Flight Safety Information - January 08, 2026 No. 006 In This Issue : Incident: LATAM Chile B763 at Atlanta on Jan 6th 2026, blew all main tyres on landing : Incident: Southwest B737 at Omaha on Jan 6th 2026, bird strike : Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner - Ground Damage while Taxiing (Japan) : Business Aviation Safety Suffers Worst Year since 2011 : Frontier Airlines Appoints New CEO : How Alaska Air’s sustainability lead became Hawaiian Airlines’ CEO : “Help, hope and healing” by air: MAF celebrates 80 years and plans ahead : IndiGo welcomes first Airbus A321XLR aircraft : Apollo MedFlight achieves Wyvern Level 3 SMS : Embraer delivers 155 business jets in 2025 : Alaska Airlines bets on Boeing with its biggest aircraft deal for global expansion : Calendar of Events Incident: LATAM Chile B763 at Atlanta on Jan 6th 2026, blew all main tyres on landing A LATAM Chile Boeing 767-300, registration CC-CXF performing flight LA-2482 from Lima (Peru) to Atlanta,GA (USA), landed on Atlanta's runway 26R but came to a stop with all main tyres burst. The crew reported they were unable to taxi, they had indication the right main gear was not down. Arriving emergency immediately reported the two right main tyres were blown, subsequently the emergency services reported all main tyres were blown. The aircraft was disabled and was towed off the runway about one hour after landing. The aircraft is still on the ground in Atlanta about 16 hours after landing. The return flight was cancelled. The FAA reported the aircraft landed safely then the tyres blew out. The airline reported a technical issue led to the tyres being damaged. The FAA is investigating. Passengers reported the entire aircraft shook, overhead bins started to open and one bathroom door fell off its hinges. https://avherald.com/h?article=53274c44&opt=0 Incident: Southwest B737 at Omaha on Jan 6th 2026, bird strike A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N246LV performing flight WN-1230 from Omaha,NE to Phoenix,AZ (USA), was climbing out of Omaha's runway 36 when the crew stopped the climb at 2000 feet reporting a bird strike. The aircraft returned to Omaha for a safe landing on runway 32L about 15 minutes after departure. The airline reported the aircraft was struck by a bird shortly after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-700 registration N923WN reached Phoenix with a delay of about 2:20 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground about 21 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=5327596e&opt=0 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner - Ground Damage while Taxiing (Japan) Date: Wednesday 7 January 2026 Time: 21:19 Type: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Owner/operator: Japan Airlines (JAL) Registration: JA848J MSN: 35438/943 Year of manufacture: 2019 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 300 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Fukuoka Airport (FUK/RJFF) - Japan Phase: Taxi Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Fukuoka Airport (FUK/RJFF) Destination airport: Tokyo-Haneda Airport (HND/RJTT) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: A Boeing 787-8 of Japan Airlines, taxiing for departure as flight JAL/JL332 from Fukuoka to Tokyo/Haneda, failed to turn correctly at the taxiway E11 from A at Fukuoka, and disabled due to the right tire of the nose landing gear damaged by collision with a taxiway edge light. The taxiway edge light was also broken. The aircraft was towed back to the gate one and a half hours later. No reported injuries. The flight was cancelled due to curfew at Fukuoka. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/565359 Business Aviation Safety Suffers Worst Year since 2011 143 people were killed in 35 business aircraft accidents last year A suspected landing gear failure caused a Lear 35A to veer off the runway at Arizona’s Scottsdale Airport as it was landing, and it slammed into a Gulfstream G200 parked on the ramp. The accident left one dead and several injured. Last year was one of the worst on record for business aviation safety, as fatalities soared 53.8% year over year (YOY) to 143, only eclipsed by 156 fatalities in the sector in 2011, according to preliminary data tabulated by AIN. Fatalities from business jet accidents globally climbed 171.4% YOY, from 21 in 2024 to 57 last year, while turboprop fatalities rose 19.4%, from 72 to 86 killed. The 104 business aircraft accidents—32 involving business jets and 72 turboprops—last year represented a 15.6% increase over 2024. Worse, more accidents were fatal as these mishaps soared 29.6% YOY—involving 13 business jets and 22 turboprops, up from eight and 19, respectively, in the previous year. However, the number of U.S.