Flight Safety Information - June 17, 2026 No. 118 In This Issue : Incident: Austrian B772 at Bangkok on Jun 13th 2026, weather radar problem : Incident: Virgin Australia B738 at Melbourne on Jun 15th 2026, engine fire indication : Incident: Condor A321 at Munich on Jun 15th 2026, rejected takeoff due to bird strike : Incident: Canada B789 over Atlantic on Jun 14th 2026, cracked windshield : 16 June 2026 - NetJets Cessna 680A Citation Latitude accident 1 dead (Laredo, TX) : FBI Seizes Drones, Cites Pilots In Los Angeles During World Cup : Why Some Delta Regional Flight Attendants Skip Turbulence Safety Steps During Flights : Emergency crews escort Delta plane at JFK Airport after reports of flat tires before landing : United Airlines flight lands safely after emergency alert : Worker killed after walking into spinning plane propeller at Arizona airport: FAA : FAA Investigating Laser Shined Into Cockpit Of Delta Flight : Investigators Look for Electronic Devices of Victims in Skydiving Crash : Delta to install VCT finlets on 240 Boeing 737NG aircraft to boost fuel efficiency : FAA Taps Locke To Lead Safety Organization : NetJets seeks FAA exemption to extend pilot hours on Global 7500 flights : Calendar of Events Incident: Austrian B772 at Bangkok on Jun 13th 2026, weather radar problem An Austrian Airlines Boeing 777-200, registration OE-LPE performing flight OS-8 from Bangkok (Thailand) to Vienna (Austria), was climbing out of Bangkok's runway 20L when the crew stopped the climb at FL180 and decided to return to Bangkok. The aircraft landed safely back on Bangkok's runway 19 about 50 minutes after departure. A passenger reported the weather radar needed to be replaced. The aircraft was able to depart again about 3:45 hours after landing back and reached Vienna with a delay of about 4.5 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=53a98c7b&opt=0 Incident: Virgin Australia B738 at Melbourne on Jun 15th 2026, engine fire indication A Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800, registration VH-VUR performing flight VA-697 from Melbourne,VI to Perth,WA (Australia), was climbing out of Melbourne's runway 34 when the crew stopped the climb at 5000 feet due to a left hand engine (CFM56) fire indication, requested emergency services to meet them on the runway to check engine #1 and decided to return to Melbourne for a safe landing on runway 34 about 25 minutes after departure. The aircraft stopped on the runway for about 8 minutes for an inspection by emergency services, no evidence of fire was spotted. The aircraft subsequently taxied to the apron. The airline reported an engine issue. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration VH-VOO reached Perth with a delay of about 3.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 24 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=53a98a99&opt=0 Incident: Condor A321 at Munich on Jun 15th 2026, rejected takeoff due to bird strike A Condor Airbus A321-200, registration D-AIAD performing flight DE-1610 from Munich (Germany) to Rhodes (Greece), was accelerating for takeoff from Munich's runway 26L when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed (about 155 knots over ground) due to a bird strike. The aircraft slowed safely, vacated the runway at the last exit and stopped clear of the runway for an inspection by emergency services before taxiing to the apron about 10 minutes later. The aircraft was able to depart again about 2.5 hours after the rejected takeoff and reached Rhodes with a delay of 2.5 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=53a8c369&opt=0 Incident: Canada B789 over Atlantic on Jun 14th 2026, cracked windshield An Air Canada Boeing 787-9, registration C-FRTU pereforming flight AC-937 from Edinburgh,SC (UK) to Montreal,QC (Canada), was enroute at FL380 over the Atlantic Ocean about 310nm west of Edinburgh when the crew decided to turn around and return to Edinburgh due to a crack in the left hand windshield. The aircraft descended to FL100 within about 12 minutes and landed safely back on Edinburgh's runway 06 about 110 minutes after departure. The aircraft is still on the ground in Edinburgh about 30 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=53a8bac1&opt=0 16 June 2026 - NetJets Cessna 680A Citation Latitude accident 1 dead (Laredo, TX) Date: Tuesday 16 June 2026 Time: 21:58 LT Type: Cessna 680A Citation Latitude Owner/operator: NetJets Registration: N523QS MSN: 680A0061 Year of manufacture: 2016 Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 6 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Destroyed Category: Accident Location: 4 KM south of Laredo International Airport (LRD/KLRD), Laredo, TX - United States of America Phase: Approach Nature: Passenger Departure airport: San José del Cabo-Los Cabos International Airport (SJD/MMSD) Destination airport: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, TX (AUS/KAUS) Investigating agency: NTSB Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: The aircraft had an emergency and diverted to Laredo. It crashed on a highway on approach. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/572456 FBI Seizes Drones, Cites Pilots In Los Angeles During World Cup Violation Of Temporary Flight Restrictions During USA Team’s World Cup Game Federal officials said they seized drones and cited pilots near the SoFi Stadium for allegedly violating temporary flight restrictions during Friday’s World Cup game. The USA vs. Paraguay FIFA World Cup match took place on Friday, June 12, 2026 at SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles Stadium) in Inglewood, California. The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits all aircraft operations, including drone flights, within a 3-nautical-mile radius and up to 3,000 feet above ground level around certain stadiums hosting World Cup matches. But some drone pilots broke those rules and law enforcement officials cited them for the alleged violations, the FBI in Los Angeles said in a social media post on Saturday. The agency posted photos of the seized drones and an image of a drone pilot getting cited. The post didn’t say how many pilots were cited or how many drones were seized. The agency also didn’t disclose what technology was used to track down the drone pilots. Law enforcement agencies across various states are taking action against drone pilots who violate the FAA’s temporary flight restrictions during World Cup soccer matches. Ahead of the game, the FAA warned drone operators that they could get their drone seized, face federal criminal charges and fines of up to $100,000 if they run afoul of these restriction. https://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=94A945DE-3178-40D2-A70E-234242056465 Why Some Delta Regional Flight Attendants Skip Turbulence Safety Steps During Flights If you fly Delta Connection routes operated by Endeavor Air, you may want to know what's happening behind the scenes during turbulence. Flight attendants at the regional carrier say they are skipping standard safety procedures because they worry about how passengers will rate them afterward. The concern comes from the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), the union that represents cabin crew at Endeavor Air, a wholly owned Delta subsidiary that operates regional flights under the Delta Connection brand. Union representatives say crew members feel pressured to keep service moving even when conditions in the cabin are unsafe. What the union is saying According to the AFA, flight attendants at Endeavor are being judged on customer satisfaction surveys that passengers fill out after their flights. Those scores carry weight inside the company, and crew members say a pause in service during turbulence can drag those numbers down. The result, according to the union, is that some flight attendants continue working the aisle, serving drinks, and collecting trash during turbulence instead of taking their jump seats and buckling in. That goes against standard procedure, which calls for cabin crew to stop service and secure themselves when a captain turns on the seatbelt sign or when turbulence becomes severe. The union raised the issue publicly to highlight what it describes as a conflict between passenger experience metrics and basic safety rules that exist to protect both crew and travelers. Why turbulence procedures matter to you Turbulence is the leading cause of injuries on commercial flights in the United States. When a plane hits rough air without warning, anyone not strapped in can be thrown against the ceiling, seats, or the floor. Flight attendants face the greatest risk because they are usually standing and moving through the cabin. The Federal Aviation Administration requires airlines to follow specific procedures when the seatbelt sign is on. Cabin crew are expected to secure carts, stop service, and take their seats. Passengers are expected to return to their seats and fasten their seatbelts. When flight attendants skip those steps, the risk shifts onto everyone in the cabin. A loose cart can become a projectile. A crew member who is knocked off balance can fall onto passengers. And if a flight attendant is injured, fewer people are available to help in an emergency. How customer satisfaction scoring works Airlines like Delta use post-flight surveys to track how passengers feel about their trip. Scores can influence everything from crew bonuses to performance reviews. The metrics often focus on things like friendliness, attentiveness, and whether service was completed. The problem, according to the AFA, is that these surveys do not always account for circumstances outside the crew's control. If a flight hits 45 minutes of continuous turbulence and service gets cut short, passengers may rate the flight lower even though the crew followed safety rules correctly. Flight attendants say that pressure adds up over time. Crew members who consistently receive lower scores can face uncomfortable conversations with management, even when the reasons for those scores were tied to weather or safety decisions. What Endeavor and Delta have said Endeavor Air operates as a regional carrier feeding passengers into Delta's mainline network. Its flight attendants are not part of the same union contract as Delta mainline cabin crew, who are not unionized. The AFA has been pushing to organize Delta mainline flight attendants for years. The union's claims about turbulence procedures put a spotlight on how regional carriers measure performance. Delta has not publicly disputed the existence of customer satisfaction scoring at Endeavor, and the airline has long emphasized service quality as a brand differentiator. What this means for your next flight If you are flying on a Delta Connection flight operated by Endeavor or another regional carrier, here are a few things worth keeping in mind. First, the seatbelt