Flight Safety Information - May 26, 2026 No. 102 In This Issue : Incident: South African A320 at Cape Town, George and Port Elizabeth on May 11th 2026, landed below minimum fuel (420kg remaining) : Incident: Baltic BCS3 at Amsterdam on May 22nd 2026, brakes problem : Boeing 737-8Q8(WL) - Tire Burst on Takeoff (Japan) : ATR 72-600 - Rejected Takeoff/Birds - Tire Burst (Papua New Guinea) : USAF Grounds Its Oldest Jet Trainers Following Crash in Mississippi : Two Mid-Air Pilot Incapacitations Trigger Emergencies On Delta Connection & Jet2 Days Apart : Hawaiian Airlines flight lands safely in Honolulu after tire alert : Air China Cargo increases A350F freighter order to 10 aircraft : BOC Aviation appoints Adeline Lim as Chief Risk Officer : NTSB takes public docket system offline over UPS MD-11 cockpit audio concern : Graduate Research Request-1 : Graduate Research Request - 2 : Calendar of Events Incident: South African A320 at Cape Town, George and Port Elizabeth on May 11th 2026, landed below minimum fuel (420kg remaining) A South African Airways Airbus A320-200, registration ZS-SZH performing flight SA-313 from Johannesburg to Cape Town (South Africa), was on approach to Cape Town when a storm system arrived at the aerodrome. The aircraft was on short final to Cape Town's runway 01 when the crew received a wind shear warning and performed the windshear escape procedure climbing the aircraft to safe altitude. The crew realized due to holds earlier they had not enough fuel left to attempt a second approach and decided to divert to George (South Africa), their designated alternate, fuel was sufficient for 75 minutes of flight and thus was still sufficient for that diversion. Enroute to George at FL290 the crew was informed that George also came under the influence of the storm system and landing was impossible. The crew thus was forced to continue on to Port Elizabeth (South Africa), another 150nm east of George. Port Elizabeth also came under the influence of the storm system. The crew nonetheless managed to land on Port Elizabeth's runway 08 about 65 minutes after the go around in Cape Town. According to information from South Africa, after engine shut down the aircraft still had 340kg of fuel in the left hand wing tank, 30kg in the center tank and 50kg in the right hand wing tank, a total of 420kg. The airline reported severe weather conditions affected the Western Cape, SAA followed all relevant and required policies and procedures including incident reporting and investigation protocols. https://avherald.com/h?article=5398ca70&opt=0 Incident: Baltic BCS3 at Amsterdam on May 22nd 2026, brakes problem An Air Baltic Bombardier C-Series CS-300, registration YL-CSL performing flight BT-857 from Tallinn (Estonia) to Amsterdam (Netherlands), was on approach to Amsterdam's runway 27 when the crew initiated a go around from about 1000 feet reporting they had slight problems with their brakes and needed to work checklists. The brakes should be working, however, they calculated runway 18R with some margin. The aircraft landed on runway 18R about 15 minutes after the go around. The aircraft was able to depart for the return flight with a delay of about 65 minutes. https://avherald.com/h?article=5398b7ec&opt=0 Boeing 737-8Q8(WL) - Tire Burst on Takeoff (Japan) Date: Monday 25 May 2026 Time: 15:22 Type: Boeing 737-8Q8(WL) Owner/operator: Skymark Airlines Registration: JA737T MSN: 35290/2818 Year of manufacture: 2009 Engine model: CFMI CFM56-7B Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 169 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Tokyo International Airport/Haneda (HND/RJTT) - Japan Phase: Take off Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Tokyo-Haneda Airport (HND/RJTT) Destination airport: Fukuoka Airport (FUK/RJFF) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: A Boeing 737-8Q8 of Skymark Airlines operating flight SKY/BC19 from Tokyo/Haneda to Fukuoka suffered a tire burst opon takeoff from runway 05 of Haneda at 15:22 LT. Tire frgments on the runway were found by the next takeoff plane. BC19 declared an emergency at 17:05 LT, and made a return back to Haneda where a safe landing on the runway 34R was carried out at 17:54 LT after a low pass over the runway 34R. The Boeing was stuck on the runway since the outer tire of the left main landing gear was deflated. No reported injuries among seven crew and 162 passengers. The passengers disembarked by stairs, and the plane towed to a spot. The runway was closed until 19:40 LT. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/570892 ATR 72-600 - Rejected Takeoff/Birds - Tire Burst (Papua New Guinea) Date: Monday 25 May 2026 Time: c. 10:16 LT Type: ATR 72-600 Owner/operator: PNG Air Registration: P2-ATB MSN: 1317 Year of manufacture: 2016 Engine model: P&W Canada PW127 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Goroka Airport (GKA/AYGA) - Papua New Guinea Phase: Take off Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Goroka Airport (GKA/AYGA) Destination airport: Port Moresby-Jacksons International Airport (POM/AYPY) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: PNG Air flight CG8561 from Goroka to Port Moresby, operated by a ATR 72-600, P2-ATB, rejected takeoff at Goroka due to a flock of birds. During the rejection, two tires on the left landing gear burst. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/570886 USAF Grounds Its Oldest Jet Trainers Following Crash in Mississippi The U.S. Air Force announced a fleetwide operational pause for all T-38 Talon aircraft after one of them crashed in Mississippi. As it waits for the brand-new T-7A Red Hawk to come in and replace the aging T-38 Talon supersonic jet trainer, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) still uses the Northrop-designed aircraft to teach its pilots how to fly. For a while, though, the entire fleet of Talons will be grounded “out of an abundance of caution.” On May 12, 2026, one Talon assigned to Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, suffered a mishap - that’s military slang for crashed – while on a training flight, leading to the two occupants ejecting to safety and the aircraft being lost. The reasons for the incident are not known, and that’s why the USAF announced, one week after the incident, a fleet-wide operational pause for all T-38 Talon aircraft. That would be around 546 of them, flying for the Air Education and Training Command, Air Combat Command, Air Force Materiel Command, and Air Force Global Strike Command. It’s not known at this time how long the operational pause will last, but we’re told a safety board will be established to look into the recent crash, and also to perform “further engineering analysis and development of an inspection process to clear aircraft for a safe return to flight.” Inspections of the Talons have already begun, and individual aircraft may resume operations as soon as they are cleared for duty, or after maintenance has been performed. The USAF does not say what the suspected problem is. The T-38 Talon was introduced in 1959, and it flew operationally two years later. In the time that has passed since, more than 1,100 of them have been delivered, but only about half of them remain operational today. Most of the remaining ones have gone through various upgrades, targeting airframe, engine, and system components. The two-seater is meant to take students and instructors, who sit in a tandem position on rocket-powered ejection seats, to speeds of up to Mach 1.08 (812 mph/1,308 km), achievable by means of a couple of General Electric J85-GE-5 turbojet engines with afterburners that are capable of pushing out a maximum of 2,900 pounds of thrust. The plane can take its occupants to altitudes of up to 55,000 feet (16,764 meters) and has a maximum range of 1,093 miles. The plane carries no weapons, but it is fitted with what it needs to carry a practice bomb dispenser. The incoming T-7A Red Hawk that’s supposed to replace it is, naturally, a bit more capable. It is powered by a single General Electric engine rated at 17,000 pounds of thrust and similar top speeds and maximum altitude. The USAF will pay $9.2 billion to get its hands on some 351 Red Hawks, but allied nations will use the new design as well, in much larger numbers: Boeing expects to deliver a total of 2,700 of them to global partners. https://www.autoevolution.com/news/usaf-grounds-its-oldest-jet-trainers-following-crash-in-mississippi-270483.html Two Mid-Air Pilot Incapacitations Trigger Emergencies On Delta Connection & Jet2 Days Apart Paul has had a career of 25+ years focused on the international technology sector, which has taken him to over 100 countries. Along the way, he developed a deep love for aviation, with a travel bucket list measured by aircraft types flown rather than destinations reached. Now he is bringing that avgeek passion, along with the journalism experience he accumulated early in his career, to write insightful pieces for Simple Flying. Passengers on two separate commercial flights endured nerve-wracking midair medical emergencies within days of each other after pilots became incapacitated in the cockpit. It forced urgent responses from crews and air traffic controllers on both sides of the Atlantic, resulting in emergency landings and medical evacuations. One incident involved a Jet2Airbus A321neo flying to the United Kingdom, where passengers reported cabin crew urgently asking whether any doctors were onboard after the captain suffered a suspected heart attack at 30,000 feet. Days later, a Delta Air Lines regional jet declared an emergency in the United States after a pilot became incapacitated during the critical approach phase of flight. In both cases, the remaining pilot safely landed the aircraft — a dramatic reminder of the aviation industry’s extensive emergency training procedures and layered safety systems. The first emergency unfolded on May 21 aboard Jet2 flight LS1266 from Tenerife South Airport (TFS) to Birmingham International Airport (BHX). The Airbus A321neo had been cruising over the Atlantic for more than two hours when passengers suddenly became aware something was seriously wrong in the cockpit. According to multiple accounts, cabin crew rushed through the cabin asking whether any medically trained passengers were onboard. Reports later emerged suggesting the captain had suffered a suspected heart attack while the aircraft was flying at 35,000 feet. Flight tracking data shows the aircraft abruptly diverting away from its planned route and descending toward Porto's Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) in Portugal