Flight Safety Information - August 18, 2026 No. 161 In This Issue : Incident: Lingus A320 at Cork on Aug 16th 2026, gear problems on departure : Incident: Argentinas B738 at Buenos Aires on Aug 15th 2026, engine shut down in flight : Incident: UPS B763 at Denver on Aug 15th 2026, all instrument screens failed : Cirrus Vision Jet Collides With Construction Equipment at Idaho Airport : Japan fighter jet blocks Okinawa airport runway after landing gear breaks : Haneda Plans Three-strikes Rule To Bench Errant Pilots : :AFA on Capitol Hill: Cabin Air Safety Act : Man arrested for aggravated assault after pointing laser at Nashville police aircraft : 2 planes suffer tire damage while landing at O'Hare airport hours apart, FAA says : Harrisburg International Airport runway reopens after plane makes emergency landing : Flight diverted back to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport after engine issue, officials say : Man arrested for aggravated assault after pointing laser at Nashville police aircraft : Pilots, Flight Attendants Have Greater Risk of Radiation-Related Cancer Death Than Other Professions : Calendar of Events Incident: Lingus A320 at Cork on Aug 16th 2026, gear problems on departure An Aer Lingus Airbus A320-200, registration EI-DEI performing flight EI-876 from Cork (Ireland) to Arrecife,CI (Spain), was climbing out of Cork's runway 16 when the crew stopped the climb at FL100 and entered a hold due to problems with the landing gear. The crew subsequently decided to divert to Dublin (Ireland) maintaining FL100. The aircraft landed safely on Dublin's runway 28L about 65 minutes after departure. The remainder of the flight as well as the return flight were cancelled. https://avherald.com/h?article=53dd3d97&opt=0 Incident: Argentinas B738 at Buenos Aires on Aug 15th 2026, engine shut down in flight An Aerolineas Argentinas Boeing 737-800, registration LV-CXT performing flight AR-1770 from Buenos Aires Aeroparque,BA to Iguazu,MI (Argentina) with 153 people on board, was climbing out of Aeroparque's runway 13 when the crew stopped the climb at about FL245, declared Mayday Mayday reporting the failure of the right hand engine (CFM56). The crew decided to divert to Buenos Aires's Ezeiza Airport. The aircraft landed safely on Ezeiza's runway 11 about 40 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration LV-CXS reached Iguazu with a delay of about 3.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground at Ezeiza Airport about 54 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53dd4804&opt=0 Incident: UPS B763 at Denver on Aug 15th 2026, all instrument screens failed A UPS United Parcel Boeing 767-300 freighter, registration N312UP performing flight 5X-5806 from Oklahoma City,OK to Denver,CO (USA), was on approach to Denver when the crew reported they were operating on stand by instruments only after all their instrument screens failed. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Denver's runway 35L and taxied to the apron. The Aviation Herald received information that all LDS (Large Display Screens) were lost on arrival including PFD,ND and EICAS, the crew operated on standby instruments, standby engine instruments and compass and continued for a safe landing. The aircraft is still on the ground in Denver about 34 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53dd1e0b&opt=0 Cirrus Vision Jet Collides With Construction Equipment at Idaho Airport Injured passenger hospitalized after accident during takeoff attempt at Driggs-Reed Memorial. Authorities are investigating the collision of a Cirrus Vision Jet and a piece of construction equipment at Driggs-Reed Memorial Airport (KDIJ) in Idaho on Friday. The airport is a nontowered facility with a single runway aligned 04/22 that normally measures 7,301 feet by 100 feet. However, for several weeks the airport has temporarily been operating with a shortened runway due to a construction project. Several weeks prior to the start of the work, airport officials published advisories to pilots about the project, and on August 5 a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) was issued with details of the partial closure. To clarify the events leading up to the incident, Driggs city administrator Doug Self issued a statement detailing the specific circumstances. “At approximately 6:30 a.m. [MDT] on Friday, August 14, 2026, a Cirrus Vision Jet airplane entered a closed section of runway at Driggs Reed-Memorial Airport and attempted takeoff through a portion of runway that was under construction,” the release read. “The pilot was able to slow the plane upon approaching the construction site but could not avert a collision with construction material.” One passenger on board the aircraft was injured and transported to a local hospital by ambulance. Their condition has not been released. According to Self, the city of Driggs is working with the consulting project engineer, the FAA, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to identify what actions led to the crash. According to preliminary information published