Flight Safety Information - August 19, 2026 No. 162 In This Issue : Incident: China Airlines B744 at Anchorage on Aug 14th 2026, engine fire : Incident: PSA CRJ7 at Washington on Aug 17th 2026, smoke in cockpit, pressurization issues : Incident: Lufthansa A388 at Munich on Aug 17th 2026, touched down short of runway : Study links airline careers to higher rates of certain cancer deaths : US Air Force flight to Antarctica turns back after space activity warning : American Airlines flight emergency on the tarmac : New videos show medical jet crashing in Northeast Philly a year and a half ago : National Transportation Safety Board releases details of deadly helicopter crash that killed 2 pilots : Pilots are being blinded by laser pointers near Madras Airport : American Airlines Pilots Frustrated Over 3 Dangerous Duplicate Flight Number Errors In 4 Months : Air India Elevates Safety with Comprehensive Pilot Testing Initiative : Cessna damaged in emergency landing at Akron airport : Airbus targets A350F maiden flight in September, sources say : EASA flags data gaps as climate change may alter aircraft icing risks : Calendar of Events Incident: China Airlines B744 at Anchorage on Aug 14th 2026, engine fire A China Airlines Boeing 747-400 freighter, registration B-18725 performing flight CI-5265 from Anchorage,AK (USA) to Taipei (Taiwan), was climbing out of Anchorage's runway 33 when the crew declared Mayday Mayday reporting an engine #3 (CF6, inboard right) fire. The crew worked the related checklists and shut the engine down. The crew stopped the climb at 9000 feet, dumped fuel and landed safely on Anchorage's runway 07R about 1:50 hours after departure. The NTSB rated the occurrence an incident and opened an investigation. The aircraft is still on the ground in Anchorage about 89 hours (3 days 17 hours) after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53dee8d9&opt=0 Incident: PSA CRJ7 at Washington on Aug 17th 2026, smoke in cockpit, pressurization issues A PSA Airlines Canadair CRJ-700 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N530EA performing flight AA-5501 from Washington National,DC to Albany,NY (USA) with 63 passengers and 4 crew, was climbing through about FL240 out of Washington when the crew declared emergency, initiated an emergency descent to 10,000 feet and reported smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft diverted to Middletown,PA (USA) for a safe landing on runway 31 about 35 minutes after stopping the climb. The FAA reported: "AIRCRAFT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY DUE TO PRESSURIZATION AND SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT, DIVERTED TO MDT, HARRISBURG, PA." A replacement CRJ-900 registration N649NN reached Albany with a delay of about 16.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Middletown/Harrisburgh about 17 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53ded2b3&opt=0 Incident: Lufthansa A388 at Munich on Aug 17th 2026, touched down short of runway A Lufthansa Airbus A380-800, registration D-AIML performing flight LH-459 from San Francisco,CA (USA) to Munich (Germany), landed on Munich's runway 26L but touched down short of the runway threshold. The aircraft rolled out without further incident and taxied to the apron. The airline reported the aircraft contacted at least one of the runway threshold lights causing damage to the treads of a number of tyres. The occurrence is being investigated by the BFU. The aircraft is still on the ground in Munich about 20 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53de849e&opt=0 Study links airline careers to higher rates of certain cancer deaths Airline pilots and flight attendants may face a greater risk of dying from certain radiation-related cancers than workers in other professions, according to new research published in JAMA Internal Medicine that examined millions of death records across the United States. The findings add to a growing body of evidence linking long-term exposure to cosmic radiation at high altitudes with increased health risks among airline crews. Researchers analyzed U.S. death certificate data from 2020 through 2024, reviewing records covering nearly 13 million people across more than 500 occupations. The study included approximately 14,000 pilots and 7,000 flight attendants, allowing investigators to compare cancer-related deaths among aircrew with those in other lines of work. Scientists focused on cancers that previous research has associated with radiation exposure, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma, leukemia, lymphoma, thyroid cancer, central nervous system cancers and multiple myeloma. Lung cancer was excluded from the analysis to reduce the potential influence of smoking-related factors that could affect the results. The study found that flight attendants and pilots ranked among the occupations with the highest proportions of deaths linked to radiation-related cancers. Researchers reported elevated mortality rates for several cancers commonly associated with radiation exposure, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma and cancers affecting the central nervous system. Pilots also showed higher rates of leukemia-related