sign is not optional. Even when the ride feels smooth, clear-air turbulence can hit without warning. Keep your belt fastened whenever you are seated. Second, if a flight attendant pauses service during rough air, that is the correct response. A delayed drink is far better than an injury. Crew members who follow procedure are protecting you, not ignoring you. Third, when you fill out a post-flight survey, consider the context. If the cabin crew stopped service because of turbulence or other safety reasons, that decision should not count against them. The bigger picture The issue at Endeavor reflects a tension that exists across the airline industry. Carriers compete on service, and surveys are one of the few ways to measure that service at scale. But when those metrics influence how crew members behave during safety-critical moments, the system can produce outcomes that nobody wants. Turbulence injuries have drawn more attention in recent years, with several high-profile incidents on international flights resulting in serious harm to passengers and crew. The National Transportation Safety Board has repeatedly recommended that airlines and passengers take turbulence more seriously. For now, the AFA is using its platform to argue that safety procedures should not be weighed against survey scores. Whether Endeavor or Delta makes changes to how it evaluates regional flight attendants remains to be seen. In the meantime, the best thing you can do as a traveler is simple. Buckle up, listen to the crew, and rate them fairly. https://aeroxplorer.com/articles/why-some-delta-regional-flight-attendants-skip-turbulence-safety-steps-during-flights.php Emergency crews escort Delta plane at JFK Airport after reports of flat tires before landing Delta plane safely lands at JFK after reports of flat tires: officials NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- A inbound flight to John F. Kennedy Airport landed safely after reports that the plane had flat front tires, according to FDNY officials. Delta Flight 1966 from San Juan landed safely at JFK and was safely escorted to Terminal 4 Gate A14. Officials say 46 units and 141 fire and EMS personnel responded. They say there were no injuries, and the situation was placed under control just after 5 p.m. In a statement, Delta confirmed "some damage to one tire, but not a major situation given the maintenance team determined the aircraft was suitable to continue taxiing over to the gate for the tire replacement rather than having to do so on the taxiway." They said 170 customers were on board. https://abc7ny.com/post/delta-flight-jfk-airport-lands-safely-reports-2-flat-tires-no-injuries/19311205/ United Airlines flight lands safely after emergency alert Flight left from Milwaukee about 10:45 a.m. en route to Houston MILWAUKEE — A United Airlines flight landed safely Tuesday afternoon after an emergency alert. Flight 6254 operated by Mesa Airlines departed Milwaukee en route to Houston about 10:45 a.m. The pilot recognized a landing gear issue and turned around. The plane circled before safely landing at 12:14 p.m. Airport fire crews responded, and trucks followed the plane to the gate after it landed, according to a WISN 12 News photojournalist. No one was injured. Mesa Airlines told WISN 12 News that it is working with United to get the people on flights to their destinations as quickly as possible. https://www.wisn.com/article/united-airlines-flight-lands-safely-after-emergency-alert/71604182 Worker killed after walking into spinning plane propeller at Arizona airport: FAA An employee at Marana Regional Airport was killed in an accident on June 13. According to the FAA, the worker died after walking into a plane's spinning propeller. The victim was reportedly identified as a 40-year-old Tucson man. MARANA, Ariz. - In southern Arizona, an investigation is underway after a worker at an airport was killed in a horrific accident. The incident happened just before 4:30 p.m. on June 13 at Marana Regional Airport. According to the FAA, after a Cessna 208B landed and was parked, an airport employee walked into the airplane's propeller, which was still running. The worker was killed. Tthe worker was identified as Eduardo Hernandez, a 40-year-old Tucson man. https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/worker-killed-after-walking-spinning-plane-propeller-arizona-airport-faa FAA Investigating Laser Shined Into Cockpit Of Delta Flight Flight Was On Descent Into Boston When Green Laser Illuminated Cockpit The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirms that Delta Airlines Flight 303 reported being unlawfully illuminated by a green laser while flying high above Norwich, Conn. around 9:15 p.m. on Thursday. The Delta flight from Dallas to Boston was beginning its final descent around 9:15 p.m. when, while still at a cruising altitude of 20,000 feet, the laser (file photo) was flashed into the cockpit, a spokesperson for the FAA confirmed. The flight landed safely, 10 minutes behind schedule but with no injuries reported for the pilots, a Connecticut State Police spokesperson confirmed. FAA officials said they were investigating. "Shining a laser at an aircraft poses a serious safety threat and is a federal crime," an FAA spokesperson said. "Lasers can incapacitate pilots, many of whom are flying airplanes with hundreds of passengers." Last year, pilots reported 10,993 laser strikes to the FAA. Shining lasers in a pilot's