Flight Safety Information - August 12, 2026 No. 157 In This Issue : Incident: United B788 near Boston on Aug 10th 2026, cracked windshield : Incident: American B738 at Myrtle Beach on Aug 10th 2026, engine malfunction after bird strike : Incident: Delta B753 near Denver on Aug 9th 2026, pressurization problem : American Airlines Regional Jet Declares Fuel Emergency After Three Failed Landing Attempts : Air India Pilot With Marijuana In His Bloodstream Was Also On Sleep Medication : Canadian airline cancels flight after child refuses to wear seatbelt : Mount Etna eruption: Catania airport closes and ash cloud reaches as far as Libya : Possible hoax Wi-Fi network on Delta flight to Atlanta under investigation, airline says : Data Will Help Airlines Save the Next Gallon of Jet Fuel : Boeing jet deliveries drop 17% in July : Calendar of Events Incident: United B788 near Boston on Aug 10th 2026, cracked windshield A United Boeing 787-8, registration N26906 performing flight UA-108 from Washington Dulles,DC (USA) to Munich (Germany), was enroute at FL390 about 130nm northnortheast of Boston,MA (USA) when the crew decided to divert to Boston due to a cracked windshield. The aircraft landed safely on Boston's runway 22L about one hour after leaving FL390. A passenger reported the crew announced a cracked windshield as reason for the diversion. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Boston about 16 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53d51269&opt=0 Incident: American B738 at Myrtle Beach on Aug 10th 2026, engine malfunction after bird strike An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N825NN performing flight AA-1760 from Myrtle Beach,SC to Charlotte,NC (USA) with 181 people on board, was climbing out of Myrtle Beach's runway 18 when the crew declared Mayday reporting a captain's side (left hand) engine malfunction subsequently adding they may have hit birds about mid runway. The aircraft stopped the climb at 2000 feet. A subsequent runway inspection found bird debris on the runway. The aircraft returned for a safe landing on runway 18 about 20 minutes after departure. Passengers reported the left hand engine emitted streaks of flames and bangs. The FAA reported a bird strike. A replacement A319-100 registration N832AW reached Charlotte with a delay of 7.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Myrtle Beach about 28 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53d50bda&opt=0 Incident: Delta B753 near Denver on Aug 9th 2026, pressurization problem A Delta Airlines Boeing 757-300, registration N581NW performing flight DL-2122 from Minneapolis,MN to Los Angeles,CA (USA), was enroute at FL340 about 130nm eastnortheast of Denver,CO (USA) when the crew decided to divert to Denver. The aircraft descended through 10,000 feet about 10 minutes after leaving FL340 and landed safely on Denver's runway 26 about 25 minutes later. The remainder of the flight was cancelled. The FAA reported: "Delta Air Lines Flight 2122 landed safely at Denver International Airport around 7:15 p.m. local time on Sunday, August 9, after the crew reported a pressurization issue. The Boeing 757-300 was travelling from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport. The FAA will investigate." The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Denver about 37 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53d4e016&opt=0 American Airlines Regional Jet Declares Fuel Emergency After Three Failed Landing Attempts An American Airlines regional jet operated by SkyWest lining up on the runway for takeoffShutterstock An American Eagle regional jet declared a fuel emergency and diverted to Evansville, Indiana, after three failed landing attempts at Lexington and Louisville during severe thunderstorms. The pilots of an American Airlines regional jet operated by the carrier’s wholly owned subsidiary Envoy Air under the American Eagle brand declared a fuel emergency on Tuesday afternoon after three failed landing attempts at two different airports due to severe thunderstorms. Flight AA-3927 from Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) to Lexington (LEX) was operated by an Embraer E175LR regional aircraft (registration: N285NN), which can carry up to 76 passengers and around three crew members. The flight departed DFW at around 2:09 pm on August 11 for what should have been a very mundane two-hour flight to Lexington. But as the plane reached around 2,200 feet on approach to Lexington, the pilots opted to discontinue their approach due to bad weather across the airfield. The weather, which included thunderstorms, was so bad that the pilots didn’t even consider trying to land at Lexington and instead opted for an immediate diversion to nearby Louisville (SDF). In the short time that it took them to fly to Louisville, however, the weather was already closing in over the airport. According to data from Flight Radar 24, the plane flew over the Runway 35R at Louisville, descending to