-registered business jet fatal accidents dropped from five to four over the comparable years, but the fatality count remained flat at 15. Last year’s fatal accidents, with fatalities shown in parentheses, were February 10, Bombardier Learjet 35A during a landing excursion (1); March 13, Cessna Citation CJ2 while climbing out (1); May 22, Citation SII on approach (6); and December 18, Citation II on approach (7). All these crashes occurred under Part 91. Of the five fatal accidents in 2024, one was a Part 135 charter. Looking at fatalities involving non-U.S.-registered business jets, the number of lives taken surged from six in three accidents in 2024 to 42 who lost their lives in nine crashes last year. Twenty-one fatalities, half of last year’s total, occurred in three charter accidents. The nine fatal accidents of non-U.S.-registered business jets in 2025 were January 9, private Citation CJl, runway excursion (1); January 29, government-chartered Citation Sll, taking off (3); January 31, air ambulance Learjet 55, taking off (6); June 3, private Citation I on departure (5); August 7, air ambulance Citation 560, en route (4); September 24, government-operated Learjet 55 taking off (2); October 16, maintenance test Hawker 800X stalled (3); December 15, chartered Citation 650 on approach (10); and December 23, chartered Dassault Falcon 50 during initial climb (8). Fatalities in accidents involving U.S.-registered business turboprops also recorded a significant spike year over year. Last year, 31 people died in 11 crashes versus 17 fatalities in seven accidents in 2024. One of the fatal accidents last year was a charter, and another occurred to a government public service aircraft. As for fatal accidents of non-U.S.-registered business turboprops, 55 people were killed in 11 accidents last year compared to the same number of fatalities in 12 accidents in 2024. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2026-01-07/business-aviation-safety-suffers-worst-year-2011 Frontier Airlines Appoints New CEO James Dempsey will be Frontier’s new CEO amid speculation that the carrier is once again interested in a merger with the beleaguered Spirit Airlines. Frontier Airlines announced Thursday that company president James Dempsey will be the next chief executive. Dempsey had been the interim CEO of Frontier after the carrier unexpectedly decided to replace Barry Biffle at the top spot in December. “Jimmy has demonstrated over his more than a decade at Frontier that he’s the right leader to drive our airline forward,” said Frontier board chair Bill Franke. “His expertise will help us capitalize on the opportunities we see ahead, preserve our industry-leading cost advantage and guide Frontier into the future.” Dempsey will have a base salary of $747,000 and an increased target cash incentive opportunity that is 125% of his base salary, according to a regulatory filing posted Thursday. Previously, Dempsey held various management roles at PwC and was treasurer at Ryanair. It was widely expected among industry analysts that Frontier would appoint Dempsey to be CEO. Over the past year, Frontier has seen its profitability slump as customers opt for more premium products and international flying. Domestic demand has also been especially soft following the introduction of tariffs and reduced spending among budget travelers. https://skift.com/2026/01/08/frontier-airlines-appoints-new-ceo/ How Alaska Air’s sustainability lead became Hawaiian Airlines’ CEO Diana Birkett Rakow’s experience leading the parent company's ESG and public affairs efforts map closely to the subsidiary's focus on local sourcing and operational efficiency. Key Takeaways: Chief sustainability officers and CEOs share a common challenge: navigating systems change. Alaska is the nation’s most fuel-efficient premium airline. Her advice: Don’t overlook the importance of winning over policymakers, employees and customers. Diana Birkett Rakow became CEO of Hawaiian Airlines in October 2025 after eight years heading parent company Alaska Air Group’s sustainability, venture investments and public affairs strategy. It’s a rare career progression among corporate sustainability professionals, but Birkett Rakow argues it should be more common because CSOs and CEOs share a common challenge: creating business value while navigating systems