deaths than many other workers. Experts say the unique workplace environment of commercial aviation helps explain the findings. Airliners typically cruise above 30,000 feet, where the Earth's atmosphere provides less protection from high-energy particles originating from space. Those particles, known as cosmic radiation, expose flight crews to higher levels of ionizing radiation than most other occupational groups in the United States, Time reported. Source: JAMA Internal Medicine; TIME reported. Ionizing radiation has long been recognized as a potential cancer risk because it can damage cells and DNA. Previous research established that pilots and flight attendants receive greater annual radiation exposure than typical workers, but whether those exposures translated into higher cancer mortality rates had remained an open question. The new study sought to address that uncertainty using a much larger national dataset than earlier investigations. To account for differences unrelated to occupation, researchers adjusted their analysis for factors including age, sex, race, ethnicity, marital status and educational attainment. They also compared aircrew members with ground-based aviation workers, helping isolate the potential role of occupational exposure at flight altitude. Source: Harvard Medical School; The findings are likely to renew discussion about occupational protections for airline crews. Researchers said aircrew members receive some of the largest annual doses of ionizing radiation among American workers, yet there are currently no broad federal requirements for monitoring radiation exposure among U.S. commercial flight crews comparable to standards in some other industries. Health experts stressed that the results should not alarm occasional travelers. The study focused on pilots and flight attendants who spend years accumulating exposure through repeated flights at high altitude. Researchers noted that passengers, including many frequent fliers, do not experience the same sustained occupational exposure levels as airline crew members. https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/study-links-airline-careers-higher-145832403.html US Air Force flight to Antarctica turns back after space activity warning A US Air Force flight bound for Antarctica returned to New Zealand after a warning about "potentially hazardous" space activity, according to New Zealand authorities. A spokesperson for New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the agency was aware the US Air Force flight from Christchurch turned around following a warning it issued, known as a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen). The space activity was notified to the agency by Russia's State Air Traffic Management Corporation, "resulting in the issuance of a NOTAM advising pilots of the hazard," CAA said in a statement Tuesday. In a follow-up statement Wednesday, CAA said it was made aware by the Russian air traffic agency of a planned missile launch and "associated potential hazard to international airspace, within New Zealand's Oceanic Flight Information Region (FIR)," a 30-million-square-kilometer area which is one of the largest airspaces in the world. CNN has reached out to the US Air Force, the US Antarctic Program and the Russian State Air Traffic Management Corporation. Flight tracking site Flightradar24 shows a US military C-17 Globemaster III departed Christchurch Airport around 9 a.m. local time Tuesday headed south, using the call sign ICE28. It returned to Christchurch just before 11:30 a.m., roughly 150 minutes later. The flight was scheduled during the annual Winter Fly-in (WINFLY) period, during which flights resume between Christchurch and the US Antarctic research base, McMurdo Station, and New Zealand's Scott Base in Antarctica – a busy period for transporting staff, equipment and supplies ahead of the summer research season. "We put in place a danger area and issued a NOTAM to alert aircraft operators to the potential hazard. This does not prevent aircraft from flying through the area, operators make their decisions based on the information available," CAA said in its Wednesday statement. "Much of our Oceanic FIR is over international waters, where we have limited control over activities," it added, referring to the airspace of the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea, where it's responsible for aircraft flying at certain altitudes. https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/us-air-force-flight-antarctica-071502392.html American Airlines flight emergency on the tarmac Tonight, an emergency sent firetrucks racing to the scene of an American Airlines jet with two blown tires upon landing on the tarmac at Chicago O'Hare. The flight was arriving from New York's LaGuardia Airport with 180 people reported on board. It's the second time in two weeks a plane's tires have blown at O'Hare. NBC News' Ryan Chandler reports. https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/american-airlines-flight-emergency-tarmac-231200567.html New videos show medical jet crashing in Northeast Philly a year and a half ago Everyone aboard the medical jet was killed on January 31, 2025, along with two people on the ground. At least 24 others were hurt. A NTSB report released on Tuesday detailed new video and audio from the Medical Jet crash that killed eight people. NBC10’s Matt DeLucia has the story. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released more videos revealing new angles of when a medical jet crashed in Northeast Philadelphia in 2025. In one video, a nearby resident's home doorbell camera picks up the sound of the plane before you can see ball of light as it plummets. Then, the entire video frame glows white from when the plane hits the ground and screams are heard in the distance. In a second video released on Tuesday, the jet is seen falling from the sky from a local drive thru. Videos also show the jet on the runways at Northeast Philadelphia Airport and Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport as well as the crew getting into the jet. These videos are part of a larger docket shared by the NTSB as they continue their investigation. This new docket was shared by the NTSB weeks after more lawsuits were filed against the company operating the medical jet. Timeline of Jet Rescue Air Ambulance crash in Philadelphia On Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, just after 6 p.m., a Learjet 55 operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance crashed on Cottman Avenue in front of Roosevelt Mall near Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philadelphia. Officials said the plane had taken off from the Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:06 p.m. and was in the air for just 22 seconds before it crashed into the sidewalk on Cottman Avenue. Everyone aboard the flight was killed along with two people on the ground. At least 24 others were hurt. Nearly five blocks of Northeast Philadelphia became unrecognizable as debris fell from the explosion and a massive fire that followed which engulfed homes, cars and businesses. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/new-videos-medical-jet-crash-northeast-philadelphia-2025/4450129/ National Transportation Safety Board releases details of deadly helicopter crash that killed 2 pilots COVE FORT, Millard County — The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday released its preliminary report on a deadly helicopter crash near the Widemouth 2 Fire. Two pilots died Aug. 7 after the helicopter they were in crashed. According to the board’s report, the crash occurred at about 10:44 a.m. The helicopter was conducting aerial fire suppression operations to help fight the Widemouth 2 Fire near Cove Fort. The National Transportation Safety Board said that just before the crash, the helicopter stopped at a water source to fill its tank. It then began traveling to a specific drop site. “According to the ground supervisor, the helicopter arrived from the northwest, and he directed the crew to the location where water was needed,” the report states. “The helicopter then flew over the area to verify the target, and the flight crew confirmed they had identified the correct location.” The two pilots said they would “make another pass” before they released the water onto the drop site. The helicopter then took a right turn and disappeared behind a knoll, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. After that, on a radio transmission from the helicopter, the ground supervisor heard, “Oh … we have a problem,” and a pilot shouting, “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.” The report stated no other communication came from the pilots before the helicopter crashed into “rising terrain” and exploded. The fire after the crash destroyed much of the aircraft, the report said. On Aug. 9, a National Transportation Safety Board investigator and an aerospace engineer and helicopter specialist examined the crash site. They found “components” that the board “retained for further examination and testing.” The board said the test results are pending. It also said results of an examination of the helicopter’s airframe and engines are pending. Recovery of the crash wreckage will take place when fire conditions allow, the report states. https://kslnewsradio.com/environment-outdoors/utah-firewatch/ntsb-helicopter-crash-details-widemouth/2317135/ Pilots are being blinded by laser pointers near Madras Airport The FBI says there have been 20 reports of people aiming laser pointers at planes entering and leaving the Madras Airport. That crime is a felony and the act can put pilots in serious danger. MADRAS, Ore. -- Pilots landing at Madras Airport are being blinded by laser pointers, and the FBI is now investigating as the trend continues to grow. The FBI is investigating 20 laser strike incidents near Madras Airport in Madras, Oregon, where pilots have reported people shining laser pointers at aircraft during landing and takeoff. Federal law under 18 U.S.C. § 39A bans pointing lasers at aircraft or their flight path, carrying up to five years in prison, while 18 U.S.C. § 32, covering destruction of or interference with aircraft, carries up to 20 years. Tips can be reported to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or online. Landing a plane takes a lot of focus. “We make sure that other people aren't