Flight Safety Information - January 15, 2026 No. 011 In This Issue : Incident: Commute ERJ145 at Washington on Jan 12th 2026, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Wizz Malta A320 at Sibiu on Jan 13th 2026, runway excursion on turning around : NTSB investigators pinpoint failed aircraft part from UPS crash last year : A part that broke on a UPS plane that crashed in Kentucky failed 4 times on other planes years ago : Boeing Settles Another 737 Max Crash Lawsuit : Air Canada flight diverted to Auckland after pilots detect ‘unusual odour’ : FAA Grounds 800 Aircraft Due To Invalid Registrations : Boeing delivered 600 commercial aircraft in 2025 : Calendar of Events Incident: Commute ERJ145 at Washington on Jan 12th 2026, engine shut down in flight A Commute Air Embraer ERJ-145 on behalf of United, registration N13124 performing flight UA-4295 from Washington Dulles,DC to Mobile,AL (USA) with 43 passengers and 3 crew, was climbing out of Washington's runway 19L when the crew declared Mayday Mayday reporting engine #1 (left hand, AE3007) was out. The aircraft stopped the climb at 11000 feet and returned to Washington for a safe landing on Dulles' runway 12 about 25 minutes after departure. A replacement Embraer ERJ-145 registration N16170 reached Mobile with a delay of about 3 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Washington about 42 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=532f582e&opt=0 Incident: Wizz Malta A320 at Sibiu on Jan 13th 2026, runway excursion on turning around A Wizz Air Malta Airbus A320-200, registration 9H-WZR performing flight W4-3830 from Milan Bergamo (Italy) to Sibiu (Romania), had safely landed on runway 27 and rolled out. While attempting to turn around to backtrack the runway to the apron, well short of the turnpad at the end of the runway, the aircraft went beyond the southern edge of the runway and became disabled. Ground crews intervened, the aircraft was subsequently able to taxi to the apron about 40 minutes after coming to a stop. The airport reported the aircraft suffered an operational event in heavy snowfall. Ground crew assisted to clear the aircraft from the runway and guided it along the taxiways. The aircraft was able to resume service about 2.5 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=532f53d9&opt=0 NTSB investigators pinpoint failed aircraft part from UPS crash last year Investigators have pinpointed the exact part that failed in the fiery Louisville crash of a UPS cargo flight in November, killing 15 in all. The rare investigative update issued Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board says a 3-inch-wide metal housing around a bearing — central to the mount that kept the left engine attached to the MD-11F’s wing — showed signs of existing metal fatigue and cracking. Investigators identified the larger assembly as a problem early in the investigation. Three pilots on board UPS flight 2976 and 12 people on the ground were killed when the jet sliced a half-mile long debris field across a petroleum recycling facility and UPS warehouse, setting off a massive blaze of fire and black smoke visible for miles on November 4. As part of the update, investigators released previously unseen images of the so-called bearing race that was split into two halves, causing the left engine to go up and over the wing of the three-engine jet in a dramatic fireball. The NTSB underscored in its new update that the bearing housing was the subject of a 2011 Boeing letter to airlines—known as a service letter—alerting them to four failures of engine bearing races on three different MD-11s. But the NTSB notes the alert to operators, “Boeing determined it would not result in a safety of flight condition,” and called for visual checks of the part at normal five-year intervals. CNN has reached out to Boeing, which took over support for the McDonnell Douglas-made MD-11F after Boeing acquired the company in 1997. In November,the NTSB released a preliminary report into the incident which unveiled that a critical mount that kept the left engine attached to the UPS flight failed only moments after the flight left the ground. Data showed the plane failed to climb higher than 30 feet above Runway 17 Right at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The preliminary report also highlighted fatigue cracks found in the hardware attaching the engine to the wing and symptoms of over-stressing, but more is still to come as the agency conducts its full investigation. Investigators also reviewed the flight data recorder information which will be incorporated into a performance study to understand why the plane’s altitude did not increase. A final report from the NTSB is expected in 18 to 24 months from the incident detailing the probable causes of the crash. The agency does not place blame but gives further recommendations to improve safety. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/ntsb-investigators-pinpoint-failed-aircraft-205359135.html A part that broke on a UPS plane that crashed in Kentucky failed 4 times on other planes years ago Boeing warned plane owners in 2011 about a broken part that contributed to a UPS plane crash that killed 15 last year but at that point the plane manufacturer didn't believe it threatened safety, the National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday. The UPS plane crashed in November 2025 shortly after taking off in Louisville, Kentucky, when the left engine flew off the wing as the plane rolled down the runway. Three pilots on the plane that was headed for Hawaii were killed along with 12 more people on the ground near Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport. The NTSB said Wednesday that Boeing had documented in 2011 there were four previous failures of a part that helps secure the MD-11's engines to the wings on three different planes, but at that point the plane manufacturer “determined it would not result in a safety of flight condition.” These planes were actually built by McDonnell Douglas, which was later bought by Boeing. The NTSB previously said investigators found cracks in some of the parts that held the engine to the wing. Those cracks hadn’t been caught in regular maintenance done on the plane, which raised questions about the adequacy of the maintenance schedule. The last time those key engine mount parts were examined closely was in October 2021, and the plane wasn’t due for another detailed inspection for roughly 7,000 more takeoffs and landings. 2015 crash brings up issues from 1979 crash It’s not clear when the cracks started to develop in the parts that helped hold the engine on the wing, but this crash is reminiscent of a 1979 crash in Chicago when the left engine flew off an American Airlines DC-10 during takeoff, killing 273 people. The DC-10 was the predecessor of the MD-11. That previous crash led to the worldwide grounding of 274 DC-10s. The airline workhorse was allowed to return to the skies because the NTSB determined that maintenance workers damaged the plane that crashed while improperly using a forklift to reattach the engine. That meant the crash wasn’t caused by a fatal design flaw even though there had already been a number of accidents involving DC-10s. But former FAA and NTSB crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti said that a service bulletin McDonnell Douglas issued in 1980 did identify failures of the spherical bearing race as a “safety of flight condition” so it's surprising that Boeing didn't call it that in 2011. He said that American had removed the engine of that plane so it could inspect that bearing. “I just think it raises questions regarding the adequacy of the severity of the 2011 service letter, and it also raises questions about how UPS incorporated that information and acted upon it,” Guzzetti said. Repairs weren't required by FAA The service bulletin that Boeing issued didn't require plane owners to make repairs like an FAA airworthiness directive would, and the agency didn't issue such a directive. Former federal crash investigator Alan Diehl said the notice from Boeing recommended replacing the bearings with a redesigned part that was less likely to fail, but it still allowed operators to replace defective bearings with another older bearing that had demonstrated it was prone to failing. “As the investigation continues, the NTSB will have to address whether this service bulletin was an adequate solution to a known problem which could have had catastrophic results,” Diehl said. “The UPS crash highlights the need for increased maintenance measures on older airframes.” NTSB didn't say whether there had been additional documented failures of the spherical bearing race since 2011. Investigators found that part broken into two pieces after the UPS crash, and the lugs that held that part were cracked. Photos released by the NTSB of the Nov. 4 crash show flames erupting as the rear of the engine starting to detach before it flew up and over the wing. Then the wing was engulfed by fire as the burning engine flew above it. Investigators search for reason why engine flew off The factual report released Wednesday doesn’t state what caused the engine to fly off, but it's clear that investigators are focused on the failure of this bearing. The ultimate conclusion won't come though until the NTSB's final report, which usually doesn't come until more than a year after a crash. But the report will undoubtedly be cited in the first lawsuit over the crash, filed last month, and subsequent ones. They will be investigating what Boeing knew at the time and what UPS did in response to this 2011 bulletin. “I think that this even further demonstrates that there was warning signs that predated the crash that any reasonable organization should have utilized to make sure that the Louisville crash didn’t happen,” said attorney Brad Cosgrove of the Clifford Law firm, which filed the first lawsuit. The report does make clear that neither of the plane's two other engines were on fire before the crash. Some experts had previously speculated that debris from the left engine might have damaged the engine on the tail. Boeing, UPS and the Federal Aviation Administration are limited on what they can say while the NTSB investigation is ongoing, so they all declined to comment on Wednesday's report. Boeing and UPS both expressed condolences to the families that lost loved ones in the crash. “We remain profoundly saddened by the Flight 2976 accident,” UPS spokesperson Jim Mayer said. “Our thoughts continue to be with the families and Louisville community who are grieving, and we remain focused on the recovery effort,” Mayer said. Plane involved in the crash was an older model The 34-year-old MD-11 plane only got 30 feet (9.1 meters) off