Flight Safety Information - October 6, 2026 No. 196 In This Issue : Incident: United B738 at Santa Ana on Oct 5th 2026, rejected takeoff due to smoke on board : Incident: Delta A319 at Minneapolis on Oct 4th 2026, landing gear situation on departure : Incident: BAW B772 over Irish Sea on Oct 5th 2026, loss of cabin pressure : 'We don't want it': AI-powered air traffic system comes to DC-area skies—and travelers are skeptical : London to Chicago BA flight declares emergency after dropping 28,000 feet : Nepal Plans to Split Aviation Regulator to Improve Air Safety : Flydubai aircraft reached near-supersonic speeds, extreme airframe stress levels report : EASA Grounds Elixir Fleet After Fatal Accident : American Airlines looks to hire nearly 2,000 flight attendants in 2027 : NASA Testing Aims at Supercooled Large Droplet Aviation Safety : FAA Clears New Boeing 737 Max Software Issue, Opening Path for Max 10 Certification : Airplane crash in Fulton caused by misfueling, NTSB report reveals : Calendar of Events Incident: United B738 at Santa Ana on Oct 5th 2026, rejected takeoff due to smoke on board A United Boeing 737-800, registration N78540 performing flight UA-653 from Santa Ana,CA to San Francisco,CA (USA), was accelerating for takeoff from runway 20R when the crew rejected takeoff advising ATC they had smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft slowed safely and stopped on the runway about 450 meters/1500 feet down the runway, the crew requested emergency services to check the aircraft. The crew told emergency services they had smoke and fumes on the flight deck isolated to the flight deck, it has dissipated in the meantime, they think it came from the bleed air of the left engine (CFM56), they had turned the left bleed air off. Following the checks the aircraft taxied back to the apron. The aircraft departed for the flight about 7:45 hours after the rejected takeoff and reached San Francisco with a delay of about 7.5 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=542b5a9a&opt=0 Incident: Delta A319 at Minneapolis on Oct 4th 2026, landing gear situation on departure A Delta Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration N355NB performing flight DL-2692 from Minneapolis,MN to New York JFK,NY (USA) with 120 people on board, was climbing out of Minneapolis' runway 30L when the crew stopped the climb at 4000 feet advising they needed to do some troubleshooting, later advising they had a landing gear situation. The aircraft returned to Minneapolis, the crew declared emergency. The aircraft landed safely on runway 30L about 40 minutes after departure, turned off onto runway 04 and requested emergency services to check the aircraft. https://avherald.com/h?article=542ab8a1&opt=0 Incident: BAW B772 over Irish Sea on Oct 5th 2026, loss of cabin pressure A BAW British Airways Boeing 777-200, registration G-VIIA performing flight BA-295 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA), was enroute at FL360 over the Irish Sea about 40nm south of Dublin (Ireland) when the crew initiated an emergency descent due to the loss of cabin pressure, the passenger oxygen masks were released. The aircraft levelled off at FL090 about 7 minutes later (average sinkrate 3800fpm) and returned to London Heathrow. The aircraft dumped fuel over the Irish Sea near Cardiff,WL (UK) and landed safely back on Heathrow's runway 27L about 4:05 hours after leaving FL360. https://avherald.com/h?article=542a9f48&opt=0 'We don't want it': AI-powered air traffic system comes to DC-area skies—and travelers are skeptical Major airports in the Baltimore-Washington region will soon be guinea pigs for the FAA's new AI-supported SMART air traffic system. Here's how travelers are reacting. Baltimore, Maryland, USA - March 20, 2026: An editorial photograph capturing a Delta Air Lines Boeing 717 narrow-body jet in flight. The aircraft is depicted with its landing gear deployed against a clear blue sky during its arrival sequence. This specific model is a staple of Delta's short-haul domestic fleet. Artificial intelligence will soon help govern skies around Washington, D.C., and some travelers are pushing back. The Federal Aviation Administration announced it will soon roll out its new AI-supported air traffic management system in the region. A fact sheet on the system claims it will help aviation specialists anticipate airspace congestion, weather events and other problems before they lead to flight delays. Known as Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories, or SMART, the system is part of a broader effort to modernize the nation's air traffic control infrastructure. But exactly how the SMART system will work is still a bit unclear. The Baltimore Banner reported that three airports—Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport—will be part of the SMART pilot