talking to us, that we're aware of other aircraft. We don't need any other distractions at all,” Madras Airport Manager Lorraine Martinelli said. Martinelli says some pilots at the airport have been dealing with people shining laser pointers at them as planes are landing or taking off. “I believe people just don't understand what a laser pointer will do to a person that’s flying in an aircraft,” Martinelli said. Even cheap laser pointers can be seriously dangerous to pilots flying at high altitudes. “When a laser hits the cockpit of an aircraft, it will reflect very brightly and it will blind the pilot,” FBI Supervisor Special Agent Chad Lapp said. That reflection can be incredibly distracting to pilots. “When you're coming in to land and you're focused on landing and you have this laser coming at you, it affects possibly your eyesight for a moment or more and it affects your concentration,” Martinelli said. Each of the so-called "laser strikes" carries a potential felony charge. “Just like you wouldn't point at someone that's driving a car or drive or pointed at your friend when you're speaking to them, you definitely do not want to do that to an aircraft that's flying overhead,” Martinelli said. The FBI said it cannot comment on any ongoing investigations. https://www.centraloregondaily.com/news/madras/madras-airport-laser-strikes-fbi-investigation/article_6dcb4a70-3d4e-485e-a238-3a13c82ecf13.html American Airlines Pilots Frustrated Over 3 Dangerous Duplicate Flight Number Errors In 4 Months An air traffic controller in Phoenix had been working the job for 25 years when two American Airlines planes appeared on his screen with an identification problem he had never encountered before. Both were American Flight 2482. However, one was arriving from Chicago, while the other had just departed Phoenix for Chicago. As their paths converged, both crews were listening for instructions addressed to exactly the same flight number. The air traffic controller caught the problem, kept the aircraft safely separated, and both flights continued without incident. American Airlines and the FAA are now investigating what happened. It initially looked like an extraordinary one-off mistake. It wasn't. Another almost identical American Airlines call-sign problem had occurred just two days earlier. And four months before that, a PSA Airlines pilot dealing with the same problem over Kentucky issued a warning that sounds even more troubling now. "Y'all, you guys are going to get somebody killed." https://www.thetravel.com/american-airlines-pilots-frustrated-over-3-dangerous-duplicate-flight-number-errors-in-4-months/ Air India Elevates Safety with Comprehensive Pilot Testing Initiative Air India has launched a comprehensive pilot testing programme, surpassing regulatory standards, to enhance flight safety and professionalism. Urging caution against speculation, the airline emphasizes this extra measure follows an incident on August 4, reinforcing its commitment to maintaining top safety assurances for passengers and stakeholders. Air India has launched a voluntary pilot testing programme that surpasses current regulatory standards to enhance safety. The initiative follows a safety incident on flight AI2379, which raised concerns about altitude changes. Air India urges media and stakeholders to refrain from speculation until the testing process is complete and results are verified. The airline aims to set a new benchmark for safety by exceeding the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's testing norms. In a bold move to reinforce safety and professionalism, Air India has launched a voluntary pilot testing programme that exceeds current regulatory standards. The initiative comes after the August 4 incident on flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi, where a sudden altitude change raised safety concerns. Air India officials have asked the media and stakeholders to avoid speculative reporting, urging patience until the process concludes and verified results are released. This expanded screening is designed to uphold the highest safety standards and provide reassurance to passengers and stakeholders alike, the airline announced in a statement. By going beyond the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s random testing norms, the airline aims to set a new benchmark for safety. While the official results remain pending, Air India stresses the importance of drawing conclusions only once the testing is complete and thoroughly validated. The effort underscores the airline's commitment to passenger safety and operational excellence. https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/headlines/3965283-air-india-elevates-safety-with-comprehensive-pilot-testing-initiative Cessna damaged in emergency landing at Akron airport CANTON, Ohio (WJW) — A small passenger plane “was involved in an aircraft incident” while landing at Akron-Canton Airport on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 18. It happened just before 1 p.m. on the airport’s Runway 1, according to an airport spokesperson. Only two people were on board: the pilots. Neither were injured, state troopers confirmed to FOX 8 News. The plane was a NetJets Cessna