change. “Fundamentally, the definition of sustainability is durability,” she said during the latest episode of our Climate Pioneers interview series. “It’s being here and being successful for a long time.” Hawaiian celebrated its 96th anniversary in 2025, making it one of the oldest U.S. airlines. It was acquired by Alaska Air in September 2024, and Birkett Rakow was closely involved with the integration planning as part of the executive committee led by her boss, Alaska Air CEO Ben Minicucci. She was named to Hawaiian’s board when the integration was completed, ahead of her promotion. Her mission: build on the airlines’ investments in sustainable aviation fuel and efficiency measures, such as local sourcing, to position the combined company for low-carbon business growth. “Knowing climate science is a real asset, increasingly, for chief sustainability officers, but not just knowing that science, knowing how to translate it into business integration and business outcomes and into initiatives that will actually drive impact,” she said. “I think the duality of that experience is also really important.” Birkett Rakow’s long-time experience in public affairs and community relations was also a key factor in her promotion to CEO one year later. Before her experience at Alaska Air, she worked on public health policy in the U.S. Senate and in corporate roles at Group Health and Kaiser Permanente (which bought Group Health in 2017). “One of the things that has always been part of my career is working with multiple stakeholders to get to a solution,” she said. “You can’t go off in a corner and come up with a piece of legislation and expect that it’s going to get done, partly because no one person has all the answers.” Airline CEOs love fuel efficiency Birkett Rakow remains accountable for Alaska Air’s overall sustainability strategy and for Alaska Star Ventures, created four years ago, and the work to reduce emissions across the airlines’ operations is top of mind in both her roles. One of the combined company’s environmental goals (adopted from Alaska Air’s sustainability playbook) is to be the most fuel-efficient premium U.S. airline, a title it already claims. Alaska Air cut 6.4 million gallons of jet fuel in 2024; almost half that amount came from a procedure that requires planes to taxi to runways using just one engine before turning both on for takeoff. It saved 900,000 gallons by using Flyways, an AI software application Alaska developed in collaboration with Air Space Intelligence. The system optimizes flight path information for dispatchers and pilots in real time, so adjustments can be made on the fly that decrease fuel consumption. Alaska Air doesn’t publish how much fuel it burns annually, but it used close to 300 million gallons in the first half of 2024. “Fuel that we don’t burn is emissions that we don’t need to create,” Birkett Rakow said. “It’s a win-win for the business, because it also is fuel that we don’t need to pay for.” Alaska Air’s partnership with Air Space Intelligence inspired the creation of Alaska Star Ventures. “Seeing how technology could be built and serve us in the future started us thinking about the role we should play in enabling that new technology,” Birkett Rakow said. “Some of the role we should play is using it. Some of it is informing its development with our own expertise.” SAF ambitions The venture group invests in startups and technologies that support the airlines’ operational efficiency goals, fleet renewal initiatives and the transition to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). For example, Alaska Air in August 2024 funded JetZero, which is developing a blended wing aircraft design designed to burn 50 percent less fuel than current planes. Alaska Air has funded several SAF companies, with the goal of building supplies for its hubs in Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest. For example, Hawaiian and Alaska will receive the first SAF deliveries in the first quarter made from locally grown Camelina crops through its partnership with Par Hawaii and Pono Energy. Alaska is investing in carbontech company Twelve through a venture with Microsoft and others in Washington state, the Cascadia Sustainable Aviation Accelerator. It is also backing a new Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund that aims to scale commercial availability of sustainable aviation fuel. To build awareness with customers, Alaska Air awards elite qualifying miles to flyers who buy SAF credits. SAF production is building slowly, and it will take a