program. In a statement the FAA said that it has already begun using SMART in a limited mode "in the airspace around Washington, D.C." without specifying which airports or air traffic control facilities are included. The announcement has prompted skepticism online. In a recent Instagram post, Baltimore Banner readers were unrestrained in their distrust of the system. "We don't want it," one commenter wrote. Another commenter was more emphatic: "Was thinking about flying out of BWI later this fall. Now I think I'd better change my plans 😬!" One person who said they fly into and out of BWI more than 100 times a year called the technology "terrifying." The FAA says SMART will not replace human air traffic controllers or take autonomous control of aircraft. Instead, an FAA spokesperson told me via email that SMART "centralizes 200 data streams" including weather patterns, flight paths, traffic flow and controller staffing metrics. Using a single platform, SMART synthesizes all this data to provide a comprehensive visualization of where planes are going, how much traffic the system can handle and where congestion or weather could cause challenges. SMART will then provide human specialists with this data and make scheduling recommendations to help them manage air traffic. Transportation secretary Sean Duffy compared the use of SMART and AI-driven data analytics to the act of replacing copper wire on a rotary phone with high speed fiber. "We're going to move from analog to digital," he said, describing the new system as "infrastructure that's going to bring more resilience and safety to our air traffic control system." For now, the system will pilot its test programs in the Washington region. What its introduction will mean for individual airports and passengers remains a question. We know that Maryland Gov. Wes Moore earlier this week outlined proposed AI regulations, and that other state and national leaders have similarly introduced guardrail policies for the rapidly evolving technology. Duffy said the rollout of the SMART tool will be slow, and that travelers should start to notice improvements in their travel time and experiences by summer 2027. https://www.yahoo.com/creators/lifestyle/story/we-dont-want-it-ai-powered-air-traffic-system-comes-to-dc-area-skiesand-travelers-are-skeptical-181838317.html London to Chicago BA flight declares emergency after dropping 28,000 feet British Airways Boeing abruptly lost altitude over Ireland due to ‘technical issue’ and returned to Heathrow A flight from London to Chicago declared an emergency after a sudden and steep descent of 28,000 feet over Ireland and was forced to turn back to Britain. British Airways flight BA295 was bound for Chicago’s O’Hare airport but after a “technical issue” during which oxygen masks were deployed from the ceiling, the plane landed safely back at London Heathrow. The aircraft, a Boeing 777-200ER, had departed Heathrow at 12.14pm on Monday for its scheduled transatlantic flight, and an hour into the journey had ascended to its cruising altitude of 37,000 feet. According to passengers, the plane then encountered turbulence moments before the masks dropped, prompting “uncertainty” among those on board. Pilots descended to below 10,000 feet and issued a 7700 emergency squawk to air traffic control – the international general emergency code – and made a U-turn to head back towards England. Flight-tracking services showed the aircraft flying in a looping holding pattern over the Bristol Channel between Pembrokeshire and North Devon as the plane burnt off fuel in order to lower its weight, allowing the pilots to make a normal landing just after 5pm. Passenger Tom Nicholls said there was a “sudden bit of turbulence” before the emergency was declared and that the quick descent to 9,000ft hadn’t been too uncomfortable. He said: “The plane adjusted but it didn’t feel like it was descending rapidly. I’d say the pilots did a very good job. “The oxygen masks popped out soon after and there was a bit of uncertainty onboard. The couple in front couldn’t get to theirs but by the time they’d found a spare seat with a mask, the captain announced we were below 10,000ft so they were not needed.” A spokesperson for BA said: “The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority, and the aircraft landed safely after our highly trained pilots returned to Heathrow following a technical issue. “Customers disembarked the aircraft normally and our teams are working to get their travel plans back on track as quickly as possible.” Photographs taken by passengers and shared on social media showed oxygen masks dangling from the ceiling as the plane made the return journey. A rapid descent to below 10,000 feet and a 7700 emergency squawk are routinely associated with aircraft experiencing cabin depressurisation but the official cause of the emergency has yet to be confirmed by BA. The Boeing 777-200ER is one of BA’s oldest planes in service, having been delivered to the carrier almost 30 years ago – in July 1997. Live streams showed the aircraft making its descent and safe landing back at Heathrow. Many passengers have been booked on to new flights departing on Tuesday. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/oct/05/london-to-chicago-ba-flight-declares-emergency-after-dropping-28000-feet Nepal Plans to Split Aviation Regulator to Improve Air Safety KATHMANDU, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Nepal ⁠plans ⁠to split the Civil ⁠Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) into two separate agencies to improve air safety, a minister said on Tuesday, in ‌a country with a long ‌history of crashes. Under the new structure, one entity would ⁠oversee ⁠aviation safety and regulation, while the other would manage airports, infrastructure and aviation services. "Separating these functions will address the inherent conflict of interest in the current structure and strengthen the credibility and effectiveness of safety oversight," Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil ⁠Aviation Khadak ⁠Raj Paudel told ⁠Reuters in a text message. The overhaul is part of a broader effort to improve safety in ⁠Nepal's skies where at least 380 people have been killed in 21 crashes — fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters — since 2000. The European Union, citing safety concerns, has barred Nepal-certified airlines from ⁠flying to Europe. Paudel last week submitted two draft bills to parliament under ⁠which CAAN would cede its service-providing role to the Nepal Air Service Authority (NASA), which will be created once the legislation is passed. Analysts say the government has the necessary majority to pass the new laws but it could take several months before the new arrangements come into force. Paudel said Nepal was also taking other steps to improve ⁠safety including enhancing industry training. "Aviation safety requires continuous improvement, not a one-time structural change," he said. Nepal has already submitted a Corrective Action Plan, which is currently under review by the EU, the minister said. https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-10-06/nepal-plans-to-split-aviation-regulator-to-improve-air-safety Flydubai aircraft reached near-supersonic speeds, extreme airframe stress levels - report “I’m not sure it can ever be used again,” said Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University aerodynamicist Tony Farina, who has worked with the US Air Force and NASA on aviation-related projects. A plane, carrying passengers who were on the FlyDubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, on the tarmac as it arrives at the Ben Gurion International Airport, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, September 30, 2026. Damage to flydubai flight FZ1073’s rudder likely resulted from the extreme speeds, angles, and G-forces (gravitational acceleration) the aircraft reached during its dive and subsequent recovery amid its attempted hijacking, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. According to the report, the Boeing 737 MAX reached an estimated speed of Mach 0.96, with Mach 1.0 being the speed of sound. For comparison, such commercial aircraft cruise below the “high altitude never exceed speed (MMO)” of Mach 0.82. Speeds beyond MMO can damage the aircraft, while speeds slightly below can still cause damage if flight conditions are not smooth. The report noted that the estimated speed and other flight parameters, sourced from Flightradar24 satellite tracking data, are less accurate than the data in the aircraft’s flight data recorder, also known as the “black box,” which investigators will rely on. In addition, the estimations do not take into account variables, such as wind speed and direction, air temperature, and pressure levels, all of which contribute to what is known to pilots as True Airspeed (TAS), the most accurate representation of an aircraft’s speed concerning its performance and the forces acting upon it. With this in mind, the aircraft may have reached a TAS higher than estimated, though investigators will need more time to confirm. Aircraft fell over 17,000 feet in 92 seconds, satellite tracking data shows What is known is that the stresses suffered by the aircraft caused a large portion of the rudder, which controls a plane’s yaw (side-to-side) movement, to break off. The tracking data also showed that the aircraft fell about 17,400 feet over 92 seconds at a 39° nose-down attitude, far steeper than the standard descent angle of 3°. As the aircraft was brought back under control, it sustained further stress through the return to straight-and-level flight, with the WSJ putting an emphasis on