while the first officer assumed full control of the jet. One passenger told UK media the atmosphere onboard quickly became tense after the crew announcement. “The cabin crew asked if there were any doctors or nurses onboard. That’s when everybody realized this was serious.” Another passenger described the landing in Porto as “surprisingly calm,” crediting the first officer and cabin crew for keeping passengers informed throughout the ordeal. Emergency medical personnel met the aircraft immediately after landing, and the captain was removed from the aircraft alive and transported to a local hospital for urgent treatment. Jet2 has not publicly confirmed the exact nature of the medical emergency, but the flight remained on the ground for several hours while the airline arranged a replacement crew to continue the journey to Birmingham. Just days later, a second medical emergency unfolded in the US involving one of Delta's regional flights. Delta Connection flight DL5827, operated by a Bombardier CRJ-900 regional jet, was approaching The Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) in Cedar Rapids, after departing Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) when one of the pilots reportedly became incapacitated shortly before landing. Unlike the Jet2 incident, which occurred during the lower-workload cruise phase, the Delta Connection emergency developed during approach — one of the busiest and most workload-intensive moments in the flight. Pilots during this phase are simultaneously communicating with air traffic controllers, configuring the aircraft for landing, monitoring weather and traffic, and running critical checklists. Losing one pilot during this stage significantly increases the pressure on the remaining crew member. Air traffic control recordings captured the first officer declaring the emergency and requesting priority handling into Cedar Rapids. Despite the sudden cockpit emergency, the remaining pilot safely landed the aircraft without incident. Emergency responders met the aircraft after landing, and the incapacitated pilot was conscious and taken for medical evaluation. Passengers later deplaned normally after the aircraft arrived at the gate, with many reportedly only realizing the seriousness of the situation after emergency vehicles surrounded the aircraft. Flights Diverted After Ryanair Boeing 737 Pilot Passes Out Mid-Flight The captain's alarming mid-flight collapse prompts swift action from the first officer. While two pilot incapacitation emergencies occurring within days of each other may sound alarming, aviation experts will point to a different conclusion: the system worked exactly as designed. Commercial airline crews train extensively for pilot incapacitation scenarios in flight simulators, including emergencies occurring during takeoff, cruise, and landing. Similarly, ground controllers conduct rigorous training on assisting an aircraft with an incapacitated pilot. Modern aircraft are also heavily automated, allowing a single pilot to safely operate the aircraft while handling communication with air traffic control and coordinating a diversion or emergency landing. For passengers onboard, however, the experience can undoubtedly be far more dramatic than a routine flight. One Jet2 passenger reportedly described the moment cabin crew requested medical assistance as the point where “everybody realized this was serious.” “You never expect something like that to happen when you board a holiday flight, and it's very scary, but the crew were incredible, very professional.” In both the Jet2 and Delta Connection incidents, the remaining pilot, cabin crew, air traffic controllers, and emergency responders combined to bring the aircraft safely to the ground and get the incapacitated pilot medical attention. The fact that both flights concluded without injuries to passengers highlights just how heavily commercial aviation relies on layered safety systems and procedural redundancy, so that even when something goes seriously wrong in the cockpit, passengers emerge from the event unharmed. https://simpleflying.com/pilot-incapacitations-emergencies-delta-jet2/ Hawaiian Airlines flight lands safely in Honolulu after tire alert Hawaiian Airlines flight AS821 from Seattle experienced a low-pressure alert for a nose wheel tire prior to arrival in Honolulu. HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A Hawaiian Airlines flight landed in Honolulu Monday with tire trouble. According to an airline spokesperson, the pilots of flight AS821 from Seattle received a low-pressure alert for a nose wheel tire prior to arrival. The plane landed safely at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport shortly after 10 a.m. and was met by mechanics for a tire change, the spokesperson said. Passengers remained on board until the aircraft was towed to a gate. Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group. All flights carry the “AS” code assigned by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2026/05/25/hawaiian-airlines-flight-lands-safely-honolulu-after-tire-alert/ Air China Cargo increases A350F freighter order to 10 aircraft Toulouse, France, 26 May 2026 – Air China Cargo Co., Ltd. (hereafter referred to as "Air China Cargo") has signed a purchase agreement with Airbus for four additional A350F freighters, taking its total order for the type to 10 aircraft. Air China Cargo previously ordered six A350F freighters in November 2025. “This additional order, following our initial A350F order last year, is a crucial strategic decision for the company to further optimise our fleet structure and expand transport capacity. It will allow us to better match and meet the demands of the international air cargo market, laying a solid foundation for the company's long-term stable development," said Wang Hongyan, Vice President of Air China Cargo. "We are very pleased with Air China Cargo's decision to increase its order for the A350F freighter. It reflects Air China Cargo's full confidence in Airbus’ products and reaffirms the A350F's leading position as the next-generation freighter,” said Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business. Air China Cargo began introducing Airbus freighters at the end of 2023, and currently operates a fleet of eight Airbus A330-200P2F aircraft. In the near future, the A350F freighter will join Air China Cargo’s fleet and will complement the A330-200P2F freighters, maximising their advantages on long-haul and medium-to-long-haul routes. Designed to be the world's most advanced cargo aircraft, the A350F meets the evolving demands of the global air freight market. Thanks to a range capability of up to 8,700 kilometres with a payload of up to 111 tonnes, it will allow operators to deploy it on international long-haul routes. Made from over 70% advanced materials, the A350F is 46 tonnes lighter than competitor aircraft. Powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, the aircraft will bring a reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions of up to 20% when compared to previous generation aircraft with a similar payload-range capability. It is the only freighter fully meeting ICAO's 2027 CO₂ emission standards. The A350F is able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at entry-to-service, with the aim for up to 100% capability by 2030, as with all Airbus aircraft. At the end of April 2026, the A350F had registered 101 orders from 14 customers. https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-05-air-china-cargo-increases-a350f-freighter-order-to-10-aircraft BOC Aviation appoints Adeline Lim as Chief Risk Officer Aircraft operating leasing company BOC Aviation has appointed Adeline Lim as Chief Risk Officer. Adeline brings over 13 years of experience in aircraft leasing and started in her role at the company on 25 May 2026. She leads the company’s global risk management function and is responsible for shaping and executing risk strategy, overseeing airline credit risk and enterprise risk and ensuring robust governance across all risk domains. Stephen Barnes will remain with the company to ensure a smooth transition of his duties until his retirement. “We are delighted to welcome Adeline back to a new role at BOC Aviation,” said Steven Townend, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director. “Her wealth of experience across different roles, geographies and leasing platforms should provide her with valuable insights that will enhance our management team. Meanwhile, we thank Stephen for the important contributions he has made over many years”. BOC Aviation has a portfolio of 813 aircraft and engines (owned, managed and on order) and its owned and managed fleet was leased to 88 airlines in 46 countries and regions worldwide as at 31 March 2026. https://www.laranews.net/boc-aviation-appoints-adeline-lim-as-chief-risk-officer/ NTSB takes public docket system offline over UPS MD-11 cockpit audio concern The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has temporarily taken its public docket system offline after learning that publicly released accident materials may allow people to reconstruct approximations of cockpit voice recorder audio. The agency said advances in “image recognition and computational methods” have allowed individuals to recreate approximations of CVR audio from sound spectrum imagery released as part of NTSB investigations. The issue includes material released in the ongoing investigation into the crash of UPS Flight 2976 in Louisville, Kentucky, in November 2025. “The NTSB does not release cockpit audio recordings,” the agency said in a statement posted to its docket status page. “Federal law prohibits such public release due to the highly sensitive nature of verbal communications inside the cockpit. The NTSB takes these privacy restrictions seriously.” The NTSB said its docket system will remain temporarily unavailable while it examines the scope of the issue and evaluates possible solutions. The agency said it hopes to restore access “as soon as possible.” The issue does not appear to involve written cockpit voice recorder transcripts alone. A transcript provides the words, timing and some sound descriptions from a cockpit recording, but it does not contain the cockpit audio itself. The concern cited by the NTSB centers on sound spectrum imagery released in public investigation materials. Sound spectrum imagery is a visual representation of audio data. Investigators use it to help identify sounds and establish precise timing for events captured on a recording. Because that imagery is derived from the underlying CVR