Flight Safety Information - October 01, 2025 No. 196 In This Issue : Accident: Skyhigh E190 at Santo Domingo on Sep 30th 2025, landed without nose gear : Incident: Cityjet CRJ9 near Stockholm on Sep 23rd 2025, loss of cabin pressure : Fatigue Risk Management For Managers & Safety Stakeholders : Incident: Kalitta B744 at Anchorage on Sep 29th 2025, could not lower right main gear : Distracted controllers allowed planes to come dangerously close on a San Diego runway, NTSB says : Pilots, airline groups warn about government shutdown causing safety setbacks, staffing shortages : Japan Airlines Tightens Alcohol Safety Rules, 6 Drunk Pilots Suspended : Mexico Air Traffic Incidents Rise 31%, Air Safety Concerns Grow : Spirit Airlines gets up to $475 million financing amid bankruptcy process : FAA restores some of Boeing’s safety inspection authorities : FAA plans to furlough 11,000 employees in US government shutdown : Calendar of Event Accident: Skyhigh E190 at Santo Domingo on Sep 30th 2025, landed without nose gear A Skyhigh Embraer ERJ-190, registration HI1074 performing a test flight from Santo Domingo to Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) with 7 crew on board, had climbed to FL280 and was on final approach to runway 17 for landing back when the crew could not lower the nose gear, declared emergency, performed a low approach over the parallel taxiway and entered holds to troubleshoot and attempt to release the nose gear without success. About 30 minutes after the first go around the crew performed another low approach over the parallel taxiway, then positioned for a full stop landing on runway 17. The aircraft rolled out on main gear and aircraft nose and came to a stop on the runway. There were no injuries. Before the test flight the aircraft had last flown on Aug 20th 2025. https://avherald.com/h?article=52dd052f&opt=0 Incident: Cityjet CRJ9 near Stockholm on Sep 23rd 2025, loss of cabin pressure A Cityjet Canadair CRJ-900, registration EI-HSC performing positioning flight WX-41P from Stavanger (Norway) to Tallin (Estonia), was enroute at FL410 about 20nm northeast of Stockholm when the crew initiated an emergency descent to FL090 due to the loss of cabin pressure. The aircraft subsequently turned around and diverted to Stockholm for a safe landing on runway 01R about 30 minutes after leaving FL410. The aircraft is still on the ground in Stockholm on Sep 30th 2025. https://avherald.com/h?article=52dc9e65&opt=0 Incident: Kalitta B744 at Anchorage on Sep 29th 2025, could not lower right main gear A Kalitta Air Boeing 747-400 freighter, registration N745CK performing flight K4-615 from Hong Kong (China) to Anchorage,AK (USA), was on approach to Anchorage when the crew stopped the descent at 3300 feet due to an unsafe gear indication, the right main gear did not indicate down and locked. The aircraft entered a hold for about 30 minutes while working the checklists, then continued for a landing without right main gear touching safely down on runway 07R on left main, left body, right body and nose gear. The aircraft came to a safe stop on the runway. The aircraft was towed off the runway several hours later. https://avherald.com/h?article=52dc82a4&opt=0 Distracted controllers allowed planes to come dangerously close on a San Diego runway, NTSB says Investigators say that a private jet came within 100 feet of crashing into a Southwest Airlines plane on a runway in San Diego two years ago because the air traffic controllers in the tower got distracted. The National Transportation Safety Board issued its final report Tuesday on the incident that happened in August 2023. Both the controller directing those planes and the supervisor made bad choices that day that took their attention away from the landing, the NTSB said. Tragedy was averted because the airport’s automated system for tracking planes and vehicles on the ground alerted the controller to the potential conflict, and the private jet was able to pull up and circle before landing safely. Close calls like this only add to the worries about aviation safety these days in the wake of the deadliest plane crash in the United States in decades when an airliner collided with an Army helicopter and other crashes and near misses that followed. Then in June an Air India plane crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all but one of the 242 people aboard and 29 others on the ground. The NTSB said the San Diego controller who was overseeing the landings that day used poor judgment when they decided to call the regional FAA radar facility about correcting the altitude of an unrelated plane as the business jet was approaching for landing. The controller acknowledged that mistake in an interview after the incident. Another factor that contributed to the planes coming so close is that the controller's supervisor in the tower was also distracted. The NTSB said the supervisor was in the middle of troubleshooting a problem with a printer the controllers use. The supervisor decided to try to fix the printer instead of just switching over to the backup printer, taking their attention away from the landing operation, the report said. Fortunately the San Diego airport is one of 35 major airports where the FAA has installed advanced surface radar systems to help track aircraft and vehicles on the ground. That system provided a crucial backup layer of safety that prevented a crash in this incident. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/distracted-controllers-allowed-planes-come-205701123.html Pilots, airline groups warn about government shutdown causing safety setbacks, staffing shortages CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Pilot and airline groups warn that a government shutdown could cause safety setbacks and staffing shortages at the world’s busiest airport. Passengers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport braced for the pace to slow down as the clock ticked closer to the deadline on Tuesday. “They have to come to an agreement,” Daidre Wood told Channel 2’s Courtney Francisco. When lawmakers fail to pass a budget that finances federal agencies, the agents that move you through security checkpoints and the air traffic controllers who help pilots take off, land, and navigate the skies do not get paychecks on time. “That’s horrible. It’s horrible to not, you know, to do a job and you’re not getting paid for it,” said Wood. Industry union leaders said the last government shutdown lasted 35 days. “No one is really prepared for that,” said Aaron Barker. Barker is President of AFGE Local 554, the union representing TSA agents here. He said some will not be able to afford to wait that long and will be forced to find other work. “Eventually, we will get paid, but it’s the part of when you go without pay for so long,” said Barker. “Having to figure out a way to pay for your kids’ daycare or buy diapers or put food on the table. So, it’s the real concern.” Passengers flying out hours before the deadline were concerned. The Federal Aviation Administration has been asking Congress to leave them out of shutdown pay delays and fund the agency long-term. That would take a separate piece of legislation. https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/pilots-airline-groups-warn-about-government-shutdown-causing-safety-setbacks-staffing-shortages/ITNS77TUWFEW7BVXYBRSVRH5YA/ Japan Airlines Tightens Alcohol Safety Rules, 6 Drunk Pilots Suspended Japan Airlines has faced repeated issues with pilot drinking violations, undermining both punctuality and passenger confidence. TOKYO— Japan Airlines (JL) announced new safety measures after a pilot’s drinking incident forced delays on an international service from Honolulu (HNL) to Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO). The airline will suspend pilots considered high risk if medical checks reveal liver function deterioration. The carrier submitted a report to Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) following the August incident, where a pilot consumed alcohol before duty and was unable to operate his scheduled flight. JAL admitted its previous countermeasures had been ineffective, leading to stricter oversight and regulatory intervention. Japan Airlines Tightens Alcohol Rules Japan Airlines has faced repeated issues with pilot drinking violations, undermining both punctuality and passenger confidence. In the August case, a pilot drank three pints of beer the day before his duty flight from Honolulu (HNL) to Chubu (NGO). On the day of departure, his alcohol testing kit recorded positive results 60 times. He later admitted feeling unwell, causing a two-hour delay to his assigned flight and further delays of more than 18 hours for two services to Tokyo Haneda (HND). JAL confirmed that six pilots have already been suspended due to similar issues. The airline’s management initially considered requiring written pledges from pilots to avoid alcohol-related misconduct, but internal opposition halted the plan. Instead, JAL will now establish a consultative framework with pilot unions to create more effective and enforceable rules. Ministry Oversight and Reprimand Following the Honolulu incident, MLIT reprimanded JAL and ordered the airline to submit corrective measures. This was not the first warning. Past cases showed pilots attempting to conceal excessive preflight drinking, raising concerns about compliance and monitoring within the airline. JAL admitted it had unilaterally imposed stricter alcohol-related rules in the past without