Flight Safety Information - April 24, 2026 No. 081 In This Issue : Incident: Frontier A21N near Orlando on Apr 21st 2026, cracked windshield : Embraer EMB-120RT Brasilia - Runway Excursion (Kenya) : Firefighter heard ‘stop, stop’ before LaGuardia jet crash, but didn’t know who it was for, NTSB says : NTSB says runway safety system did not activate before fatal Air Canada Express collision : NTSB: Corroded Engine VG Parts Caused Naples CL604 Crash : L2 Aviation acquires Advance Aero : Trump team may give struggling Spirit Airlines $500M lifeline: report : JetBlue founder says the airline is headed for bankruptcy : Calendar of Events Incident: Frontier A21N near Orlando on Apr 21st 2026, cracked windshield A Frontier Airlines Airbus A321-200N, registration N645FR performing flight F9-1417 from Orlando,FL to Houston Intercontinental,TX (USA), was climbing through about FL290 out of Orlando's runway 36R when the crew decided to return to Orlando. The aircraft descended to 10,000 feet and landed safely back on Orlando's runway 36L about one hour after departure. The FAA reported: "Frontier Airlines Flight 1417 returned safely to Orlando International Airport in Florida around 8 a.m. local time on Tuesday, April 21, after the crew reported a cracked windshield. The Airbus A321 was travelling to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. The FAA will investigate." A replacement A321-200N registration N633FR reached Houston with a delay of about 5 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=5384c27f&opt=0 Embraer EMB-120RT Brasilia - Runway Excursion (Kenya) Date: Friday 24 April 2026 Time: Type: Embraer EMB-120RT Brasilia Owner/operator: EBB Air Registration: 5Y-EBB MSN: 120268 Year of manufacture: 1992 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 36 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Unknown Location: Mandera Airport (NDE/HKMA) - Kenya Phase: Landing Nature: Passenger Departure airport: Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO/HKJK) Destination airport: Mandera Airport (NDE/HKMA) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: An EBB Air Embraer EMB-120RT Brasilia overran the runway on landing, ending up in bushes. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/569520 Firefighter heard ‘stop, stop’ before LaGuardia jet crash, but didn’t know who it was for, NTSB says NEW YORK — A firefighter whose truck collided with an Air Canada Express jet last month on a runway at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, killing both pilots, heard an air traffic controller warn “stop, stop, stop” but didn’t know who it was for, federal investigators said Thursday. Just seconds earlier, the controller had cleared the fire truck to cross the runway, but the truck started moving while warning lights that act as a stop sign for crossing traffic were still lit, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report on the March 22 crash. Because the truck lacked a transponder, a crash prevention system in the control tower was unable to reliably determine its position, “did not predict a potential conflict” with the plane and did not generate an audio or visual alert, the report said, pointing to a series of failures that contributed to the crash. “There were so many opportunities where this accident could have been prevented,” aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said after reviewing the report. In addition to the control tower and truck driver, he said the report suggests the pilots had a chance to recognize the danger and pull up. But, he said, they may have been too dialed into landing. After the air traffic controller’s initial stop warning, the fire truck’s turret operator heard the controller say, “Truck 1, stop, stop, stop,” and realized he was telling the truck to halt, the report said. By then, the truck was already on the runway as Air Canada Express Flight 8646 was landing and speeding toward it. The turret operator, one of two crew members in the fire truck, recalled to investigators that as the vehicle turned left, he saw the airplane’s lights on the runway, the report said. The plane registered a speed of 104 mph (167 kph) just before the collision. The truck was going about 30 mph (48 kph). The fire truck was leading a convoy of vehicles, including four fire trucks, a police car and a stair truck, responding to an emergency involving a strong odor that was making flight attendants feel ill aboard a departing United Airlines jet. The air traffic controller cleared the truck to cross the runway just 12 seconds before the plane touched down, investigators said. About eight seconds later, the controller frantically began calling for the truck to stop. Pilots killed, 39 people hurt, including fire crew members The plane, a CRJ900 regional jet from Montreal, was carrying 76 people. Pilots Antoine Forest, 30, and Mackenzie Gunther, 24, were killed. It was the first deadly crash at LaGuardia in 34 years. In addition, 39 people were taken to hospitals, including six described as seriously injured. The two fire truck crew members are recovering at home with their families after being released from the hospital, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates LaGuardia. A flight attendant still strapped in her seat survived after being thrown onto the tarmac. Another flight attendant