the estimated three G’s of force, three times the force of gravity. A 737 MAX is only rated to sustain 2.5 positive G’s, according to its official limitations, which is unlikely to ever be reached in the course of a commercial flight. The aircraft is also rated for a maximum maneuvering speed (VA) of between 210 and 230 knots, depending on configuration, meaning that beyond that speed, any abrupt or full-control movements can damage the aircraft. Mach 0.96 is well beyond that range. Regardless of the cause, the damage to the rudder suggests a departure from the aircraft’s limitations in at least one of the areas discussed in the report. A second pair of flydubai pilots, who took over control following the attempted hijacking, flew the damaged aircraft for over an hour before diverting to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. According to the report, the plane’s altitude fluctuated by about 500 feet (152 meters) at a time as it progressed, suggesting difficulty maintaining straight-and-level flight amid the damage. The flydubai aircraft is still parked at Tabuk Airport as of the time of writing, where teams will examine the full extent of the damage to determine whether the plane is still airworthy after any needed repairs, the WSJ reported. Embry-Riddle aerodynamicist: 'I’m not sure it can ever be used again' Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University aerodynamicist Tony Farina told the WSJ that the aircraft will need, “at the very least... a complete and thorough inspection.” “I’m not sure it can ever be used again,” Farina, who has worked with the US Air Force and NASA on aviation-related projects, said. The fact that the Boeing managed to stay intact amid such extreme stresses marks a win for the US aircraft manufacturer, with the report noting the issues the 737 MAX has faced in recent years, ranging from physical cracks and software glitches to two separate fatal crashes resulting from a design flaw. The WSJ reached out to Boeing, which declined to comment. US President Donald Trump congratulated the American plane maker in a special media post on Wednesday following the incident, noting the 737 MAX aircraft’s ability to “withstand G-forces and strain far beyond what it was designed and expected to do.” Space-company TransAstra CEO and aerospace engineer Joel Sercel also commented on the security aspect of the incident, telling the WSJ that an aircraft’s good design “will not save the airplane if a qualified person on the flight deck commands a dive and the other person cannot stop him in time.” https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-910466 EASA Grounds Elixir Fleet After Fatal Accident Emergency directive suspends operations of the two-seat trainer while investigators examine an Oct. 1 accident in France. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has ordered operators to suspend flights of Elixir aircraft following a fatal accident involving a factory aircraft in France last week. The emergency directive, issued Oct. 2 and effective Oct. 3, applies to the Elixir Aircraft Elixir fleet. French accident investigators opened a safety investigation after Elixir F-WGAZ went down Oct. 1 at Rochefort Airport. France’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety said three investigators and one first-information investigator were sent to the site. EASA has not identified a specific technical failure behind the grounding, and the cause of the accident remains under investigation. Immediate Suspension EASA said its safety assessment warranted issuing the directive immediately rather than following its normal consultation process. “The results of the safety assessment have indicated the need for immediate publication and notification, without the full consultation process,” EASA said. The directive suspends flight operations but allows EASA to approve alternative methods of compliance when appropriately substantiated. The agency has not announced when the restriction could be lifted. U.S. Deliveries Underway The grounding comes as Elixir expands into the U.S. training market. The French-built two-seat trainer received FAA Part 23 certification in July 2025 and began U.S. deliveries this spring. Initial customers include Florida-based Cirrus Aviation, which ordered 10 aircraft, and Arizona-based Sierra Charlie Aviation, which previously placed a large preorder. Elixir uses a one-piece carbon structure that the manufacturer calls Carbon OneShot. The company has marketed the design primarily for flight training and previously said more than 300 aircraft were represented in its worldwide order book through firm orders, preorders and letters of intent. https://avweb.com/aviation-news/easa-grounds-elixir-after-fatal-accident/ American Airlines looks to hire nearly 2,000 flight attendants in 2027 