by the FAA, the aircraft, identified as N71KD, is registered to Vision71 Technologies out of Chevy Chase, Maryland. The agency report noted the aircraft “attempted to depart from part of the runway that was under construction, hit gravel, and (the) landing gear collapsed.” An FAA spokesperson added that it is the responsibility of the PIC to check NOTAMs before each flight. The NOTAM, which remains in place until September 5 at 7 p.m. MDT, states: “Runway 04/22 southwest 3,451 feet closed. Declared distance: Runway 04 takeoff run available 3,850 feet takeoff distance available 3850T accelerate-stop distance available 3,850 feet landing distance available 3,850 feet. Runway 22 takeoff run available 3,850 feet takeoff distance available 3,850 feet accelerate-stop distance available 4,018 feet landing distance available 3,850 feet.” https://www.flyingmag.com/cirrus-vision-jet-collides-with-construction-equipment-at-idaho-airport/ Japan fighter jet blocks Okinawa airport runway after landing gear breaks NAHA, Japan - A runway was closed for hours at Naha Airport in the southern island prefecture of Okinawa on Tuesday after a Japanese Self-Defense Forces fighter jet became immobilized following landing, according to the transport ministry. There were no injuries in the incident involving an Air Self-Defense Force F-15 based at nearby Naha Air Base. Naha Airport runways are used both by civilian and SDF aircraft. Runway B, where the F-15 landed, was closed from around 12:55 p.m. for about four hours before operations resumed, according to the airport office of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Passenger planes have been using Runway A since the incident, but there were delays in arrivals and departures. According to a government source, the fighter jet had returned from a scramble mission before becoming immobilized. The F-15 was seen tilted to the left, with its left main landing gear broken. The airport office said it was contacted by the ASDF immediately after the jet landed and was told that there had been "trouble during landing." The fighter jet was lifted onto a truck by a crane and removed from the runway. Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki told reporters that the incident was "gravely disappointing," calling for a prompt investigation into the cause and measures to prevent it from happening again. Runway B has been in service since March 2020. https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/82497 Haneda Plans Three-strikes Rule To Bench Errant Pilots Restriction targets individual pilots, not the operator or aircraft Business aircraft captains who rack up three counted deviations from air traffic control instructions at Tokyo International Airport (RJTT, also known as Haneda Airport) will be grounded from serving as pilot-in-command there, under an enforcement program the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) is preparing for international business and general aviation traffic. Reported by Universal Weather and Aviation, the restriction attaches to the individual pilot rather than the aircraft or the operator, so an operator can still use Haneda if a different, unrestricted captain takes the PIC seat. In a country where baseball is close to a national religion, the three-strikes framing gives an unusually plain-spoken shape to the accountability measure. The measures take effect once JCAB revises the Haneda Airport Use Plan format to capture PIC information, according to Universal Aviation. Once that revised form is in use, JCAB will track deviations on a “Watchlist of Captains Requiring Special Attention,” which is maintained jointly by the Civil Aviation Bureau headquarters and the Tokyo Airport Office. A pilot who reaches three counted deviations becomes what the agency terms a “Restricted Captain” and loses the ability to serve as PIC on flights into or out of Haneda. Counting won’t be automatic. JCAB reviews each deviation, including the ATC communication record, before adding it to a pilot’s tally, and a captain’s count drops by one after a full year passes with no further deviation. The restriction is narrower than it might first sound. A restricted captain can still work a Haneda trip as second-in-command, since the limitation applies only to the PIC role, according to Hiroshi Higashiyama, representative director of Universal Aviation Japan and vice chair of the Japan Business Aviation Association. Operators who file an Airport Use Plan naming a restricted captain as PIC will be asked to swap in a different captain; failing to do so could result in broader consequences for that operator’s Haneda access. JCAB’s push for tighter compliance follows a cluster of runway and taxiway incursions by foreign business and general aviation aircraft at Haneda. An Oct. 16, 2025 notification from the agency’s Air Transport Safety Unit tallied one incursion in September 2025 and two more that October, citing as examples an unauthorized entry onto Runway 04/22 and an entry onto closed taxiway A1. None of the events were classified as “serious