the ground before crashing into several industrial buildings just past the runway and generating a massive fireball that could be seen for miles. Dramatic videos of the crash showed the plane on fire as it plowed into buildings and released a massive plume of smoke. Airlines quit flying this type of plane commercially years ago because it isn't as efficient as newer models, but they had continued to fly for cargo carriers like UPS and FedEx and a few of these planes were also modified for use in firefighting. All the MD-11s that had been in use and 10 related DC-10s have been grounded since the crash. Cosgrove said he thinks it will eventually become clear that these MD-11s “probably should have been retired and that they had exceeded their shelf life.” https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/part-broke-ups-plane-crashed-202726984.html Boeing Settles Another 737 Max Crash Lawsuit Boeing on Tuesday agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by a Canadian man whose parents and sister were killed in a 737 Max crash in Ethiopia in 2019. Attorneys for the plaintiff announced the settlement Wednesday, after jury selection had taken place and just before opening statements were set to begin. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, flown with a 737 Max 8, crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (HAAB), killing all 157 people on board. It was one of two fatal 737 Max crashes that forced a global grounding of the type and an FAA investigation. Plaintiff Manant Vaidya of Toronto lost his parents, Pannagesh and Hansini Vaidya, and sister Kosha Vaidya in the accident. Also killed were Kosha's husband, Preritkumar Dixit, and their two children, Ashka and Anushka Dixit. The Vaidya family lived in Canada at the time of the crash and was traveling during the girls' spring break. "Boeing accepted full responsibility for the senseless and preventable loss of these innocent lives, and this corporate giant has now been held accountable to this family, especially to this good man who lost his dear mom, dad, and sister," Robert Clifford, founder and senior partner of Clifford Law Offices, said in a statement. Investigators ultimately linked the 737 Max crashes to the aircraft's Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), which forced both flights into a nose-down position based on faulty data. Boeing acknowledged the system's role in the crashes and last year entered a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. government that will require it to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties. In November, the company reached a $35.8 million settlement with the family of an Indian woman who was killed in the crash in Ethiopia. Boeing has settled other cases tied to the crashes out of court. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/boeing-settles-another-737-max-193000547.html Air Canada flight diverted to Auckland after pilots detect ‘unusual odour’ The flight returned to Auckland airport out of an abundance of caution One of Air Canada’s longest flights landed a lot earlier than expected after the plane was diverted due to a strange smell being detected on board. Flight AC40 was due to take off from Auckland, New Zealand at 2pm local time on Tuesday, 13 January for a 12 and a half hour flight to Vancouver, Canada, one of Air Canada’s longest routes. After an hour delay, the Boeing 787 took off from Auckland, but only made it as far as the Coromandel Peninsula before making a large U-turn. The flight continued to circle the air, up to Great Barrier Island and down to the Waitākere Ranges mountains before landing back at Auckland Airport just after 4pm after only being in the air for an hour. Just seven minutes into the flight, the pilots reported an “unusual odour” in the cockpit and declared an emergency. After circling the Hauraki Gulf, the plane landed safely back at Auckland airport. Circling in the sky, or being held in a holding pattern, is standard procedure when long-haul flights have to make an unexpected landing. The practice burns off fuel, reducing the plane’s weight and thus making it safer to land. An Air Canada spokesperson told Simple Flying that the flight returned to Auckland out of an abundance of caution after the odour was detected by the pilots. "The aircraft landed normally and has been taken offline for an inspection by maintenance and technical professionals. We are making arrangements for passengers to be rebooked to their final destination,” the airline said on Tuesday. It is not uncommon for flights to make emergency landings due to strange smells. Last month, a transatlantic flight leaving London was cut short after a “burning smell” was noticed on board, causing an emergency landing in Edinburgh. United Airlines flight UA949 left Heathrow airport just after 2pm on Thursday, 4 December, for a 10-hour flight to San Francisco. After the Boeing 777 left London, it flew northward over the UK towards Iceland. Around an hour and a half into the flight, the plane made a U-turn back towards Scotland after issuing an emergency “squawk 7700” code. The United flight made an unexpected landing at Edinburgh airport at around 4.30pm after the crew detected the smell. https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/air-canada-flight-diverted-unusual-odour-auckland-b2900259.html FAA Grounds 800 Aircraft Due