combination of definitive airline purchasing commitments, policy development and customer engagement to accelerate commercial availability. Alaska Air’s corporate customers including Autodesk, Meta, Microsoft, Skanska, Watershed and We are buying into the mission “It’s really exciting, but it’s going to take time,” Birkett Rakow said. “I think a couple of years ago with SAF, we thought if we just created … demand signals, if we just purchase SAF, the market will grow. I think there was some rationale to that, but it hasn’t worked in part because the regulatory environment hasn’t been consistently supportive in a way that was probably required for that to happen, and the cost of building new technologies and new production and the capital needed to stand that up is very significant.” https://trellis.net/article/how-alaska-airs-sustainability-lead-became-hawaiian-airlines-ceo/ “Help, hope and healing” by air: MAF celebrates 80 years and plans ahead International (MNN) — Even in the most desolate places and hardest circumstances, God knows each person and cares deeply. That’s the message Mission Aviation Fellowship has carried through its planes for 80 years — and counting. MAF President David Holsten says their mission is about far more than transportation: “We like to say in our mission statement that we use airplanes to bring help, hope and healing, and we see that happening both spiritually and physically.” This year marked MAF’s 80th anniversary. The ministry began with men and women who served during World War II, who had seen airplanes used as tools of destruction — and dreamed of something different. “They had seen airplanes that were used as instruments of war — that brought death and chaos, and all the things that can happen during war time. And as they came out of the war as followers of Jesus, they thought, ‘Wow, what could it look like if we used airplanes as instruments of peace that could bring life and peace to places?’” Now, 80 years later, Holsten says the airplane continues to be a tool God uses to protect people, reach isolated communities, and serve refugees. “[It’s a tool] that can help bring protection for people, to fly them over places that where there’s conflict on the ground, or to bring supplies to people or to serve the needs of refugees,” he says. 2025 was a fruitful year. “Just from a statistical standpoint, our airplanes were able to serve people in about 12 different countries,” he adds. MAF also flew up to 50 thousand passengers. But those flights often go into unstable places. “Places that we fly to, there could be war and unrest. And so it’s a miracle in and of itself, that after 80 years of doing this, we’re still able to do it,” he explains. MAF delivered medical aid and Bibles and supported evacuations. But tragedy struck in Indonesia when a remote-area teacher was attacked and died during an air evacuation, leaving the team grieving. It also underscored why their Gospel work must continue. “Without the work of Jesus in His Spirit, in people’s lives, this is the sort of violence that can take place,” explains Holsten. There were many hopeful moments too — like in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where pastors finally received paper Bibles. “Our airplane was able to bring in more Bibles that they could share between their different congregations and some clothing,” explains Holsten. And that’s just one of examples of how God is using MAF flights to strengthen the Church. Pray God will continue to provide people for the ministry, along with resources and permissions. To learn more and be inspired by their work, visit the Mission Aviation Fellowship website. https://www.mnnonline.org/news/help-hope-and-healing-by-air-maf-celebrates-80-years-and-plans-ahead/ IndiGo welcomes first Airbus A321XLR aircraft Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo becomes India’s first operator of the Airbus A321XLR after taking delivery of the first aircraft of this type on January 7, 2026. The aircraft is the first of 69 aircraft of this type ordered by IndiGo from Airbus. These A321XLRs are part of the airline’s successive mega-orders, which have brought its order book with the European aircraft manufacturer close to the 1,000-aircraft mark. IndiGo has bet on the A321XLR as an important asset to implement its ambitious international expansion strategy. This narrowbody aircraft will enable the Indian carrier to open new markets throughout the Indian Ocean rim, East and Central Asia, Africa. The A321XLR is also expected to play a major role in boosting air