incidents,” JCAB said, but the notification pointed to the collision accident at Haneda in January 2024 as a reason a runway incursion “can lead to a serious accident.” The agency asked foreign operators to have crews review aeronautical publications—including the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP), AIP supplements, and notams—before flights, follow ATC instructions precisely, and hold short of the runway to query any unclear clearance. A companion aeronautical information circular spells out that only four clearances authorize a pilot to enter a runway: “Cleared for take-off,” “Cross runway,” “Line up and wait,” or “Taxi via runway/Backtrack runway.” Haneda’s 2026 summer-season briefing for arriving and departing crews, issued in March, points to several of the same trouble spots. It warns pilots taxiing from U4 not to stray into taxiway B6, cautions crews taxiing north on taxiway L not to miss the turn onto L15, and reminds pilots that crossing any active runway requires explicit ATC authorization. The same briefing asks pilots to clear a runway promptly after landing or crossing it and to taxi clear of the runway holding position markings on the exit taxiway. Haneda’s tightened scrutiny of pilot compliance arrives amid a broader global push on runway and taxiway safety. In July, a Joint Runway Safety Initiative was launched to reduce runway incursions worldwide. The program is built around the better collection of near-collision and frontline safety data; stronger local runway safety teams that pair airlines, airports, and air navigation service providers; and wider sharing of mitigation lessons across airports with similar operations. The effort builds on existing programs including the Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Incursions and ICAO’s Global Runway Safety Action Plan. It dovetails with years of elevated attention to the issue in the U.S. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2026-08-14/haneda-plans-three-strikes-rule-bench-errant-pilots AFA on Capitol Hill: Cabin Air Safety Act This week, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Sen. Ed Markey, and Sen. Tammy Duckworth in the Senate, and Rep. John Garamendi in the House of Representatives, introduced the Cabin Air Safety Act. This legislation would build on cabin air safety provisions in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which our union worked hard to secure. The Cabin Air Safety Act would expand FAA reporting and investigation requirements, require real-time onboard air quality monitoring equipment, improve crew training, and enhance the collection and public reporting of data on engine oil and hydraulic fluid smoke or fume events. These much-needed improvements will help flight crew, passengers, and regulators better define the prevalence of toxic fumes in the cabin, a crucial step forward in ensuring clean air for all. From AFA President Sara Nelson: “Most Americans go to work with the expectation of breathing clean air, but until we achieve better standards for cabin air quality, Flight Attendants don’t have this guarantee… Crews and passengers are breathing toxins and it has got to stop. The first step in the solution is training and thorough identification of the problem as defined by this bill. Often crew and passengers have no idea why they feel ill and no guidance on how to get treated. This bill gives us the tools to prevent Flight Attendants, pilots or passengers from suffering the effects of breathing toxic fumes in the cabin.” We encourage Senators to cosponsor this bill as soon as possible so we can work with our partners on Capitol Hill to end toxic fumes in the cabin. https://afacwa.org/afa-on-capitol-hill-cabin-air-safety-act/ Man arrested for aggravated assault after pointing laser at Nashville police aircraft “Shining a laser at an aircraft can blind a flight crew,” MNPD said. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - A man now faces assault charges after authorities say he pointed a laser at one of their aircraft over the weekend. Metro Nashville Police on Monday said that the incident occurred on Saturday when one of their helicopters was assisting a call regarding a fleeing vehicle. As they were on the call, they said a laser beam from a condo was pointed at the helicopter. Video from MNPD seemingly shows the laser being pointed at the aircraft. “Shining a laser at an aircraft can blind a flight crew and is a crime,” MNPD said. Authorities said that ground units were able to find the suspect and recover the laser. They arrested 47-year-old Bradley Powell on two counts of aggravated assault against a police officer flight crew, as well as evidence tampering for attempting to hide the laser device. https://www.wsmv.com/2026/08/17/man-arrested-aggravated-assault-after-pointing-laser-nashville-police-aircraft/ 2 planes suffer tire damage while landing at O'Hare airport hours apart, FAA says The Federal Aviation Administration is now investigating two airplane tire incidents that happened at Chicago O'Hare International Airport Monday. CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after two airplanes suffered tire damage in incidents that happened hours apart at Chicago O'Hare International Airport Monday. An American Airlines flight blew two tires while landing at O'Hare on Monday afternoon, the FAA said. ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch AA Flight 386 landed safely around 2 p.m. The plane came from New York's LaGuardia Airport, the FAA said. Passengers were able to get off the plane using stairs, the FAA said. Chopper 7 was over the scene about 3:45 p.m., and several fire trucks and police cars could be seen surrounding an American Airlines plane. Buses were seen near the plane to take passengers to the terminal. The aircraft has been taken out of service to be inspected by American, the airline said. "We thank our team members for their professionalism and we apologize to our customers for their experience," the airline said. Delays at O'Hare at the time were less than 15 minutes. Hours later, United flight 739 from Omaha, Nebraska plane suffered tire damage when it arrived at O'Hare, the airline said. Those on the plane got off using stairs and boarded buses back to the terminal. This comes less than a week after a United plane had to abort takeoff after blowing tires. And earlier this month, a Southwest Airlines jet had nose gear tire issues while landing at Chicago Midway International Airport. No one has been hurt in the incidents. https://abc7chicago.com/post/emergency-response-tarmac-ohare-airport-fire-trucks-police-cars-seen-around-american-airlines-plane-live/19693730/ Harrisburg International Airport runway reopens after plane makes emergency landing An American Eagle flight made an emergency landing at Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) on Monday night, temporarily closing the airport's runway. The flight was traveling from Washington, D.C., to Albany when it diverted to HIA after smoke was reported in the cabin, according to airport spokesperson Scott Miller. The aircraft landed safely at approximately 9:45 p.m. Emergency crews assisted passengers off the aircraft and transported them by bus to the terminal. Runway reopens after temporary closure The runway remained closed while crews worked to clear the runway. During the closure, some inbound flights were diverted or circled the airport, while other flights delayed their departures. The runway reopened shortly before 11:30 p.m., and flights resumed. Passengers seeking additional information should contact American Airlines Corporate Communications. Stay with WGAL News 8 for updates as more information becomes available. https://www.wgal.com/article/hia-temporarily-closed-plane-emergency-landing-runway/73458860 Flight diverted back to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport after engine issue, officials say MANCHESTER, N.H. —A Southwest Airlines flight that took off from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport on Monday morning landed safely back at the airport after an engine issue, officials told WMUR. Airport officials said that Flight 4080, which was due to fly from Manchester to Baltimore, returned safely to the gate after 11 a.m. It was originally due to arrive in Baltimore at 11:36 a.m. https://www.wmur.com/article/manchester-baltimore-flight-4080-engine-issue/73453567 Việt Nam orders aviation safety review after VN34 incident in Munich The Ministry of Construction has ordered the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) to strengthen aviation safety oversight and conduct a comprehensive review following the recent incident involving a Vietnam Airlines flight in Munich, Germany. HCM CITY — The Ministry of Construction has ordered the Việt Nam (CAAV) to strengthen aviation safety oversight and conduct a comprehensive review following the recent incident involving a Vietnam Airlines flight in Munich, Germany last weekend. The ministry asked the CAAV to establish an official communication channel with German aviation authorities and relevant agencies to coordinate the investigation into the incident involving Vietnam Airlines flight VN34. The CAAV must monitor developments, participate in the investigation in accordance with regulations and promptly report the findings of German authorities, together with any corrective and preventive measures. The ministry also instructed the CAAV to strengthen safety oversight of training, flight operations and aircraft maintenance at Vietnamese airlines. Vietnam Airlines was asked to closely coordinate with German investigators, the aircraft manufacturer and the engine manufacturer to support the investigation and determine the cause of the incident. The national flag carrier must also review its training, flight-operation and aircraft-maintenance procedures to identify and promptly address any risks that could affect operational safety. Independent investigation team Vietnam Airlines has set up an independent investigation team to determine the cause and is coordinating with domestic and foreign authorities to collect information for the investigation. The