reported taking his seat in the rear of the plane for landing and described the flight as normal until he felt an impact, the report said. He didn’t know what had happened and attempted to call the pilots but received no response, the report said. The Port Authority said it is conducting a comprehensive review of the NTSB’s initial findings. “Our focus is straightforward: ensure our safety procedures and protocols are as strong as they can be and take action to strengthen them as needed,” the agency said. LaGuardia was busier than usual the night of the crash because flight delays pushed the number of arrivals and departures after 10 p.m. to more than double what was scheduled, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Two air traffic controllers were on duty, consistent with normal scheduling, the report said. Planes were landing every few minutes, with a dozen flights arriving between 11 p.m. and when the crash happened less than 40 minutes later. At the same time, the controllers had to shuffle their duties because of the odor issue on the United plane. While the more senior controller coordinated the United emergency response, the other controller took over directing vehicles on the ground while continuing to authorize takeoffs and landings. “These controllers were just way busy, just too busy,” Guzzetti said. Airport had technology designed to prevent crashes The warning lights — known as runway entrance lights — were lit until the fire truck reached the edge of the runway, about three seconds before the collision, the report said. By design, they turn off two or three seconds before a plane reaches a runway intersection, the report said. The runway warning lights in place at 20 of the nation’s busiest airports are one of the backup systems designed to help prevent a crash. “I certainly wouldn’t proceed across the runway when the red lights were on,” Guzzetti said. “But again, you’ve got a controller telling you that you’re cleared across the runway. So it’s confusing at the very least.” LaGuardia is one of 35 major U.S. airports with an advanced surface surveillance system that combines radar data with information from transponders inside planes and ground vehicles to help prevent runway incursions. Controllers have a display in the tower that’s supposed to show the location of every plane and vehicle. The system, known as ASDE-X, didn’t sound an alarm partly because the radar had trouble distinguishing the closely spaced trucks and the radar targets intermittently merged on the display. Only two targets were displayed just before the crash, even though there were seven vehicles. None were equipped with transponders that would have allowed the system to precisely track their movements. According to air traffic control transmissions, Flight 8646 was cleared to land on Runway 4 at 11:35 p.m. About two minutes later — and 25 seconds before the crash — the fire crew asked to cross the same runway, which was between the airport’s fire station and where the United Airlines jet had parked. Five seconds later, with Flight 8646 approaching the runway a little more than 100 feet (30 meters) above the ground, an air traffic controller cleared the fire truck to cross. Then, just nine seconds before the crash, the controller frantically told the fire crew: “Stop, stop, stop, stop. Truck 1. Stop, stop, stop, stop.” A second later, the plane’s landing gear touched down. https://www.adn.com/nation-world/2026/04/23/firefighter-heard-stop-stop-before-laguardia-jet-crash-but-didnt-know-who-it-was-for-ntsb-says/ NTSB says runway safety system did not activate before fatal Air Canada Express collision Air Canada Express jet collides with a ground vehicle at LaGuardia airport WASHINGTON, April 23 (Reuters) - The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday a key runway safety system failed to activate before a March 22 fatal collision between an Air Canada Express ‌jet and a fire truck that killed two pilots. The NTSB also said in its preliminary report that red runway entrance lights that indicate when it is not safe to cross a runway were on until about three seconds before the time of the collision. The NTSB said the system is designed to turn the lights off ⁠about 2 to 3 seconds before the airplane reaches each intersection The Express CRJ-900 regional jet touched down roughly 2 seconds before the collision and was at 104 mph at the time of the crash. The NTSB is leading the investigation into the fatal collision of the CRJ-900 jet operated by Air Canada's regional partner Jazz Aviation. The crash sent 39 of the 76 passengers and crew to hospital, including six with serious injuries. The airport's ground surveillance system did not generate an alert warning of the proximity of vehicles to the ‌runway ⁠and the fire truck that collided with the jet lacked a transponder that would have transmitted its location to air traffic control. The turret operator in the truck involved in the collision recalled hearing the words "stop stop stop" (on the tower frequency) radio, but he did not know who that ⁠transmission was intended for and then heard "Truck 1 stop stop stop" and realized it was for their vehicle and subsequently noticed that they had entered the runway, the NTSB said. The NTSB said ⁠the local controller who was handling the Air Canada plane had about 18 years of experience and the ground controller who was also the controller-in-charge had about 19 years ⁠of experience, and was responsible handling aircraft that were taxiing. The Federal Aviation Administration has encouraged airports to equip fire trucks with transponders because it makes the vehicles' movements easier to track at busy airports. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/ntsb-says-runway-safety-system-did-not-activate-before-fatal-air-canada-express-2026-04-23/ NTSB: Corroded Engine VG Parts Caused Naples CL604 Crash Engines were sent to the manufacturer for evaluation The NTSB released the final report today on the Hop-A-Jet Bombardier Challenger 604 crash on Feb. 9, 2024, in Naples, Florida. The probable cause of the accident cites corrosion in the jet’s GE CF34-3B engines' variable geometry (VG) system, which controls airflow through the high-pressure compressor by adjusting the position of the inlet guide vanes and the first five stages of stator vanes. According to the NTSB, after both engines were sent to GE for post-crash evaluation, VG tests revealed “corrosion was observed in the high-pressure compressor (HPC) case flow path area, with the most significant corrosion found in the VG stage 5 area. Extensive corrosion was observed in the HPC case VG stage 5 stator vane spindle bores. Additionally, the VG stage 5 stator vanes were unable to travel fully (that is, the distance from fully opened to fully closed) when tested using the specified maintenance procedures, and higher than normal actuation pressures were required to move the VG hardware through its full range when compared to other engines without corrosion on the HPC spindle bores, with a slower than normal VG system response when tested with pressurized air. “At low power conditions, as was the case at the time of the accident, it can lead to sub-idle rotating stalls. It is likely the corrosion limited the VG hardware travel as the flight crew reduced the power for landing, resulting in near-simultaneous, sub-idle rotating compressor stalls and a subsequent loss of thrust in both engines, which was unrecoverable at the low altitude.” Both pilots were killed in the accident, while the flight attendant and the two passengers on board were able to escape the aircraft before it was consumed by fire. The probable cause of the accident was: “Corrosion of both engines’ variable geometry (VG) system components, which led to their operation in an off-schedule position and resulted in near-simultaneous sub-idle rotating compressor stalls on approach, subsequent loss of thrust in both engines, and an off-airport landing. Contributing to the accident was inadequate fault isolation guidance from the engine manufacturer, which prevented the identification of corrosion buildup in VG system components during troubleshooting of hung start events of both engines about one month before the accident.” https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2026-04-23/ntsb-finds-corroded-vg-parts-caused-challenger-crash L2 Aviation acquires Advance Aero Strengthens vertical integration and manufacturing capabilities. L2 Aviation, a global supplier of avionics integration, certification, and aircraft modification services based in Erlanger, Kentucky, acquired Advance Aero, a precision machining and sheet metal fabrication company based in Mooresville, Indiana. This acquisition represents a strategic step in L2 Aviation’s long-term plan to expand its vertical integration capabilities and strengthen support for aircraft installation and kitting operations. Advance Aero brings decades of experience in aerospace-grade machining and fabrication, supporting a wide range of complex components and assemblies. The company has built a strong reputation for quality, responsiveness, and technical capability, making it a natural fit within L2 Aviation’s growing manufacturing and integration ecosystem. Through this acquisition, L2 Aviation will enhance its ability to control critical elements of the supply chain, improve production efficiency, and deliver more complete, turnkey solutions to its global customer base. The addition of Advance Aero also supports L2’s continued investment in domestic manufacturing and operational scalability. “This acquisition is about control, capability, and execution,” said Tony Bailey, president and chief operating officer of L2 Aviation. “Advance Aero gives us the ability to bring critical manufacturing processes in-house, which improves quality, reduces lead times, and strengthens our ability to deliver fully integrated solutions to our customers. Just as important, we are bringing in a highly skilled team that aligns with our standards and our culture.” Advance Aero will operate as part of L2 Aviation’s manufacturing organization, with a focus on supporting internal programs while continuing to serve existing customers. Integration efforts are already underway to align systems, processes, and quality standards across both organizations, with a focus on maintaining continuity and performance throughout the transition. “We built Advance Aero on a foundation of craftsmanship, reliability, and customer commitment,” said Todd Wilson, president of Advance Aero. “Joining L2 Aviation allows us to take that foundation and scale it in a way that benefits our employees and our customers. There is strong alignment