links between Europe and India, since its range allows it to reach large swathes of the continent from IndiGo’s hubs in Delhi and Mumbai. The A321XLR will compiement IndiGo’s future A350-900 fleet by operating thinner long-haul routes and making it possible to add more frequencies to certain international destinations. In fact, Athens (ATH), Greece, will be the first international destination served by IndiGo’s A321XLR. Starting on January 23, 2026, IndiGo will deploy the aircraft on nonstop flights between the Greek capital and both Delhi (DEL) and Mumbai (BOM), establishing what in IndiGo’s CEO Pieter Elbers words, a direct link between two of the world’s oldest civilizations. IndiGo’s A321XLR will be fitted with 195 seats, including 12 “Stretch” ones (IndiGo’s business class). https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/indigo-welcomes-first-airbus-a321xlr-aircraft Apollo MedFlight achieves Wyvern Level 3 SMS Apollo MedFlight has achieved Wyvern’s Level 3 Safety Management System (SMS), placing the firm among a select group of air medical operators with predictive safety systems. The designation recognises Apollo’s fully integrated safety culture designed to anticipate and mitigate risk before it impacts flight operations. “Every second counts when lives are on the line; our clients need absolute confidence in their air medical partner,” said Miles Dunagan, vice president of Safety at Apollo MedFlight. “Achieving a Level 3 Safety Management System, earned in collaboration with Wyvern’s Flight Leader Program, provides our clients with that assurance. It means we don’t just react to safety concerns; we predict, prevent and continuously improve every aspect of our operations, ensuring that everyone goes home every time.” Level 3 SMS represents one of the highest tiers of operational safety maturity, transitioning from a reactive to a proactive approach. Apollo’s advanced hazard identification systems catch potential issues before they impact flight operations. The operator’s integrated safety analytics across all operational areas enable the identification of trends, optimisation of protocols, maintenance and dispatch reliability. Unlike static compliance programmes, Level 3 SMS requires ongoing evaluation and enhancement of safety processes. https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/apollo-medflight-achieves-wyvern-level-3-sms/ Embraer delivers 155 business jets in 2025 Embraer Executive Aviation closed 2025 with a strong performance, delivering 155 business jets throughout the year. This represents a 19% increase compared to the 130 jets delivered in 2024 and falls on the upper end of company’s full-year guidance of 145-155 deliveries. In the fourth quarter, Embraer delivered 53 executive jets, a 20% year-over-year increase from the 44 jets delivered in the same period of 2024. Light Jets Embraer delivered 28 light jets in the fourth quarter, five more on sequential basis compared to the third quarter of 2025 and six more than the fourth quarter of 2024. This brought the full-year light jet deliveries to 86, up from 75 in 2024. These included 14 Phenom 100s (compared to 10 in 2024) and 72 Phenom 300s (compared to 65 in 2024). Midsize Jets Embraer delivered 25 medium jets in the fourth quarter, an increase of seven jets compared to the third quarter of 2025 and three more than the last quarter of 2024. Full-year medium jet deliveries reached 69, a significant increase from the 55 delivered in 2024. This growth is attributed to strong demand for both the Praetor 500 and Praetor 600 models, with 39 Praetor 500s (compared to 28 in 2024) and 30 Praetor 600s (compared to 27 in 2024) delivered throughout the year. To note, Brazilian aerospace manufacturer is undergoing a ‘highly positive phase’ as it posted all-time high third quarter revenue of $580m for its executive aviation segment but the profitability was dented by biting US tariffs. The company will release fourth quarter results in the coming weeks. 