properly consulting its workforce, contributing to pushback and ineffective enforcement. The new strategy emphasizes collaboration with labor representatives to achieve practical and sustainable policies. The pilot involved in the August case had been flagged by JAL seven years earlier for high alcohol consumption and was placed under close monitoring. He pledged to quit drinking but eventually relapsed, leading to the recent incident. JAL is now incorporating medical checks, including liver function analysis, into its pilot monitoring process. Pilots with deteriorating results will be suspended from flight duty, reflecting a proactive health-based approach rather than relying solely on pledges or disciplinary warnings. Japan Airlines Tightens Alcohol Safety Rules, 6 Drunk Pilots Suspended Pilot Culture and Workload Pressures Some pilots argue that moderate alcohol consumption within official limits helps them relax after long-haul flights. Others see drinking as a coping mechanism in response to heavy workloads and global pilot shortages. This cultural factor has complicated airline efforts to impose blanket bans, as many pilots view occasional drinking as part of normal post-flight recovery. However, with increasing global scrutiny on airline safety, JAL’s latest measures reflect a recognition that both individual health and public trust depend on stricter enforcement. https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/10/01/japan-airlines-tightens-alcohol-safety-rules-6-drunk-pilots-suspended/#google_vignette Mexico Air Traffic Incidents Rise 31%, Air Safety Concerns Grow Mexico recorded 137 air traffic incidents between January and July 2025, marking a 31% increase from the same period last year, according to the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC). This represents the second-highest level of such events in the past five years. During the same period, the number of air accidents rose 19% year-over-year, AFAC data shows. Incidents have been linked to multiple operational and structural deficiencies, including insufficient training, errors in aircraft separation, and communication failures. “The figures are provided by the Directorate for Analysis of Aviation Accidents and Incidents (DAAIA), under the Undersecretary of Transport, and had not been published during the previous two months due to updates in information and departmental transition,” the agency noted. A recent example occurred at Mexico City International Airport (AICM) when the control tower experienced a frequency collapse at 19:55 hours, disrupting communication with aircraft. Some flights, including Aeroméxico flight 551, were forced to remain in holding patterns. Backup systems temporarily maintained airspace services while primary equipment was restored, with priority given to in-flight and incoming aircraft, according to SENEAM. Air traffic controllers and operational personnel have identified systemic safety issues, noting risks from “actions and decisions outside standard procedures, approved by current senior management and carried over from previous administrations, placing this decentralized agency at potential imminent risk requiring immediate remedial measures.” Infrastructure challenges exacerbate these risks. At AICM, the Peñón radar operates with only two of eight required power units, limiting coverage, signal reliability, and trajectory accuracy. Surface radar for taxiway and platform management has been out of service for over a year. Despite repeated issues, senior management has not submitted reports on failures or evidence of component repair or replacement. The redesign of air traffic routes for Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) has also faced challenges. According to a report, “None of the three planned objectives—fuel savings, safer routes, and reduced flight path lengths—were met. Routes were longer, at lower altitudes, causing noise disturbances and higher fuel consumption. Required testing was incomplete, and maintenance of conventional navigation equipment was neglected.” Mexico averages 47 air accidents and 195 incidents annually. Air traffic-related events are cited by controllers and authorities as a primary threat to aviation safety. A 2023 report documented 1,594 ‘frustrated operations’ at AICM, with 784 cases involving potential conflicts between aircraft on the ground and those taking off or landing. https://mexicobusiness.news/aerospace/news/mexico-air-traffic-incidents-rise-31-air-safety-concerns-grow Spirit Airlines gets up to $475 million financing amid bankruptcy process Sept 30 (Reuters) - Spirit Airlines has negotiated funding of up to $475 million with existing bondholders to support normal business operations during its Chapter 11 restructuring, its