an altitude of less than 600 feet before the pilots once again abandoned their landing attempt, climbing back to an altitude of 4,000 feet as air traffic control instructed them to ‘go around’ and attempt another landing attempt. On this occasion, the pilots attempted to land on the parallel Runway 35L, descending to around 1,500 feet before abandoning the landing attempt for a third time due to heavy rain and reduced visibility. At this point, the aircraft had been in the air for around two hours and 40 minutes, more than 30% longer than scheduled. The pilots would have planned to have enough fuel to deal with a delay or abandoned landing, but three abandoned landing attempts in a row are, unquestionably, unusual. It’s reported that the plane had just 30 minutes of fuel left, so the pilots declared a fuel emergency (what is known as squawking 7700), and air traffic control directed the pilots towards Evansville Regional Airport (EVV) in Indiana. In the end, the aircraft landed safely at EVV after three hours in the air. A fuel emergency doesn’t mean that a plane is at risk of suddenly falling out of the sky, but rather that the pilot is indicating to Air Traffic Control that the plane no longer has enough fuel to endlessly fly around in circles and that priority needs to be given to getting the aircraft on the ground as quickly as possible. A pilot may first declare a ‘Pan, Pan’ to air traffic control, indicating that they need priority clearance to land, but without declaring a full emergency. If the situation worsens, the pilots may then declare a ‘Mayday,’ which tells air traffic control that all available resources should be afforded to the aircraft to get it on the ground safely as quickly as possible. Pilots need to carefully balance the amount of fuel they carry in the tanks against various operational parameters. Airlines don’t just fill up the fuel tanks to the maximum limit before every flight because this would add a lot of additional fuel that would slow down the plane and needlessly burn fuel. At the same time, pilots need to assess weather conditions and other operational factors that might necessitate a diversion to an alternate airport, factoring in how much additional fuel is required for this diversion. https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2026/08/12/american-airlines-regional-jet-declares-fuel-emergency-after-three-failed-landing-attempts/ Air India Pilot With Marijuana In His Bloodstream Was Also On Sleep Medication An Air India aircraft carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members from Phuket to Delhi had suddenly lost about 300 feet of altitude on The Air India pilot has tested positive for marijuana in a drug test twice The pilot in command of an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi that encountered a sudden loss of altitude last week was on medication for "sleep difficulty", as per the airline's internal flight safety report accessed by NDTV. The pilot, who has tested positive for marijuana in a drug test twice, said that the "sleep did not come easily" to him during the layover. The aircraft, AI-2379, carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members, had suddenly lost about 300 feet of altitude while it was flying from Phuket to Delhi on August 4. At least 20 passengers and four crew members suffered injuries. The Airbus A320neo aircraft later landed safely in Delhi. "I disclose, for completeness, that I had separately been experiencing sleep difficulty over a preceding period, related to personal circumstances, for which I had been prescribed medication by my family doctor," the pilot said in a flight safety statement. "During the layover, I personally attempted rest; sleep did not come easily, and I judged that light activity such as walking would be constructive for sleep quality," he said. He also said the roster duties, which he said were legally within the prescribed rest limits, were scheduled in a way that "compressed available daytime rest, which is often below the minimum required for adequate recovery". For the first flight, the pilot had to report for duty at 12:10 AM, which meant preparations needed to begin well before 10 PM - and getting good sleep before that was difficult. After landing, finishing post-flight duties and getting to the hotel in Phuket usually took 1.5 to 2 hours, which cut further into the time available to rest during the day - often leaving less than what's needed to properly recover, he said. For the second flight, he said he had to wake up at 3 AM IST. Air India Pilot's Behaviour Under Probe The Incident Report accessed by NDTV indicates that he was not in his seat, with the co-pilot in command of the aircraft when the flight plummeted 300 feet over Odisha. Sources indicate that he then went to the cabin to check up on injuries and reportedly told passengers not to film him or the aircraft. Upon landing in Delhi, sources said the pilot was unsteady on his feet and had to be helped to sit down. The pilot was also physically helped by an investigating officer as he submitted his urine sample. The Party In Phuket During the flight from Delhi to Phuket, the pilot had gone to the washroom and, as per protocol, had called a cabin attendant to sit in his seat, sources said. The attendant, sources said, was not good in handling the operation and was reprimanded by the pilot. Later, he wanted to make up and took all crew members to a party in Phuket before the return flight. Both pilots have been off-rostered pending an inquiry. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/air-india-phuket-delhi-flight-pilot-with-marijuana-in-his-bloodstream-was-also-on-sleep-medication-11899451 Canadian airline cancels flight after child refuses to wear seatbelt Flight from Victoria to Toronto forced to return to terminal after repeated attempts to secure child in seat failed A Canadian airline cancelled a flight from Victoria to Toronto after a child refused to wear a seatbelt. The child was standing in their chair as the 6 August Porter Airlines flight taxied towards the runway, the airline said. Repeated attempts by an accompanying parent and crew to secure the child in their seat failed, so the crew elected to return to the terminal and have the two passengers disembark as “the aircraft could not take off in this unsafe condition”, it added. Brad Cicero, a spokesperson for the airline, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) that all passengers had to disembark, as the time needed to remove only the child and their parent and refile paperwork meant the plane could not take off before the airport closed at 12:30am. “We apologise for the effect this had on other passengers, who were able to depart on a flight the following day,” he told the broadcaster. Passenger Aryeh Kozuch told the Canadian Press that the child was not being unruly, and that online comments admonishing the parents did not “empathetically capture the situation”. “They just kept hiding under their seat,” he said. “If they got forced into [being] strapped in, they just kind of slid out underneath.” “This was a child that was in a tube with 150 people … They’re obviously terrified, and their response was to try and hide under the seat in front of them,” he said. “That’s so different than a kid running around and screaming.” Hillary Hertzberg, another passenger, said the airline could have acted faster. “It took for ever,” Hertzberg told CBC. “The kid eventually got off the plane at 11.30 so we had been on the flight for almost an hour at that point.” Porter Airlines said passengers were rebooked on a different flight the following day. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/aug/11/canadian-airline-cancels-flight-after-child-refuses-to-wear-seatbelt Mount Etna eruption: Catania airport closes and ash cloud reaches as far as Libya The eruption of Mount Etna continues to bring air traffic in Sicily to a standstill, forcing Catania–Fontanarossa airport to close temporarily as ash reached Malta and as far away as Libya. The eruption of Sicil's Mount Etna volcano, now in its sixth consecutive day, continues to disrupt air traffic in the island at the height of the summer season. On Wednesday, Catania–Fontanarossa Airport was forced to suspend all arrivals and departures until 6 pm. According to data from the airport's tracking system, around 55 outbound flights have been cancelled, on top of roughly 388 departures scrapped between the start of the eruption and the previous day. Dozens of other flights have been rescheduled or diverted to other airports in the region, notably Palermo, Trapani and Comiso. At the latter airport, operations were halted for several hours on Wednesday morning, until 10 am, because of volcanic ash. The airport later resumed operations, with both departures and arrivals restored. Etna causes disruption beyond Italy's borders Etna is Europe's most active volcano, located around 220 kilometres north of Malta. The impact of its activity has spread beyond Italy's borders. Ash clouds have forced some aircraft arriving in and departing from Malta to alter their routes. The disruption has also affected some local celebrations on the island. The Socjeta Muzikali La Stella Levantina of Attard postponed the fireworks display scheduled for Tuesday, the Feast of Santa Marija. The organiser explained that the fireworks launch site is close to the runway approach path and that, after consulting with authorities, it decided to postpone the display for as long as operational restrictions remain in force at the airport. The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Toulouse (VAAC) has noted that the volcanic ash cloud continues to drift south and southwest. According to a VAAC bulletin issued on Tuesday evening, the highest concentration of ash remains over Sicily, while lower levels have been reported between eastern Malta and as far as northern Libya. Catania airport, just a few kilometres from the