Flight Safety Information - February 24, 2026 No. 039 In This Issue : Incident: REX SF34 near Parkes on Feb 22nd 2026, electrical problems and engine shut down in flight : Incident: LATAM Chile A320 at Bogota on Feb 20th 2026, rejected takeoff due to runway incursion : Incident: Delta B739 at Savannah on Feb 22nd 2026, engine failure, sparks grass fire : Incident: Plus Ultra A332 at Cartagena on Feb 21st 2026, rejected takeoff : Incident: Iberojet A359 at San Jose on Feb 21st 2026, temporary runway excursion : Jet blast of MD-80 blows tourists on beach away as plane takes off at one of world's most challenging airports : Supreme Court won’t hear Boeing’s bid to end pilot union’s 737 Max suit : Cellphone battery pack sparks fire during flight, forcing pilot to make emergency landing : Two air traffic controllers suspended for violation of air safety bubble between int’l flights over Guyana : SFO secures 4-year prison sentence for aircraft parts fraud : Calendar of Events Incident: REX SF34 near Parkes on Feb 22nd 2026, electrical problems and engine shut down in flight A REX Regional Express Saab 340B, registration VH-RXE performing flight ZL-6469 from Griffith,NS to Sydney,NS (Australia), was enroute at FL130 about 70nm south of Parkes,NS (Australia) when the crew observed an electrical fault at the right hand side of the aircraft. The crew observed abnormal indications from the right hand engine (CT7) and shut the engine down. The aircraft diverted to Parkes, entered a number of holds and subsequently landed safely on runway 04 about 75 minutes later. Australia's ATSB reported a decision of whether to investigate this occurrence has not yet been made, they are awaiting further information from the operator. The aircraft returned to service about 36 hours after landing. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=53582d0b&opt=0 Incident: LATAM Chile A320 at Bogota on Feb 20th 2026, rejected takeoff due to runway incursion A LATAM Chile Airbus A320-200, registration CC-COF performing flight LA-4278 from Bogota to San Andres Island (Colombia) with 157 people on board, was accelerating for takeoff from Bogota's runway 14R when the crew rejected takeoff at very high speed (about 160 knots over ground) due to a military helicopter crossing the runway at low height. The aircraft slowed safely and vacated the runway onto the parallel taxiway, where the tyres deflated due to the hot brakes. There were no injuries. Aerocivil Colombia reported the military helicopter was just departing when it crossed about midway of the runway 14R prompting the crew of the A320 to reject takeoff. The occurrence is being investigated. According to tower tapes it appears both aircraft had been cleared for takeoff. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=53578911&opt=0 Incident: Delta B739 at Savannah on Feb 22nd 2026, engine failure, sparks grass fire A Delta Airlines Boeing 737-900, registration N942DZ performing flight DL-1067 from Savannah,GA to Atlanta,GA (USA) with 179 passengers and 6 crew, was in the initial climb out of Savannah's runway 28 when tower queried the crew whether everything was okay, he had seen flames, the crew declared emergency reporting they had lost their left hand engine (CFM56). The aircraft climbed to 3000 feet and positioned for a return to runway 28. The engine failure sparked a grass fire alongside the left of the runway, tower dispatched emergency services to the grass fire and instructed the next approach to go around. Emergency services put the grass fire out within about 15 minutes. DL-1067 landed safely on runway 28 about 25 minutes after departure and stopped on the runway, the APU was running, both engines were shut down. The crew reported that at this time there were no abnormal indications, no fire no smoke in cabin or cockpit and requested emergency services to inspect the engine, the left engine never had a fire indication. The crew inquired also about the tyre status, emergency services reported the main tyres appeared intact. The FAA reported: "Delta Air Lines Flight 1067 safely returned to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport around 7:15 p.m. local time on Sunday, Feb. 22, after an engine failed on departure. The Boeing 737 was headed to Atlanta. The FAA will investigate." A replacement Boeing 737-900, registration N963DZ reached Atlanta with a delay of about 9 hours. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=535773a5&opt=0 Incident: Plus Ultra A332 at Cartagena on Feb 21st 2026, rejected takeoff A Plus Ultra Airbus A330-200, registration EC-OAP performing flight PU-221 from Cartagena (Colombia) to Madrid,SP (Spain), was accelerating for takeoff from Cartagena's runway 01 when the crew rejected takeoff (about 92 knots over ground). The aircraft slowed safely and returned to the apron. The aircraft is still on the ground in Cartagena about 35 hours after the rejected takeoff. According to information The Aviation Herald received an engine (CF6) failed during the takeoff run resulting in a rejected takeoff at high speed. The engine needs to be replaced. According to local media reports passengers were initially told to travel the following Sunday (Feb 22nd) but were still trying to find out how to get to Madrid and were told they would be taken to Madrid on Monday Feb 23rd. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=53576622&opt=0 Incident: Iberojet A359 at San Jose on Feb 21st 2026, temporary runway excursion An Iberojet Airbus A350-900, registration EC-NBO performing flight E9-857 from Madrid,SP (Spain) to San Jose (Costa Rica), landed on San Jose's runway 07 however, veered to the right and contacted runway edge lights before steering back onto the runway centerline. The aircraft taxied to the apron. The airport reported there was an incident involving an Iberojet aircraft arriving from Madrid that affected the runway lighting system, the aircraft went to the apron without difficulties. The aircraft departed for the return flight with a delay of about 3.5 hours. https://www.avherald.com/h?article=53572ac4&opt=0 Jet blast of MD-80 blows tourists on beach away as plane takes off at one of world's most challenging airports Tourists gather at Maho Beach to watch planes take off just a few steps away. It’s one of the most famous plane-spotting locations in the world. But when the engines power up, the blast is far stronger than most people expect. That’s what happened when a McDonnell Douglas MD-80 lined up for departure and sent sand, towels, and tourists flying. An MD-80 jet blast sends tourists flying at Maho Beach When the pilot increased the power, the engines blasted hot air straight toward the beach. Within seconds, sand was flying everywhere. Towels and loose items tumbled across the shore. Some people bent their knees and leaned forward to stay upright. Others lost their balance and stumbled backward as the force hit them. It’s not just any old gust of wind, either. Each engine on an MD-80 produces roughly 18,500 to 21,000lb of thrust at takeoff. With two engines mounted at the rear of the aircraft, that’s a huge amount of force pushing air directly behind the plane. When that power is unleashed, it creates a high-speed stream of exhaust strong enough to lift sand and shove against your legs with surprising strength. Plenty of viewers found the clip hilarious. However, others pointed out that there are clear warning signs telling people not to stand there. Aviation safety teams usually keep a strict distance from jet blast areas because the exhaust can cause injuries. At Maho Beach, though, the risk is part of the attraction. Sint Maarten’s runway keeps going viral The island of Sint Maarten has a relatively short runway for commercial jets. Because of that, pilots often need strong engine power during takeoff. That means louder noise, stronger thrust, and bigger blasts of air. Combined with the beach setting, it creates dramatic scenes that spread quickly online. From large wide-body jets to smaller regional planes, the formula is the same: engines up, sand everywhere, tourists holding on. It might look extreme, but it’s also a reminder of how powerful aircraft really are. At Maho Beach, the warning sign is clear. Still, as long as planes take off just steps from the shoreline, people will keep lining up to feel the blast. https://supercarblondie.com/md-80-jet-blast-knocks-sint-maarten-maho-beach-tourists-off-feet/ Supreme Court won’t hear Boeing’s bid to end pilot union’s 737 Max suit The Supreme Court on Monday turned away Boeing’s attempt to stave off a lawsuit over its 737 Max aircraft brought by the Southwest Airlines pilot union. In a brief order without any noted dissents, the justices left in place a Texas state court ruling that allows the case to move forward toward trial. Boeing had argued the lawsuit is preempted by federal law. Boeing came under intense scrutiny after two 737 Max aircraft crashed in 2018 and 2019, tragedies later blamed on a software issue. The incidents killed a total of 346 people and left the aircraft grounded for months. The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association’s lawsuit claims Boeing made misrepresentations and fraudulently induced pilots to fly the aircraft without proper training. The suit seeks damages for lost compensation. Boeing’s appeal pointed to the Railway Labor Act (RLA), a 1926 federal law governing labor relations in the rail and