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — American Airlines launched applications for its 2027 flight attendant trainee classes. With more than 30,000 flight attendants currently serving customers around the world, American is preparing to invite and welcome new trainees to earn their wings in the first half of 2027. This year, the airline has enhanced the interview experience for flight attendants by providing a transparent and realistic understanding of what it takes to earn their wings. “As American continues its focus on enhancing the premium experience for customers, improving the candidate experience is one of the many ways we’re ensuring our people are equally committed and prepared to care for people on life’s journey,” said American’s Chief People Officer Cole Brown. “We want the process to mirror the hospitality and service our customers should expect when they travel with us.” Flight attendants are based at 10 locations across the U.S., with top hiring bases for 2027 in Charlotte (CLT), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Miami (MIA), and Chicago (ORD). Interested candidates can learn more and apply directly at flightattendants.aa.com through mid-October. https://www.qcnews.com/charlotte-airport/american-airlines-looks-to-hire-nearly-2000-flight-attendants-in-2027/ NASA Testing Aims at Supercooled Large Droplet Aviation Safety NASA is leveraging its expertise and enhancing its test facilities to help address a rare but persistent aviation hazard: icing that occurs when aircraft encounter unusually large, very cold water droplets in clouds. The problem, known as “supercooled large droplet icing,” occurs when aircraft fly through clouds containing unusually large drops of water that are very cold but remain liquid. When a plane passes through those drops, they can rapidly freeze to surfaces that are not protected from ice buildup. With a series of tests in the Icing Research Tunnel at Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, NASA researchers are helping U.S. industry better understand the phenomenon. Supercooled water is common in clouds – droplets can go below 32 degrees Farenheit but not freeze unless they encounter dust or other tiny particles around which they can crystalize. Aircraft are designed to encounter typical icing conditions where droplets range from 2 to 100 microns in diameter (for comparison, a human hair is about 70 microns wide). But in rarer cases, clouds can contain supercooled large drops up to 2,000 microns in diameter (if you’ve ever been caught in freezing rain, you’ve encountered these droplets at ground level). These much larger droplets can hit or splash to the aft of an aircraft, including areas behind conventional ice protection systems. The aviation industry relies on engineering tools to help design their aircraft. Current tools work well for typical clouds, but engineers have questions about how well they account for the physics of supercooled large drops. To help answer those questions, NASA is working to enhance the equipment it uses to generate and measure experimental clouds for testing in the Icing Research Tunnel. NASA researchers have experimented with brand new probes that help calibrate the sizes of the drops in the clouds the tunnel produces. The probes can “see” drops larger than 45 microns and perform a real-time analysis of their sizes. NASA will compare these results, a laborious technique of post-processing droplet size image data from the tunnel. The results will be mated to results from a different probe that measures droplets smaller than 45 microns. With this, the complete droplet size spectrum is known. The test campaign marks an important milestone for the Subsonic Flight Demonstrator project, part of NASA’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate. Detailed analysis of the collected data continues, and NASA’s project team will share results with the broader aerospace community once complete. https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/nasa-testing-aims-at-supercooled-large-droplet-aviation-safety/ FAA Clears New Boeing 737 Max Software Issue, Opening Path for Max 10 Certification What Happened? The FAA said on Friday that a new software glitch on some Boeing (BA:NYSE) 737 Max planes is not a flight-safety issue. The ruling clears the way for certification of the 737 Max 10. Boeing flagged the problem last month, which could affect certain landing procedures. It can show up after a missed approach, when pilots change a preprogrammed flight path. Pilots then have to take extra steps to use automated tools on later approaches. An FAA review board met on Friday. It included experts in airframes, flight controls, propulsion and flight testing. The board said pilots keep full control of the aircraft. It also said the cockpit indications are clear. The FAA will send