parent company said on Tuesday. Spirit expects $200 million of the debtor-in-possession financing to be available immediately if the court approves. The next hearing is scheduled for October 10. The company has also got interim access to $120 million of liquidity, it said. In August, the U.S. no-frills pioneer filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in a year after a previous reorganization failed to put it on firmer financial footing. Spirit said on Tuesday that it has agreed with aircraft lessor AerCap Holdings (AER.N), opens new tab to reject leases on 27 aircraft. AerCap will pay Spirit $150 million as part of the deal. The agreement resolves their dispute over a deal covering 36 Airbus planes due for delivery between 2027 and 2028. The company also said it has got the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York's approval to reject 12 airport leases and 19 ground handling agreements. https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/spirit-airlines-gets-up-475-million-financing-amid-bankruptcy-process-2025-09-30/ FAA restores some of Boeing’s safety inspection authorities Boeing's 737 Max family. The aircraft manufacturer's production rate of its 737 model reached 38 units a month in the second quarter. Dive Brief: The Federal Aviation Administration announced last week that it will allow Boeing limited authorization to issue airworthiness certificates for some of its 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner plane models, effective Sept. 29. An airworthiness certification denotes that the commercial or cargo aircraft is safe to fly, according to the FAA website. The agency revoked the company’s 737 authority in 2019, following two crashes that resulted in the deaths of 346 people, as well as the 787 in 2022 due to production quality issues, according to the press release. Additionally, the FAA proposed to issue fines of over $3.1 million against Boeing for safety violations that occurred from September 2023 through February 2024. The company has 30 days after receiving the agency’s penalty letters to respond, according to the Sept. 12 press release. Boeing did not reply to multiple requests for comment on the FAA’s decision and penalty proposal. Dive Insight: Boeing’s commercial aircraft segment has faced safety issues and fines after the Lion Air crash in 2018, the Ethiopia Airlines crash in 2019 and last year’s mid-exit door plug on Alaska Airlines that blew out mid-air. The issues prompted the FAA to increase its oversight of the company and Boeing invested billions in improving its production processes and restoring its reputation. While Boeing will retain some control of its airworthiness certification, the FAA said it will continue to “maintain direct and rigorous oversight” of the plane manufacturer’s operations. Boeing and the agency will also alternate weekly in issuing the certifications. Additionally, the FAA renewed Boeing’s Organization Designation Authorization for three years, which took effect on June 1. The agency’s Congress-mandated oversight program supervises and conducts inspections for companies in an effort to drive performance improvements, such as safety management processes. While Boeing had previously made changes to its safety management systems and culture following the two fatal crashes, an independent expert panel report released last year found that many issues remained unresolved. The latest proposed penalty fines address the safety violations that occurred during the five-month period, including the mid-exit door plug on Alaska Airlines that blew out mid-air on Jan. 5, 2024. Advertisement Other allegations the FAA noted against Boeing include interfering with safety officials’ independence and “hundreds of quality system violations” at the company’s 737 factory in Renton, Washington, and Spirit AeroSystems’ fuselage facility in Wichita, Kansas. Furthermore, Boeing allegedly presented two “unairworthy” aircraft for airworthiness certification and supposedly failed to follow the FAA’s quality system. The agency also found that a non-ODA Boeing employee allegedly pressured a designated ODA Boeing worker to sign off on a 737 plane that did not meet compliance standards so that the company could meet its delivery schedule. Despite the allegations, the agency has seen significant improvements in Boeing’s production quality, an FAA spokesman stated in an email. “Our intensive oversight and in-depth and rigorous review of data indicated that we can safely allow Boeing to resume issuing airworthiness certificates for some airplanes,” the spokesman said. “This will also enable us to position more safety inspectors at the most critical points in the manufacturing line.” The FAA’s proposed multi-million-dollar fines and reduced oversight have seen pushback from Democratic senators. Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to the agency last week seeking transparency about its enforcement approach. “The FAA stated that it applied its maximum statutory penalty authority. If so, that fact only underscores the inadequacy of current law,” Blumenthal said in the Sept. 23 letter. “But if there was discretion in how penalties were calculated — or if reductions are likely to follow — then the FAA risks sending the message that systemic safety violations carry no serious consequences.” https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/faa-restores-boeing-safety-inspection-124839770.html FAA plans to furlough 11,000 employees in US government shutdown WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Transportation Department said on Tuesday more than 11,000 employees at the Federal Aviation Administration, about a quarter of its staff, would be furloughed if government funding lapses. U.S. airlines have warned that a partial federal government shutdown at midnight (0400 GMT) could strain American aviation and slow flights, as air traffic controllers and security officers would be forced to work without pay and other functions would be halted. With an eye on keeping the skies safe, more than 13,000 current air traffic controllers would be required to continue working, but would not be paid until the shutdown ended, the FAA said. The FAA is about 3,800 controllers short of targeted staffing levels, but even if government funding is halted, the FAA would continue hiring and training air traffic controllers. During prior government shutdowns, the FAA suspended hiring and most training of air traffic controllers. The National Transportation Safety Board said about 25% of its 400 employees would be furloughed but it would still be able to launch new investigations into air accidents and other incidents and continue its probe into the January 29 mid-air collision between an American Airlines regional jet and Army helicopter that killed 67 people. The NTSB will retain far more employees than during prior shutdowns when it had to furlough 90% or more of its workers. In 2019, the agency did not send investigators to 22 accidents because of the funding lapse. But it made the case to White House budget officials that it needed more personnel for critical functions. About 50,000 Transportation Security Administration employees who staff airport security checkpoints would also be required to keep working, but would not be paid. In 2019, during a 35-day shutdown, the number of absences by controllers and TSA officers rose as workers missed paychecks, extending checkpoint wait times at some airports. Authorities were forced to slow air traffic in New York, which put pressure on lawmakers to quickly end the standoff. Airline trade group Airlines for America, which represents United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and others, warned that if funding lapses, "the system may need to slow down, reducing efficiency" and impacting travelers. U.S. Travel Association, which represents airlines, hotels, car rental firms and other travel companies, said a partial U.S. government shutdown would cost the U.S. travel sector $1 billion per week. The FAA has about 45,000 employees. In total, the Transportation Department would furlough 12,200 employees out of 53,717, including the FAA. The FAA said certification activities would continue for operational safety functions of commercial airplanes and engines, as well as commercial space launch oversight and licensing. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/faa-plans-furlough-11-000-010010426.html CALENDAR OF EVENTS . 2025 NBAA Single-Pilot Safety Standdown; Monday, Oct. 13 | 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; Las Vegas, NV . 2025 NBAA National Safety Forum, Tuesday, Oct. 14 – Wednesday, Oct. 15; Las Vegas, NV . Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC™) - 2025 – October 27-29th (Omaha, Nebraska) . 78TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY SUMMIT (IASS) - Lisbon, November 4–6 . 29th annual Bombardier Safety Standdown, November 11-13, 2025; Wichita, Kansas · CHC Safety & Quality Summit, 11th – 13th November 2025, Vancouver, BC Canada . 2026 ACSF Safety Symposium; April 7-9, 2026; ERAU Daytona Beach, FL . 2026 NBAA Maintenance Conference; May 5-7, 2026; New Orleans, LA . BASS 2026 - 71st Business Aviation Safety Summit - May 5-6, 2026 | Provo, Utah . The African Aviation Safety & Operations Summit - May 19-20 | Johannesburg, South Africa . Safeskies Australia - Australia’s renowned Aviation Safety Conference - Canberra Australia 20 and 21 May 2026 . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV Curt Lewis