audio, modern image-recognition and AI computational tools may be able to use it to reconstruct an approximation of the protected cockpit audio. That creates a problem for the NTSB because federal law prohibits the public release of cockpit voice recordings, even though the agency may release written transcripts and factual analysis from the recordings. The docket takedown followed the NTSB’s May 19-20, 2026, investigative hearing into the November 4, 2025, crash of UPS Flight 2976, a Boeing MD-11F that crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The three crewmembers aboard the aircraft and 12 people on the ground were killed. During the hearing, investigators said airport surveillance video showed the aircraft’s left engine and pylon separated from the wing shortly after takeoff rotation. The NTSB has also said fire was visible near the left engine and pylon attachment area. Investigators have examined the pylon aft mount bulkhead and spherical bearing assembly, including fatigue cracking found in the bearing race. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/ntsb-docket-system-ups-md11-cockpit-audio Graduate Research Request - 1 candidate in Aviation with a specialization in Human Factors at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. With nearly 40 years of experience in aircraft maintenance and aviation safety, his dissertation research examines how Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMTs) experience and describe decision-making during troubleshooting, inspection, and repair activities in Part 121 and Part 135 operations. The IRB-approved study seeks currently employed Part 121 and Part 135 AMTs with at least one year of maintenance experience to participate in one confidential 60 to 75-minute virtual interview focused on real-world maintenance decision-making. Participation is voluntary and confidential, and no proprietary or company-specific information will be requested. Although employed by the FAA, this research is conducted solely in an academic capacity and is not affiliated with or conducted on behalf of the FAA. Individuals interested in participating or learning more may contact Steve Poiani at poianadf@my.erau.edu. https://sites.google.com/view/aircraftmaintenancestudy/home Steve Poiani Doctoral Candidate Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University poianadf@my.erau.edu Graduate Research Request - 2 My name is Michail Karyotakis, Lt. Col. (P) HAF, Part-time PhD Student in Aerospace, School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing at the Cranfield University in the UK. Currently, I am working on the final stage of my Research project, which is focused on developing a Flexible and Dynamic Safety Management Framework for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations. I kindly invite you to participate in this survey validating or arguing against the findings of the respective research. Findings are illustrated in the form of questions. Everyone’s level and kind of experience is considered useful not to mention those with aviation and/or piloting background. By sharing your perspectives, you will contribute to developing effective and sustainable mechanism of safety risk management for Unmanned Aircraft Operations in the current aviation environment. Specifically, this Research is focused on: • Reviewing the existing Safety Management approaches for the UAS operations that are in the scope of the Research. • Introduce, test and validate the concept of Total System Safety Performance for UAS operations in the scope of this research. • Assessing Safety risks related to the operations of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and Package Delivery. • Assessing the impact of Human Factors, Terrain management and different flight phases in UAS operations. • How could the current safety management framework for UAS operations be updated and streamlined according to the specific needs of every operator and the specificities of every UAS operation. Your participation in this survey is entirely voluntary, and it is estimated to take approximately 15 to 20 minutes of your time. This survey is undertaken as part of my research thesis submission and is not affiliated with any airline, training organisation, or any other. Participation in the survey is voluntary and anonymous (if desired by the participants, personal info may be shared). The survey will take about 15 minutes to be completed. Thank you in advance for your time and patience. Your participation is highly appreciated. Please click the link below to enter the survey: https://cranfielduniversity.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3fvlBSGnO7TxeJ0 Student email: michail.k.karyotakis@cranfield.ac.uk CALENDAR OF EVENTS .2026 FAA-EASA International Aviation Safety Conference — June 16-18, 2026, in Chantilly, Virginia, with the theme “Safety Together: Innovation, Integration and Trust.” https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/newsroom-and-events/events/2026-faa-easa-international-aviation-safety-conference . 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 . ICAO/EASA Third Global RSOO/RAIO Forum for Aviation Safety — September 29–30, 2026, in Georgetown, Guyana., https://www.icao.int/events : 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