airlines a special bulletin on how to spot and handle the issue. It also said it will take action if new information comes in. U.S. airlines said they are not affected. They can go back to older software versions. Still, the issue raised questions about Max 10 timing. Boeing and airlines had expected certification in early fall. The Max 10 is the largest Max model and the last one awaiting approval. The FAA approved the Max 7 in August. The CEOs of Alaska Airlines and Ryanair, both Max 10 customers, brushed off concerns about the delay earlier this week. What the Market Is Telling Us About Boeing Stock This is good news for Boeing stock. A safety finding could have pushed back the Max 10 by months. Instead, the FAA moved quickly. That keeps Boeing's 2027 delivery plans for the Max 10 in play. Boeing has been rebuilding trust with regulators. On the July earnings call, CEO Kelly Ortberg said the final Max 10 test flight was done. He expected certification soon after the Max 7. Boeing stock also gets support from a record $715 billion backlog. The numbers have been improving. Q2 revenue rose 8% to $24.6 billion. Boeing delivered 171 airplanes, its best quarter since 2018. Free cash flow was positive at $631 million. Some risks remain. Boeing still reported a core loss of $0.76 per share. It also took a $280 million charge on the VC-25B program. Production is ramping to 47 jets a month, and the supply chain has to keep up. Boeing stock may now react to the Max 10 approval itself. Investors will also watch whether deliveries stay on track. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/markets/stocks/articles/faa-clears-boeing-737-max-123857975.html Airplane crash in Fulton caused by misfueling, NTSB report reveals FULTON, Ky. — A "misfueling" is the probable cause of an airplane crash that injured four people Aug. 21 in Fulton, according to the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation final report released Monday. The analysis of the crash involving a Cessna 421 states that the the pilot reported that part of the plane's right engine was "running hot" after takeoff. He then leveled the plane, which did not resolve the issue, so he "elected to feather the propeller and shut down the engine." He attempted to navigate to an airport. He then noticed that the other engine was "beginning to deteriorate" and he could no longer maintain altitude. He attempted to maintain power to the remaining engine, but performed a forced landing into a cornfield, with the plane sustaining "substantial damage." The report goes on to state that a first responder sampled the plane's fuel at the scene, noting that it was colorless and smelled of diesel fuel. According to the report, an interview with the fueler at the departing airport confirmed he had fueled the plane with "pre-mixed Jet-A," which the airport manager confirmed. A fuel receipt, signed by the pilot, showed that the plane had been fueled with 145 gallons of "Jet-A." An interview with the pilot found that "he did not specifically tell the fueler that he wanted 100LL in the airplane." The pilot acknowledged that he read the fuel receipt and "that they 'wanted to get home' so they 'got in the airplane and left,'" the report stated. The pilot reportedly did not inspect or sample the plane's fuel. The report then states that the NTSB determines the probable cause(s) of the crash to be "The misfueling of the airplane by the refueler. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to verify that the airplane had been properly fueled prior to departing on the accident flight." The report notes the plane departed from Blytheville, Arkansas, with its destination in Lima, Ohio. The plane departed at 12:27 p.m. with clear cloud conditions, no precipitation or obscurations, and no wind gusts, according to the report. The plane's last annual inspection was May 1, 2026. The Federal Aviation Administration's preliminary incident report, released in the days after the crash, stated that a "loss of power" contributed to the plane crash. NTSB REPORT https://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/airplane-crash-in-fulton-caused-by-misfueling-ntsb-report-reveals/article_b3178546-cf82-4352-bdd6-2b7939c7d1ec.html CALENDAR OF EVENTS . 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 . Gulf Flight Safety Association (GFSA)conference Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on the 28th and 29th of October 2026 . Bombardier Safety Standdown (November 10–12, 2026 in Wichita, KS) . CHC Safety & Quality Summit - 11th – 13th November 2025 - Vancouver, BC Canada . Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection, and Investigation17 to 19 November 2026, Woburn MA : Save The Date - February 11-12, 2027 - ProDIGIQ User Conference . 2027 ACSF Safety Symposium - April 6-8, 2027 - ERAU Daytona Beach, FL Curt Lewis