airline industries. The company says it preempts the pilot union’s case because its state claims requires interpreting the pilots’ collective bargaining agreement with Southwest. Texas’s top court rejected its preemption claims back in June, concluding the RLA only concerns airlines and their employees. Boeing is not an airline, and the union is not an employee, so the lower courts allowed the suit to proceed. “That blinkered approach entrenches a split of authority that undermines one of the most significant statutes in all of labor law and that all but sets out a welcome mat for forum shoppers,” Boeing wrote in its Supreme Court petition. The pilots union, also known as SWAPA, urged the Supreme Court to turn away the appeal. It stressed the lower ruling was correct but also argued it is a “factually atypical” case that didn’t warrant the justices’ attention. “Whatever preemption question this case may raise—which SWAPA contends is none—it is of no serious interest outside of this proceeding,” it wrote in court filings. “Boeing’s claims about alleged ‘havoc’ flowing from this litigation are not-well-founded.” Supreme Court won’t hear Boeing’s bid to end pilot union’s 737 Max suit The Supreme Court on Monday turned away Boeing’s attempt to stave off a lawsuit over its 737 Max aircraft brought by the Southwest Airlines pilot union. In a brief order without any noted dissents, the justices left in place a Texas state court ruling that allows the case to move forward toward trial. Boeing had argued the lawsuit is preempted by federal law. Boeing came under intense scrutiny after two 737 Max aircraft crashed in 2018 and 2019, tragedies later blamed on a software issue. The incidents killed a total of 346 people and left the aircraft grounded for months. The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association’s lawsuit claims Boeing made misrepresentations and fraudulently induced pilots to fly the aircraft without proper training. The suit seeks damages for lost compensation. Boeing’s appeal pointed to the Railway Labor Act (RLA), a 1926 federal law governing labor relations in the rail and airline industries. The company says it preempts the pilot union’s case because its state claims requires interpreting the pilots’ collective bargaining agreement with Southwest. Texas’s top court rejected its preemption claims back in June, concluding the RLA only concerns airlines and their employees. Boeing is not an airline, and the union is not an employee, so the lower courts allowed the suit to proceed. “That blinkered approach entrenches a split of authority that undermines one of the most significant statutes in all of labor law and that all but sets out a welcome mat for forum shoppers,” Boeing wrote in its Supreme Court petition. The pilots union, also known as SWAPA, urged the Supreme Court to turn away the appeal. It stressed the lower ruling was correct but also argued it is a “factually atypical” case that didn’t warrant the justices’ attention. “Whatever preemption question this case may raise—which SWAPA contends is none—it is of no serious interest outside of this proceeding,” it wrote in court filings. “Boeing’s claims about alleged ‘havoc’ flowing from this litigation are not-well-founded.” https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5750647-supreme-court-rejects-boeing-appeal/ Cellphone battery pack sparks fire during flight, forcing pilot to make emergency landing A cabin fire sparked by a cellphone battery pack forced an Alaska Airlines flight to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff. (KAKE, WILLIAM HAZLEWOOD, WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) – There was panic in the sky just minutes after a plane took off from Wichita, Kansas, on Sunday. An Alaska Airlines flight bound for Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing after a fire broke out inside the cabin. One person was taken to the hospital and dozens of travelers were delayed for hours. Seventy-six passengers on Alaska Airlines flight 2117 left Wichita’s Dwight D. Eisenhower Airport and returned less than a half-hour later after a fire started on board. It was caused by something people use every day without a second thought. “She had an external battery charger pack,” passenger Leana Stickler described. “I was right next to her and it was just sitting in her lap, not being played with, not being touched, and it exploded.” Stickler said the flame was about 1 foot tall, and it burned a woman’s arms and legs before she tossed it into the aisle. “Somebody threw a towel on it and I hit it with my shoe,” Stickler added. Some of the scary moments were caught on video by passenger Melissa Harris Herrero. Tracy Soom said