2025 – Embraer Deliveries 14 Phenom 100s 72 Phenom 300s 39 Praetor 500s 30 Praetor 600s https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/embraer-business/ Alaska Airlines bets on Boeing with its biggest aircraft deal for global expansion SEATTLE/WASHINGTON/CHICAGO, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Alaska Airlines said on Wednesday it will purchase 110 new Boeing aircraft, the largest single order in the carrier’s history, as part of an aggressive expansion and fleet modernization plan. The Seattle-based carrier has international ambitions with planned launches to Rome and London. The order signals its confidence in Boeing's corrective measures, quality enhancements, and future aircraft performance — two years after a door plug missing key bolts blew off one of its new jets at 16,000 feet. That incident sent shockwaves through the aviation industry, disrupting suppliers, carriers, and passengers. Alaska was forced to ground its fleet of MAX 9 aircraft in the aftermath. "This is about a doubling down of their commitment to the Boeing Company," Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said at an event marking the deal. "We don't take that lightly. We know that you really need us. You're doubling down, putting your eggs in our basket, and we need to perform." The aircraft order includes 105 737 MAX 10 jets and five 787-10 Dreamliners, along with options for 35 additional MAX 10s. Alaska said the order will help grow its fleet from about 413 aircraft today to more than 475 by 2030 and ⁠over 550 by 2035, including 17 long-haul 787s. Shares of both companies initially rose after the news, but Alaska's shares closed down 2% while Boeing's closed 0.75% lower. "We are creating the fourth global airline in our country to compete against the 'Big Three,'" Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci said at an event Wednesday. "We're going to compete against the Big Three and win. And that's what this is all about." Alaska has taken steps to improve safety and quality oversight, deploying its own inspectors to Boeing's production lines and instituting quarterly audits. Minicucci told CNBC on Wednesday the carrier has observed steady progress at Boeing and is confident the U.S. planemaker is delivering top-quality aircraft. The wide-body 787 Dreamliners will drive Alaska’s push into long-haul international markets, including Europe and Asia, while the larger narrow-body 737 MAX 10s will bolster domestic operations and replace older aircraft, Minicucci said in an interview after the event. Minicucci said the fleet deal secures a streamlined delivery schedule for the next decade and supports Alaska’s ambition to become the nation’s fourth global carrier. Alaska is integrating its operations with Hawaiian Airlines, which it bought for $1.9 billion in 2024, while maintaining separate branding. The company already operates the two airlines with a single operating certificate, Minicucci said. The company expects to unify the passenger service systems for the two airlines by late April, Chief Financial Officer Shane Tackett said in an interview. The company wants to secure joint union contracts with each of the major groups of workers, including pilots, cabin crew and maintenance workers, he said. "They'll all be able to work in any part of the system that they might want to," giving ⁠the company more flexibility for staffing as it expands. "So, when we want to grow, we can grow faster," Tackett said, adding he hoped those agreements can be reached this year. The new Boeing order provides the capacity, range and unit cost economics to integrate networks, add domestic frequencies and launch new long haul services. Alaska is exercising 52 existing options for MAX 10 airplanes and placing orders for 53 new planes. Minicucci voiced confidence that the MAX 10 will achieve certification. If certification is again delayed six months or longer, "we would sit down ⁠with Boeing and likely end up switching a few of the 10s to a (MAX) 9 or 8 variant," Tackett said. Alaska said the five additional 787s will enable it to fly to at least 12 long haul international destinations from Seattle by 2030. Boeing is working to stabilize its 737 MAX program after years of certification delays ⁠and heightened oversight. In October 2025, the FAA cleared Boeing to raise 737 MAX output to 42 jets per month, easing a 38 per month cap imposed after the door-plug incident. The planemaker is still seeking FAA approval for the MAX 7 and MAX 10, with certification schedules pushed into 2026 amid an unresolved engine anti ice design issue. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/alaska-airlines-orders-110-boeing-140918064.html CALENDAR OF EVENTS . Singapore Airshow 2026 - FEBRUARY 3-6, 2026. . VERTICON 2026 - Atlanta March 9-12 . 60th Annual SMU Air Law Symposium - March 31 - April 1, 2026 (Irving, TX) . 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 . IATA World Maintenance & Engineering Symposium (23-25 June, Madrid, Spain) . ISASI - 2026 (September/October 2026) - Dubai, UAE . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV Curt Lewis