoff clearance for an Air France flight when a business jet entered the runway without authorization. The April 8 incident involving Air France Flight 25 occurred around 6:15 p.m. local time as the Boeing 777-328ER accelerated for departure to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (LFPG), according to NBC Los Angeles. A Gulfstream G650ER that had just landed crossed Runway 24L, placing the business jet directly in the path of the departing Air France aircraft. Air traffic controllers had instructed the Gulfstream pilot to hold short of Runway 24L after landing, and the pilot acknowledged the instruction, according to ATC recordings. However, the business jet proceeded to cross the line. Runway warning lights alerted the Air France crew to the incursion, and the pilots immediately rejected the takeoff, according to NBC4. Controllers canceled the takeoff clearance after the Gulfstream crossed onto the runway. The Air France crew brought the aircraft to a safe stop, held position for approximately 10 minutes, then departed successfully with a slight delay. No injuries were reported. Hours after this incident, a Frontier Airlines Airbus A321 was forced to abort its takeoff at KLAX when service vehicles entered the runway area. No injuries were reported, and the FAA is also investigating that incident. The back-to-back incidents at one of the nation’s busiest airports come amid heightened scrutiny of runway safety following a fatal collision at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on March 22. An Air Canada Express CRJ-900 struck an aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle during landing, killing both pilots and injuring dozens of passengers and firefighters. According to FAA data, U.S. runway incursions have hovered around 1,700 annually for the past six years. While most incidents fall under Category C or D—where there is ample time to avoid collision or no immediate safety impact—a growing number of Category A and B events, where collision was narrowly avoided or risked, have captured national attention. The FAA has deployed tools, including the Surface Awareness Initiative, which offers real-time situational awareness to controllers at busy airports. Manufacturers such as Garmin, Honeywell, and Collins Aerospace have also introduced enhanced cockpit-based surface alert systems that issue real-time warnings to pilots of potential conflicts during taxi and takeoff operations. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2026-04-15/bizjet-incursion-triggered-air-france-rejected-takeoff Delhi airport mishap: Taxiing SpiceJet aircraft collides with stationary Akasa plane at IGI Delhi airport mishap: Taxiing SpiceJet aircraft collides with stationary Akasa plane at IGI NEW DELHI: A ground collision between two aircraft at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Thursday left both planes damaged after a SpiceJet aircraft, while taxiing, struck a stationary Akasa Air plane. Officials said the impact occurred on the taxiway, with the wings of the two aircraft coming into contact, forcing both to be grounded for inspection. According to a SpiceJet spokesperson, a B737-700 aircraft was involved in a ground incident while taxiing on April 16. The aircraft’s right winglet struck the left-hand horizontal stabiliser of another plane belonging to a different airline. The SpiceJet aircraft has since been grounded in Delhi for inspection. Meanwhile, Akasa Air confirmed that its aircraft, operating flight QP 1406 from Delhi to Hyderabad, was stationary at the time of the incident when it was hit by another airline’s plane. Following the collision, the aircraft returned to the bay. “All passengers and crew were safely disembarked, and our ground teams are making alternative arrangements to fly passengers to Hyderabad at the earliest,” an Akasa Air spokesperson said. No injuries were reported, and further details are awaited as authorities assess the extent of the damage and investigate the incident. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/delhi-airport-mishap-taxiing-spicejet-aircraft-collides-with-stationary-akasa-plane-at-igi/articleshow/130305799.cms Inspector general finds O'Hare Airport workers drinking on the job, CPD employees committing PPP fraud O'Hare International Airport workers drinking on the job and Chicago Police Department employees scamming the federal government were just some of the jaw-dropping findings in the latest quarterly report from the city's inspector general. Inspector General Deborah Witzburg's job is to sniff out wrongdoing by city workers, and her office's first quarterly report of 2026 revealed a stunning number of findings that involve scamming, scheming, and illegally profiting from work as a city employee. "These are people who are supposed to be on the clock, working at the airports, and instead they are drinking at bars nearby," Witzburg said. In her office's final report before she steps down when her term in office ends later this month, Witzburg's team reported eight employees at the Chicago Department of Aviation were caught drinking alcohol while on the clock. "At a party thrown by an off-duty CDA employee, several on-the-clock CDA employees drank beer, cocktails, and shots of liquor before returning to O'Hare to complete their shifts. Many of the employees' supervisors and colleagues were aware of the drinking but did nothing about it. On multiple occasions, CDA employees drank alcohol while out to lunch with their supervisors and, in some instances, the supervisors paid for the alcohol," the report states. At least six other Department of Aviation workers were investigated for spending hours idling on the job, demonstrating incompetence, stealing city property, and lying during the investigation. "This is an abuse of the public trust, it's a misuse of taxpayer dollar dollars, and we have people not doing the jobs that the taxpayers are paying them to do," Witzburg said. The Department of Aviation agreed to terminate seven employees and put them on the do not hire list and to discipline four others. Three others had transferred to other city departments before the inspector general's investigation was completed. Two of those