To Invalid Registrations Company did not meet U.S. citizen requirements to act as aircraft registry owner trustee About 800 aircraft—including 52 turboprops, business jets, and turbine helicopters—registered with the FAA under trustee Southern Aircraft Consultancy Inc. (SACI) are now grounded because they no longer have valid registrations, the U.S. agency said on Tuesday. According to the FAA, all of SACI’s aircraft registration certificates are invalid, effective immediately, because the company violated U.S. citizenship requirements when it submitted the registration applications. The FAA also instructed UK-based SACI to surrender all certificates within 21 days. “SACI registered aircraft for U.S. citizens and foreign nationals using trust agreements,” the FAA said. “To register an aircraft using a trust agreement, the company/trustee must either be a U.S. citizen or a resident alien.” However, SACI violated FAA regulations regarding U.S. citizenship requirements, the agency noted. “The invalid certificates of aircraft registration will result in the immediate grounding of all aircraft registered to SACI,” the FAA noted. “To operate legally, affected aircraft owners must reregister their aircraft either through another country’s aircraft registry or in the U.S. by submitting an aircraft registration application to the FAA, along with evidence of ownership, and paying the $5 registration fee. Aircraft owners will then have temporary authority to operate within the U.S. until the applicant receives a certificate of aircraft registration or until the FAA denies the application.” While this temporary authority does not cover flights outside the U.S., an applicant for registration who operates an aircraft outside the U.S. can submit a declaration of international operations at the time of application to receive expedited processing. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2026-01-13/faa-registries-800-aircraft-under-trustee-invalidated Boeing delivered 600 commercial aircraft in 2025 Boeing’s commercial aircraft deliveries ended 2025 on a high note, hiking up 72.4% year over year with 600 planes distributed, according to a Jan. 13 press release. Boeing’s fourth quarter deliveries also finished strong, jumping approximately 181% to 160 aircraft compared to the same period last year. The company delivered 117 of its 737 model aircraft, 10 of its 767s, six 777s and 27 of its 787 units in Q4. Additionally, Boeing concluded the year with 1,175 commercial gross orders, surging about 107% YoY. The company also outsold major competitor Airbus, which documented 1,000 orders last year. Dive Insight: Boeing’s order numbers mark the first time the company has beaten Airbus since 2018. At the time, Boeing recorded 1,085 plane orders and Airbus reported 747 orders. While Boeing’s orders outpaced Airbus’, the France-based company has them beat in deliveries. Airbus delivered 793 planes in 2025, falling 27 short of its goal to distribute 820 aircraft by year’s end. Boeing’s deliveries jumped about 181% YoY in Q4 2025 The number of commercial planes delivered across four aircraft models in Q4 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 and 2023. Boeing got the Federal Aviation Administration’s approval to increase its monthly 737 Max production rate from 38 to 42 in October 2025. The agency held a heavy hand over the company after a door plug blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight in January 2024. Additionally, the FAA allowed Boeing limited authorization to issue airworthiness certificates for some of its 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner plane models in September. Jesus Malave, Boeing CFO and EVP of finance, said at a UBS conference in December that the 42-a-month rate is “going according to plan.” He noted, however, that it takes a few months to adapt Boeing’s manufacturing system and move it into production, which he expects will begin in Q1. Boeing’s orders in 2025 surged 107% and deliveries rose about 72% YoY Commercial orders and deliveries data from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025, compared to 2024 and 2023’s data from the same period. “When I look at deliveries in terms of what we generally have guided to for 737, including — as well as 787, we expect to be pretty much where we were for the year,” Malave said. Boeing also expects deliveries to increase in 2026, particularly for its 737 and 787 models, as it would be a “large driver of positive cash flow” for the company, the CFO said. “The beauty of increasing our delivery rates is that the working capital cycle will move faster,” Malave said. “So your holding period, just your cycle time will be lower. You'll be moving inventory faster, which frees up cash.” Once the production system is stabilized at the monthly 42 rate for six months, the company will begin discussing how to increase the monthly quota. But Malave said it gets harder as rates increase. “Six months is probably the best performance we’re going to see, but our history tells us it takes a little bit longer than that,” Malave said. Boeing plans to release its 2025 Q4 and full-year earnings on Jan. 27, which will include the deliveries’ impact on the company’s finances. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-delivered-600-commercial-aircraft-104353837.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