in how both companies approach quality and execution, and we are excited about what we can accomplish together.” The acquisition reinforces L2 Aviation’s broader strategy to expand its capabilities across engineering, certification, manufacturing, and field services. By integrating machining and fabrication directly into its operations, L2 is better positioned to support complex modification programs, accelerate delivery timelines, and respond to increasing demand for advanced avionics and connectivity solutions. L2 Aviation will continue to evaluate strategic opportunities that align with its long-term vision of building a fully integrated, high-performance aerospace solutions platform. https://www.aerospacemanufacturinganddesign.com/news/l2-aviation-acquires-advance-aero/ Trump team may give struggling Spirit Airlines $500M lifeline: report The Trump Administration is considering giving Spirit Airlines a $500 million loan to prevent the struggling airline from going out of business. The Trump Administration may give Spirit Airlines a $500 million loan to keep the struggling airline afloat, according to a report. The deal currently being discussed would have the U.S. government loan Spirit as much as $500 million, in exchange for a potential stake in the company, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal. The Transportation Department and Commerce Department are involved in the discussions, which are not yet final. President Donald Trump met Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Tuesday night to work on the deal, according to the sources. “Spirit Airlines would be on a much firmer financial footing had the Biden administration not recklessly blocked the airline’s merger with JetBlue. The Trump administration continues to monitor the situation and overall health of the U.S. aviation industry that millions of Americans rely on every day for essential travel and their livelihoods,” White House Spokesman Kush Desai told The Independent on Wednesday. The president has urged someone to step in to prevent the troubled airline from going out of business, telling CNBC on Tuesday, “I’d love somebody to buy Spirit. It’s 14,000 jobs, and maybe the federal government should help that one out.” The Florida-based airline has been working to make a comeback after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2024 over a multibillion-dollar debt load. While the company exited court protection soon after, it has struggled amid high costs and continued debt and filed for bankruptcy again in August. Spirit appeared to be making a comeback after reaching an agreement with creditors on a plan to cut its debt and reduce operational costs. It was expected to emerge from bankruptcy this summer, until the U.S. and Israel began launching strikes against Iran at the end of February. When Iran effectively closed off the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation, oil prices surged. Even with the passageway open, jet fuel prices have spiked, putting even further pressure on the airline. Bloomberg reported last week that Spirit was at risk of being liquidated over the rising jet fuel prices. The publication’s sources said a decision to liquidate could come as soon as this week, but a Reuters source said that there are no plans for the airline to liquidate in the coming days. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/economy/policy/articles/trump-team-may-struggling-spirit-160510450.html JetBlue founder says the airline is headed for bankruptcy The carrier’s founder cites rising fuel costs and $9 billion in debt as insurmountable hurdles The man who founded JetBlue in 1999 and stepped aside in 2008 now says his old airline is in serious trouble. In a talk with pilots at Breeze Airways last week, the low-cost carrier he launched after leaving JetBlue, David Neeleman warned that bankruptcy could be on the horizon. A recording of the conversation quickly made its rounds on X (formerly Twitter). “JetBlue’s in a really tough spot. I think I told you this last week, but when Jamie Baker, who is an analyst for JP Morgan, came out with his estimates for all the airlines based on $4.50 fuel, it showed JetBlue losing $1.3 billion this year. That would probably put them into bankruptcy, I would assume,” Neeleman said. Breaking down the balance sheet The numbers seem to back up the pessimism. If the aforementioned projected losses hit, JetBlue’s debt would balloon to around $9 billion, effectively dragging interest payments up from $600 million to roughly $800 million a year. According to Neeleman, he’s been asking around about potential buyers, and the feedback isn’t good. He claimed United is too worried about the debt load to bite, while Southwest and Alaska Air have both passed on a deal. “I want nothing but the best for JetBlue,” he added, “but they’re in a very tough position right now.” JetBlue has had a rough few years. The Spirit Airlines merger that might have changed its trajectory got blocked by regulators in 2024. Since then, JetBlue has been cutting routes and trying to get its cost structure under control. Fuel at $4.50 a gallon on top of existing debt doesn’t leave much room. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/markets/stocks/articles/jetblue-founder-says-airline-headed-150054725.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