were fired and the other was disciplined. Meantime, Witzburg's team also uncovered a disturbing trend at the Chicago Police Department. "Ten city employees whom we found to have committed [Paycheck Protection Program] fraud; nine of these were members – current or former members – of the Chicago Police Department, one of them was a City Council employee," Witzburg said. According to the report, workers illegally pocketed between $20,000 and more than $41,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans from a massive federal COVID-19 pandemic relief effort – some by concocting companies that didn't exist to pocket federal assistance funds. The Police Department agreed with the inspector general's recommendation to fire the nine CPD employees accused of PPP fraud and place them on the do not hire list. The inspector general also recommended the one aldermanic employee accused of PPP fraud be fired and placed on the do not hire list, but the alderperson has yet to indicate if they agree with the findings. "You don't get to both defraud the government and work for the government," Witzburg said. In another investigation at City Hall, Witzburg's report said a former mayor's office staffer got their child a job with a city contractor, and then as a possible payback, "attempted to facilitate $9.6 million in payments to the contractor to which the contractor was not entitled." "People who enjoy the tremendous privilege of working in the public service do not get to use the authority of their city position for their personal benefit or for the benefit of their family," Witzburg said. Mayor Brandon Johnson said that employee was from a prior administration. That former staffer could be fined up to $20,000 if the city's Board of Ethics agrees with the inspector general's misconduct finding. Witzburg wraps up her term as inspector general next week, and said her office has faced "real challenges with cooperation" from the Johnson administration. "I believe we have seen a pattern from the Johnson administration, and particularly the Law Department, in blocking OIG's access to the informarion we need to do our work," she said. Johnson said Witzburg's assessment of his administration's cooperation is not true. "Listen, I'm committed to having an open process. There's nothing about my administration that has been surreptitious in any form," he said. https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/inspector-general-finds-ohare-airport-workers-drinking-on-the-job-cpd-employees-committing-ppp-fraud/ Gulfstream Delivers 10th G700 Aircraft to Qatar Executive Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. today announced it has delivered the 10th G700 aircraft to Qatar Executive, the private jet charter division of Qatar Airways Group. This delivery completes the order announced in October 2019 and marks the 25th Gulfstream aircraft delivered to Qatar Executive since the partnership commenced in 2015. “Qatar Executive has been a valued and respected partner for more than a decade,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. “We were honored to have them as our international partner for the G700 launch and first delivery and appreciate their continued trust as we deliver yet another high-quality aircraft to their growing world-class fleet.” For Qatar Executive, the delivery of this G700 is a key milestone in its continuous growth strategy, reinforcing its position as a leader in the global business aviation market while continuing to expand its capabilities and enhance the travel experience for its passengers. Market forecast by Regions, Aircraft type, and Ownership type. Country Analysis, Market and Technology Overview, Critical Raw Materials, Opportunity Analysis, and Leading Company Profiles The G700 features the most spacious cabin in the industry and the Gulfstream Cabin Experience with 100% fresh air, natural light from 20 Gulfstream Panoramic Oval Windows and the industry’s lowest cabin altitude at the highest elevations. With a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.935 and a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90, the ultralong-range G700 has more than 90 city-pair speed records to date. The performance capabilities of the G700 can be attributed to the combination of Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines, Gulfstream-designed advanced aerodynamic wing and high-speed winglet introduced on the aircraft. The G700 is also outfitted with the award-winning Predictive Landing Performance System and dual head-up display featuring Gulfstream’s new Combined Vision System (CVS) that unites Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS) and Synthetic Vision System (SVS) in a single image, increasing pilot situational awareness and opening access to more airports. https://www.asdnews.com/news/aerospace/2026/04/15/gulfstream-delivers-10th-g700-aircraft-qatar-executive Former U.S. Marine pilot accused of training Chinese aviators loses extradition appeal in Australia An Australian judge on Thursday rejected an appeal by former U.S. Marine Corps pilot Daniel Duggan to avoid extradition to the United States over allegations that he illegally trained Chinese military aviators more than a decade ago. Duggan is accused of training Chinese military pilots while working as an instructor for the Test Flying Academy of South Africa. Duggan has denied the allegations, contending they were political posturing and that the U.S. was unfairly singling him out. Federal Court Justice James Stellios ruled in dismissing the appeal that no jurisdiction error was made in 2024 by then Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus in ordering Duggan's extradition. Duggan's wife and mother of his six children, Saffrine Duggan, told reporters outside the court in Canberra that his lawyers would consider a further appeal. Lawyers are also asking Dreyfus's successor as attorney-general, Michelle Rowland, to reverse the extradition order. "We are very disappointed by this ruling and we will consider our options carefully. But make no mistake, we will not give up," Saffrine Duggan said. "Today does not end our search for justice." Rowland's office noted the court ruling and