volcano, has been forced to close several times in recent weeks, with numerous flights cancelled or diverted to Palermo at the height of the summer season. The repeated shutdowns have reignited a political and infrastructure debate. The Minister for Civil Protection and Maritime Policies, Nello Musumeci, has weighed in on the issue. "What has been happening in recent days at the airports of Catania and Comiso, with cancellations, delays and serious disruption for thousands of citizens and tourists at the height of the summer season, brings back to the fore a problem that Sicily has known about for a long time," the minister said. The minister said this is an issue he had already highlighted during his time as president of the Province of Catania, when he put forward a plan for the Sicilian airport that failed to win support. "As far back as 1999, as president of the Province of Catania, I had pointed out the limitations of the Fontanarossa airport and its particular vulnerability linked to its proximity to Etna," he said. "We did not stop at raising the issue: we included in the provincial spatial plan a proposal to relocate the airport. We also commissioned a preliminary study for a new airport on the plain between Catania and Enna, designed to serve seven of the island's nine provinces." Flights resumed at Catania Airport after closure due to ashfall from Mount Etna eruption "That idea of mine did not receive any backing," Musumeci added, explaining that he returned to the issue when he was president of the region, only to encounter opposition from the airport operator and indifference from local authorities. "The events of recent days show just one thing: it is not the volcano that is in the wrong place, but the airport." https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/08/12/mount-etna-eruption-catania-airport-closes-and-ash-cloud-reaches-as-far-as-libya Possible hoax Wi-Fi network on Delta flight to Atlanta under investigation, airline says Authorities are investigating a cybersecurity incident in which a hoax Wi-Fi network popped up on a Delta flight to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday. A spokesperson for the airline tells CBS News Atlanta that the incident happened on Delta flight 591, which was traveling from Las Vegas to Atlanta on Aug. 10. While the spokesperson said there was no hack of any system on the plane, they believe an unauthorized Wi-Fi network appeared during the flight for a short time. The cabin crew deactivated the Boeing 757's Wi-Fi functionality for about 30 minutes. No emergency was ever declared to air traffic control. "Safety of flight was never in question, and no aircraft operating systems were affected. We are fully investigating to gather a complete set of facts, which will take time," the Delta spokesperson said. "We will partner with federal law enforcement and aviation regulators to ensure the incident is thoroughly investigated. We thank our crew for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding." Federal authorities have issued warnings about this type of incident, which is known as an "evil twin attack." In this sort of network attack, hackers create a fake public network access point that usually has a stronger signal than the legitimate one. When the victim connects to the internet using the system, the hacker can then use tools to read their data. The Federal Aviation Administration said that it was aware and looking into the report, but assured travelers that any breach of the onboard Wi-Fi system would not affect the airplane's flight-safety systems. While details about the investigation remain limited, the airline mentioned that DEF CON 34, a large hacking conference, was held in Las Vegas over the weekend. https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/possible-hoax-wi-fi-network-on-delta-flight-to-atlanta-under-investigation-airline-says/ Data Will Help Airlines Save the Next Gallon of Jet Fuel The cheapest gallon of jet fuel is the one an airline never burns. Fuel has always been one of the airline industry’s largest costs. However, with war in the Middle East raising both prices and volatility in energy markets, buying the fuel to keep planes flying now consumes almost a third of operating costs. That will amount to a walloping $350 billion spent by airlines in 2026, according to IATA’s latest global financial outlook for airlines. While airlines in the aggregate are expected to remain profitable in 2026, the pressure on margins is clear. They were a paltry 4.2% in 2025. With the rise in fuel prices, they will shrink to 2.0%. In these circumstances, airlines have no choice but to try to pass higher fuel costs on to their customers. But that is never a permanent remedy. While demand remains solid, tolerance for higher travel costs is also likely to have its limits. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that an IATA survey conducted in March revealed that for 90% of airline respondents, improving fuel efficiency was at the top of their list of priorities. And for those with responsibility for financial and procurement teams, it was a priority for 96%. The Pressure is on A longstanding challenge has become an urgent problem. So, where will the next gains come from? With opportunities for further efficiency gains through fleet renewal or network changes already widely explored, the next gallon saved will increasingly come from better operational decisions supported by data. Finding additional savings requires deeper operational insight, better benchmarking, and an understanding of how performance compares with peers. The Power of Data IATA has real-time operational information from more than 240 airlines around the world that can generate insights. The value of our association is that airlines can learn from each other by sharing data, while introducing initiatives that work best for their own operations. Our FEGA (Fuel Efficiency Gap Analysis) advisory service and FuelIS analytical platform are the core of our offering. These tools enable airlines to identify specific fuel-saving opportunities by fleet type, route profile, flight phase, and geographic region in real-time. We can see, for example, if an airline consistently lands with higher fuel reserves than operators flying similar aircraft on comparable routes. Bringing this to light through benchmarking identifies opportunities to improve fuel efficiency without compromising safety. And these savings can be realized through guidelines and training so that the knowledge is spread to those who directly manage fuel use. Industry Collaboration While data helps airlines reduce the fuel burn within their control, industry collaboration is needed to address those factors beyond their control. Many inefficiencies originate elsewhere in the aviation value chain, particularly in the air traffic management system. Airlines rely on Air Navigation Service Providers to enable more efficient flight trajectories throughout all phases of flight. One example is the use of more direct routings during arrivals, which can save significant fuel. We strongly advocate for operational improvements through ATM modernization that help airlines realize these efficiencies. In today’s environment, every drop of fuel counts. Airlines can use data and benchmarking to identify savings within their own operations. But maximizing fuel efficiency will also require action across the wider aviation ecosystem. https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/opinions/data-will-help-airlines-save-the-next-gallon-of-jet-fuel/ Boeing jet deliveries drop 17% in July Boeing said Tuesday that it delivered 53 jets in July, five more than a year earlier, but a sharp drop from the 64 jets it handed over in June. The U.S. planemaker trailed European rival Airbus , which delivered 67 planes in July. Boeing also booked 30 new orders after adjusting for cancellations in July, which include a handful of orders announced during a subdued Farnborough Airshow. July deliveries include 39 of Boeing’s best-selling 737 MAX jet and 10 787s, as well as one 777 freighter and three 767s. Through July, Boeing has delivered 367 jets this year, including 279 737 MAX and 50 787 jets. Boeing booked 38 new orders with eight cancellations in July, resulting in 30 net new orders. July orders include 18 737 MAX and 19 787 orders. Most of the orders had been announced during the Farnborough Airshow in July. Boeing’s biggest order announcement at Farnborough was for 100 737 MAX jets from Irish leasing ⁠giant SMBC Aviation, the world’s second-largest leasing company. That order, though, was booked in June as from an unidentified customer. Through July, Boeing has booked more than 130 orders for the 737-10, the largest MAX variant, according to the company. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/11/boeing-jet-deliveries-drop-17percent-in-july-.html CALENDAR OF EVENTS . ALPA's 70th Air Safety Forum -September 14-17, 2026; Washington, DC . ICAO/EASA Third Global RSOO/RAIO Forum for Aviation Safety — September 29–30, 2026, in Georgetown, Guyana., https://www.icao.int/events : NATA Ground Handling Safety Symposium - September 15-16, 2026 Dallas/Fort Worth, TX www.nata.aero/ghss : Aircraft Cabin Air International Conference - 22-23 September 2026 . ISASI - BOSTON 2026 - September 28, 2026 – October 2, 2026 . Global Aviation Conference Frankfurt- 29-30SEP2026 - Frankfurt, Germany . Defence Aviation Safety Conference 2026 — October 5–6, 2026, United Kingdom. . European Aviation Training Summit 3 – 5 November 2026 • Estoril Congress Centre, Cascais, Portugal . 79TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY SUMMIT MONTREAL | NOVEMBER 10-12, 2026. . Airlines 2026 conference - November 11, 2026 (London) . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV . Bombardier Safety Standdown (November 10–12, 2026 in Wichita, KS) . 2027 ACSF Safety Symposium - April 6-8, 2027 - ERAU Daytona Beach, FL Curt Lewis