Citation, flight No. EJA803, arriving from Washington Dulles International Airport, according to the spokesperson. FlightAware data shows the aircraft circled the Canton airport several times before its landing. Photos shared by a FOX 8 viewer appear to show the plane’s nose resting on the runway, with no visible front landing gear. The airport’s emergency operations team responded to the incident, along with firefighters from Green, according to the spokesperson. OSHP confirmed in a statement to FOX 8 News: The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a plane incident that occurred at approximately 12:53 PM on August 18, 2026, in the City of Green, Summit County. A NetJets Cessna Citation, Flight EJA803 (Tail # N803QS), was forced to make an emergency landing at Akron-Canton Airport after experiencing a malfunction involving its front landing gear during approach. The aircraft, which had departed from Washington Dulles International Airport, sustained damage to its front nose and underside. No injuries were reported. The airport closed Runway No. 1 and as of 2 p.m. was working to reopen Runway No. 23 for traffic. The airport’s terminal remains open. https://fox8.com/news/photos-plane-appears-to-have-rough-landing-at-akron-airport/ Airbus targets A350F maiden flight in September, sources say PARIS, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Airbus has tentatively set the first flight of its delayed ‌A350F freighter for the third week of September ‌as it tries to loosen Boeing's grip on airborne trade, industry sources said on Tuesday. The schedule, which could slip into early October, leaves the European planemaker with a finely balanced certification timeline as it aims to complete flight testing ‌and achieve the first ⁠delivery to customers before the end of next year. Flight trials usually take 12 to ⁠15 months, industry sources say. An Airbus spokesperson said it had nothing to add to its most recent predictions of a maiden flight before the end of this year, followed ‌by first delivery in the second half of 2027. Originally launched in 2021 with a goal of entering service four years later, the dedicated freighter version of Airbus's A350 long-haul jet family aims to penetrate a corner of ‌the aircraft market long dominated by Boeing. Airbus has sold 107 of the lightweight composite A350F cargo planes, compared with 38 of ‌a smaller and older A330F model. Reuters reported in May that Airbus was facing delays in cargo doors built by Airbus in Spain for the new freighter. Aviation publication ‌Leeham News reported this month that A350F deliveries could slip into 2028. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/airbus-targets-a350f-maiden-flight-132440915.html EASA flags data gaps as climate change may alter aircraft icing risks EASA has published a new report on the state of science and knowledge on atmospheric icing in a climate change context, developed under the European Network on Impact of Climate Change on Aviation (EN-ICCA). The report examines what is currently known about atmospheric icing and considers how changing climatic conditions could affect this aviation-relevant weather hazard in the future. Atmospheric icing, including icing caused by supercooled liquid droplets, ice crystals and mixed-phase conditions, can affect aircraft performance, engine reliability and flight safety. The report looks at the meteorological conditions that contribute to icing, the physical factors that influence its severity, and the vulnerability of different aircraft types and flight phases. It also reviews how the aviation sector currently manages icing risks through aircraft design and certification, operational procedures and weather forecasting. A key finding is that, while forecasting capabilities have improved, important knowledge and data gaps remain. In particular, challenges persist in predicting icing severity and in-flight ice crystal conditions, while limitations in observations, model resolution and the representation of cloud microphysics can affect the ability to accurately assess icing conditions. The report also considers the potential impact of climate change. Although evidence on future trends in atmospheric icing is still limited, preliminary research indicates that climate change could influence the frequency, altitude and severity of icing conditions. Further research and improved climatological datasets and modelling approaches are therefore needed to better understand how these hazards may evolve. The findings will help inform future work to strengthen the aviation sector’s understanding of atmospheric icing and its ability to adapt to changing weather hazards. The report recommends two strategic workstreams focused on improving icing indices and the data used for climatological studies, and on conducting climatological studies using reanalysis and climate model outputs. The report is part of the wider work of EN-ICCA, EASA’s network bringing together expertise on the impacts of climate change on aviation. https://ieu-monitoring.com/editorial/easa-flags-data-gaps-as-climate-change-may-alter-aircraft-icing-risks/1247825?utm_source=ieu-portal 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