eyes is a felony under federal law, and violators can face FAA fines of up to $11,000 and criminal penalties as stiff as five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In Connecticut, using a laser pointer to blind pilots is a class A misdemeanor. https://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=F16C4F19-C0D2-4590-8618-FF37737B295D Investigators Look for Electronic Devices of Victims in Skydiving Crash The aircraft that went down in Butler, Mo., on Sunday was not required to have had a voice recorder, a National Transportation Safety Board official said. Federal investigators do not expect to find a voice recorder in the wreckage of a skydiving plane that crashed in Missouri on Sunday, but are searching for the personal electronic devices of the 12 people who died. Michael Graham, the vice chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said in a media briefing on Monday that the small aircraft that crashed is not required to have a cockpit recorder, commonly known as a black box. “This is the beginning of a long process, and we will not be determining what happened overnight,” he said, adding that a preliminary report into the cause of the crash would be produced within 30 days. The accident killed 11 passengers and the pilot just moments after they took off in Butler, about 60 miles south of Kansas City, Mo. The aircraft was manufactured in 2010 by Pacific Aerospace and registered to SkiHi Aero in Jasper, Tenn. Investigators from the N.T.S.B. were arriving in Missouri on Monday to investigate the crash of the plane, operated by Skydive Kansas City. Witnesses described the plane going up in flames with all of its occupants inside in a field near the runway at Butler Memorial Airport. The wreckage is expected to be removed on Tuesday and taken away for analysis, Mr. Graham said. He asked that bystanders who saw the crash or have photos or videos to contact the agency. Jerret Reno, coroner of Bates County, Mo., said in an interview on Monday that the victims were still being identified, which would probably continue until next week. In the small city of Butler, investigators gathered at the scene of the crash on Monday. Nearby are farm supply and lumber stores, a closed glass company, a Russell Stover Chocolate warehouse, as well as a water tower whose faded paint mirrored this week’s clear blue skies. The road next to the crash debris was closed as investigators analyzed the scene, and reporters gathered beside a youth baseball field, where the right field fence had advertisements for a laundromat and the Butler Bears, a school mascot. Tributes to the victims continued to pour in on Monday, as relatives and friends confronted their sudden loss. One victim, Michael Shanahan, 54, began skydiving a few months before his sister died of breast cancer in 2016, his family said. The pursuit was partly in her honor, said his mother, Gloria Shanahan, and partly because “he wanted to make sure he lived his life to the full extent.” “We didn’t know he only had 10 years,” Ms. Shanahan said. Steve Birch, the owner of the Furniture Exchange in Bloomington, Ind., said another victim, Dustin McKinney, had worked for him before moving to the Kansas City area. “He was just loved by everybody, and he loved everybody,” Mr. Birch said. “He was nonjudgmental and one of the easiest people that I’ve ever worked with.” The crash on Sunday, under sunny skies, immediately raised questions about safety rules for private aircraft used for skydiving and other recreation. Nearly two decades ago, the N.T.S.B. was sounding the alarm over what it described as inadequate regulations. Between 1980 and 2008, an N.T.S.B. report said, 172 people died in parachute aircraft accidents, an average of about six a year. Parachutists “are aware of and manage” the risks of skydiving itself, the 2008 report said, but “can do little or nothing to control” aircraft hazards. The N.T.S.B. noted that the Federal Aviation Administration’s maintenance and training rules for parachute operations are more lax than those that govern some charter flights and sightseeing tours. The report said that in 12 parachute plane accidents that involved a loss of engine power, “nearly all” the pilots had made critical errors, often letting the plane stall. The board also noted that parachute pilots can satisfy training requirements by flying in a small, two-seat plane, even if they are regularly flying parachuters in a much larger, 23-seat plane. In 2019, after 11 people died in a skydiving plane crash in Hawaii, the N.T.S.B. voiced its frustrations with the F.A.A. for not tightening regulations. “Are we trying to put the F.A.A. on notice on this? Yes,” Jennifer Homendy, who now leads the N.T.S.B., said at the time. In 2021, the N.T.S.B. again called on the F.A.A. to regulate parachute flights more rigorously, saying that skydivers “are likely unaware that these operations have less stringent requirements.” Gloria Shanahan said that Michael Shanahan and his sister, who was older by 19 months, were close. He visited her grave regularly, his mother said. Every now and then, he went skydiving. Mr. Shanahan’s mother said he had been devoted to his son, daughter-in-law and six grandchildren — his “whole self revolved around those kids,” she said. “This time around has knocked us down,” Ms. Shanahan said. “It’s not going to be easy to get back up, if we do at all. We will just go through the motions of life. The emotions, and the motions of life. The grandchildren and the great-grandchildren will help us survive it.