airline was also instructed to fulfill its obligations as a carrier towards passengers affected by the incident. The measures come as German authorities investigate what happened to VN34, which was operating from Munich to Hà Nội on August 15. According to Vietnam Airlines, the Boeing 787-9 departed Munich at 1:57pm local time. After takeoff, the aircraft's systems issued warnings related to a possible tailstrike and tyre pressure. The crew informed air traffic controllers and decided to return to Munich for a technical inspection. The aircraft landed safely, and all 271 passengers and 16 crew members disembarked by stairs. The rear tyres of the Boeing 787-9 were heavily damaged after landing. The investigation is expected to clarify the cause of the incident and provide a basis for corrective and preventive measures to strengthen the safety of flight operations. — VNS https://vietnamnews.vn/society/1797729/viet-nam-orders-aviation-safety-review-after-vn34-incident-in-munich.html Pilots, Flight Attendants Have Greater Risk of Radiation-Related Cancer Death Than Other Professions Findings support efforts to protect U.S. aircrews from cosmic radiation exposure Of more than 500 occupations in the United States, flight attendants and pilots have the highest and second-highest proportion of radiation-related cancer deaths, a new study has found. The results support considering occupational radiation protections for U.S. aircrew members commensurate with their level of exposure, said senior author Anupam Jena, the Joseph P. Newhouse Professor of Health Care Policy in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, and team. It’s been known that aircrew members receive the largest annual effective dose of ionizing radiation of any workforce in the United States, largely due to exposure to cosmic radiation at high altitudes. Members of the profession are also more likely to be diagnosed with certain cancers than the general population. But studies have been limited as to whether this translates to higher rates of cancer mortality. The new research, published August 17 in JAMA Internal Medicine, studied this question using a larger dataset and more statistical power than were previously available. The study, led by first author Vishal Patel, HMS clinical fellow in surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, used a single population-based data source — the National Vital Statistics System — rather than individual occupational or cancer cohorts. Patel and colleagues looked at all U.S. death certificates from 2020 to 2024. These records have only recently been linked to the occupation of the decedent. The records yielded data from nearly 13 million decedents across 503 occupations, including 14,000 pilots and 7,000 flight attendants. The team applied what’s known as a common adjustment approach, which accounted for several factors other than occupation that may affect mortality. These included age at death, sex, race, ethnicity, educational attainment, and marital status. The researchers analyzed radiation- and non-radiation-related cancers across occupations. They also compared flight crew members to ground-based aviation workers. Radiation-related cancers analyzed here included breast cancer, central nervous system cancers, multiple myeloma, leukemia (except chronic lymphocytic leukemia), lymphoma, thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma, and non-melanoma skin cancers. (The team excluded lung cancer to reduce potential confounding with smoking.) The team found that pilots and flight attendants had statistically significantly higher rates of death from breast, central nervous system, and prostate cancers and melanoma. Pilots also had a higher rate of leukemia deaths. In all, about 6.9 percent of deaths among flight attendants and 6.7 percent of deaths among pilots were from radiation-related cancers, according to the analysis. These proportions were higher than for any of the other professions, including nuclear technologists, who are routinely exposed to radiation from non-cosmic sources yet placed 12th on the list, the authors said. Aircraft mechanics and assemblers did not have higher rates than other occupations. Rates of non-radiation-related cancer deaths among aircrew members were similar to the general U.S. population. Aircrew accrue an estimated 3 to 6 millisieverts per year of cosmic radiation (depending on flight paths), an order of magnitude above the estimated 0.4 millisieverts received annually by an average air traveler taking 10 cross-country round-trip flights per year, according to the CDC. The Federal Aviation Administration formally recognizes pilots and flight attendants as occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation, but unlike other radiation-exposed workers or aircrew in other countries, U.S. aircrew are not subject to federal dose limits or monitoring requirements. https://hms.harvard.edu/news/pilots-flight-attendants-have-greater-risk-radiation-related-cancer-death-other-professions 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