said in a statement Daniel Duggan would "remain in extradition custody in Australia until his surrender to the United States." A 2016 indictment from the U.S. District Court in Washington, which was unsealed in late 2022, alleges Duggan conspired with others to provide training to Chinese military pilots in 2010 and 2012, and possibly other times, without applying for an appropriate license. Prosecutors allege Duggan received about nine payments totaling around 88,000 Australian dollars ($61,000) from another conspirator as well as travel to the U.S., South Africa and China for what was sometimes described as "personal development training." Duggan, who is 57 and was born in Boston, has been held in maximum security prisons since he was arrested in 2022 at a supermarket near his family home in New South Wales. Duggan lived and worked in China for about five years before his arrest, corporate records showed. He served in the U.S. Marines for 12 years before migrating to Australia in 2002. He gained Australian citizenship in January 2012, giving up his U.S. citizenship in the process. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/daniel-duggan-former-us-marine-pilot-extradition-appeal-rejected-australia-us/ Proposed merger of major airlines would create world’s largest carrier Two major airlines are apparently floating the idea of a merger. CNBC reported this week that United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby proposed a team-up with rival American Airlines to the Trump administration earlier this year. Such a move would likely face heavy regulatory hurdles, but it would create the largest airline in the world. The two airlines, along with Delta and Southwest, already dominate the US market with about 80% of flights domestically, according to data provided by data firm OAG. In 2023, United and American ranked first and third, respectively, in revenue by passenger miles among U.S.-based commercial airlines, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Plenty were skeptical of the idea. “This would be the biggest of all time. I can’t even see the slightest chance that a court would allow it,” George Hay, a law professor at Cornell University told CNBC. Others described the proposal as “dead on arrival.” Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) wrote on X: “That’s gonna be a no.” Antitrust lawyer Seth Bloom told Reuters that a merger would be unlikely to clear regulatory hurdles. “The administration has said it really cares about the issues that affect the consumer’s pocketbook, and this would give the airlines more pricing power,” Bloom said. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/economy/policy/articles/proposed-merger-major-airlines-create-145934174.html Spirit Airlines could liquidate as early as this week, sources say Spirit Airlines could liquidate as early as this week, according to people familiar with the matter. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss matters that had not yet been made public. The budget carrier has been struggling to regain its footing from its second bankruptcy in less than a year, but it now faces the added challenge of a spike in the price of fuel. Fuel is airlines’ biggest expense after labor. “We don’t comment on market rumors and speculation,” Spirit said in a statement. The exact day the carrier could begin liquidation wasn’t immediately clear. Bloomberg earlier reported on the potential liquidation. The news comes just as the U.S. airline industry, including Florida-based Spirit, is wrapping up its busy spring break season. Pilot and flight attendant unions had made concessions in recent months in a bid to help Spirit survive. The airline had planned to shrink and focus on high-demand travel periods and routes in a bid to exit bankruptcy as early as this spring. Spirit enjoyed largely steady profitability for years and enviable margins in the industry. But things took a turn after the pandemic, when wages and other costs soared, customer preferences changed, and an oversupply of domestic flights drove down airfare, which was especially punishing for U.S.-focused carriers that don’t enjoy a buffer from plush first-class cabins and large credit card and loyalty program deals. Its problems snowballed after a Pratt & Whitney engine recall grounded dozens of its Airbus aircraft starting in 2023 and its planned acquisition by JetBlue Airways was blocked two years ago by a federal judge who ruled it was anticompetitive, leaving both carriers to fend for themselves against a backdrop where larger carriers dominate. Spirit forecast it would generate a net profit of $252 million last year, according to a court filing in December 2024, but it said in an August report that it lost nearly $257 million in a matter of months stretching from March 13, after it exited its first Chapter 11 bankruptcy, through the end of June. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection again less than a month later. The airline had tried in recent years to win over higher-spending customers by offering roomier seats or bundled fares that include seat assignments and baggage to better compete with larger rivals whose profits have been buoyed big-spending customers post-pandemic. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/15/spirit-airlines-could-liquidate-as-early-as-this-week-sources-say.html CALENDAR OF EVENTS . 2026 NBAA Maintenance Conference; May 5-7, 2026; New Orleans, LA . World Aviation Training Summit - 5-7 May 2026 - Orlando . 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 . ESASI 2026, 20-21 May, Dubrovnik . Safeskies Australia - Australia’s renowned Aviation Safety Conference - Canberra Australia 20 and 21 May 2026 . Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection, and Investigation Course 7 to 9 July 2026; Woburn MA 01801 USA : APSCON/APSCON Unmanned 2026 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL - July 13-17, 2026 : Aircraft Cabin Air International Conference - 22-23 September 2026 . IATA World Maintenance & Engineering Symposium (23-25 June, Madrid, Spain) . ISASI - BOSTON 2026 - September 28, 2026 – October 2, 2026 . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV Curt Lewis