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/15/us/skydiving-plane-crash-missouri.html Delta to install VCT finlets on 240 Boeing 737NG aircraft to boost fuel efficiency Delta Air Lines (DAL) will install aerodynamic finlet modification packages from Vortex Control Technologies 'VCT' across its Boeing (BA) 737-800 and 737-900ER fleet, covering 240 aircraft once deployment is complete, the companies said on Wednesday. The decision follows a technical evaluation conducted jointly by Delta (DAL) and VCT that included flight-test data analysis, reviews of operational trends, and engineering assessments of aerodynamic performance. Finlets are devices mounted on the aft fuselage of an aircraft that alter airflow patterns, reduce drag, and improve fuel efficiency. According to VCT, the technology reduces flow separation and improves pressure distribution along the rear fuselage, helping lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions. VCT Chief Executive Gil Morgan said the rollout marked a significant milestone for the company and would provide airlines with a practical way to improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, and strengthen operating economics. Delta (DAL) said the implementation builds on its broader fleet-modification strategy and followed a review process focused on safety and operational performance. The assessment included flight-test validation, operational data analysis, and computational fluid dynamics studies on the carrier's 737 Next-Generation aircraft. The airline said the move reflects its continued focus on reducing fuel use, lowering emissions, and improving efficiency through data-driven operational initiatives. With roughly 90% of Delta's (DAL) carbon emissions linked to jet fuel consumption, the carrier said technologies such as finlets can contribute to improved fleet efficiency while supporting its sustainability goals. Delta Chief Sustainability Officer Amelia DeLuca said the airline was looking forward to implementing the technology following its evaluation and collaboration with VCT. https://seekingalpha.com/news/4604288-delta-to-install-vct-finlets-on-240-boeing-737ng-aircraft-to-boost-fuel-efficiency FAA Taps Locke To Lead Safety Organization CHANTILLY, Virginia—Caitlin Locke has been named FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety, rising from a key certification role to the agency’s top civilian safety position and extending the FAA’s sweeping reorganization. https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/safety-ops-regulation/faa-taps-locke-lead-safety-organization NetJets seeks FAA exemption to extend pilot hours on Global 7500 flights The FAA has not yet responded to the petition. NetJets Aviation has petitioned the FAA for an exemption that would allow pilots to fly beyond current duty hour limits on its longest-range aircraft. The petition, filed under docket FAA–2026–3840, targets regulations under 14 CFR 135.269 and applies to the BD-700-2A12 – the Global 7500 – capable of flights lasting between 16 and 17 hours. NetJets is seeking to assign four pilots and extend the maximum allowable duty period by one hour to 21 hours to accommodate those missions. The FAA is accepting public comments until July 2, 2026, and two have already raised substantive concerns. One commenter, identifying as a business jet user, questioned whether flight attendants with safety responsibilities would also be subject to extended duty periods under the exemption, and whether their rest requirements had been factored in. They also challenged the manufacturer’s supporting statement, arguing that features cited as justification for the exemption – such as dedicated crew rest areas and acoustic isolation – were not new innovations unique to the Global 7500, but standard features dating back decades. “Dedicated crew rest areas have been in place in aircraft since the 1970s starting with 747s, 767s and other aircraft,” the commenter wrote, adding that neither the operator nor the manufacturer had specified what standard the crew rest area was being shown to meet. A second commenter, identifying as a current Global 7500 crewmember, was more direct. “As a crewmember on a Global 7500, I can attest the crew rest area is not good enough for these kinds of flights. It barely works with the missions we fly now,” they wrote, citing the galley door, thin mattress pads and noise from the cabin as disruptive to rest. They also raised concerns about self-certification of fatigue readiness. “The proposed self-attesting to non-fatigue is not acceptable, as the pressure to complete missions will override honest answers with flight duty pay on the line,” they said. The FAA has not yet responded to the petition. Public comments can be submitted via regulations.gov using docket number FAA–2026–3840. https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/netjets-exemptions/ 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 . EAA AirVenture Oshkosh - July 20–26, 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 . Global Aviation Conference Frankfurt- 29-30SEP2026 - Frankfurt, Germany . 79TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY SUMMIT MONTREAL | NOVEMBER 10-12, 2026. . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV . 2027 ACSF Safety Symposium - April 6-8, 2027 - ERAU Daytona Beach, FL Curt Lewis