the flight had been in the air only 15 minutes when the fire started. “Oh, terror. I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re going to crash,’” Soom said. “The flight attendants came running back with a fire extinguisher and put it out.” The National Fire Prevention Agency reports the smoke from lithium-ion batteries is highly toxic. Some passengers said it was difficult to breathe because the smoke was so thick. Others reported nausea and headaches after inhaling it. “I know my mom I’m traveling with, she has a headache and she’s nauseous, but we’re OK,” Stickler said. Soom said the plane’s oxygen only came down after the fire was out, but it did help. Alaska Airlines said the woman who owned the power bank received medical attention after the plane landed. The airport said three individuals were evaluated and one was taken to a local hospital. The airport’s statement said in part, “While external batteries are allowed in the airplane cabin, they can experience ‘thermal runaway,’ a dangerous chain reaction that can lead to fires.” “It’s scary. It’s like one of those things that you always hear about, but never expect it to actually happen,” Stickler said. Alaska Airlines said it is working with each of the passengers to get their flights rescheduled. https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/02/23/cellphone-battery-pack-sparks-fire-during-flight-forcing-pilot-make-emergency-landing/ Two air traffic controllers suspended for violation of air safety bubble between int’l flights over Guyana Last Updated on Monday, 23 February 2026, 23:53 by WriterGuyana Travel Guide United Airlines flight (UAL860) in Guyana’s airspace on February 16, 2026 (screen grab from FlightAware) Two international flights had a loss of separation – a violation of minimum safety buffer distance – over Guyana’s air space earlier this month, prompting the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to suspend two air traffic controllers from active duty, aviation minister Deodat Indar said on Sunday. “They are supposed to have 10 miles between aircraft and something happened and that separation was breached and it became five miles between the aircraft, so we have suspended the two air traffic controllers and we have launched an investigation into why that has occurred over Guyanese airspace,” he told Demerara Waves Online News. There was no collision or emergency landing by either aircraft. The average speed of the aircraft is about 8 to 9 miles per minute, according to research. The height and distance were logged at around 1 a.m. on February 16 between a United Airlines flight (UAL860) that passed through Guyana’s airspace from São Paulo, Brazil to Washington DC, United States at about 34,000 feet and a Turpial Airlines flight (VTU9905) from Guyana to Venezuela climbing to 36,000 feet, according to two open source aircraft tracking services. Mr Indar said the GCAA and the government had been “getting a lot of kudos” for aviation management in Guyana and so he was wary about the impact of publicising this month’s occurrence. https://demerarawaves.com/2026/02/23/international-flights-in-loss-of-safety-buffer-distance-over-guyanas-air-space/ SFO secures 4-year prison sentence for aircraft parts fraud Director jailed for scheme that deceived aviation industry. Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala, director of UK-based aircraft parts trader AOG Technics, has today been sentenced to 4 years 8 months in prison for orchestrating a global aircraft engine parts fraud that risked public safety and caused widespread disruption to the aviation industry. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) told Southwark Crown Court that its investigation had uncovered how Zamora, aged 38, sold parts to airlines and suppliers across the globe as part of a £39.3 million fraud conducted from his home office in Surrey. Investigators uncovered that from January 2019 to July 2023, AOG Technics sold over 60,000 aircraft engine parts worth £6.9 million accompanied by forged Authorised Release Certificates (ARCs) – documentation that guarantees airworthiness. Most of the parts AOG sold were for use in the CFM56 engine, the world’s most widely used commercial aircraft engine, leading to AOG generating over £7.7 million in revenue – 90% from fraud – in just four years. The SFO exposed how Zamora used his home computer to doctor genuine ARCs, creating false memos of shipments to indicate AOG had purchased parts directly from original equipment manufacturers such as the aircraft equipment manufacturer Safran. Zamora also invented fake employees, with customers receiving emails and documents signed by a range of fabricated sales managers and quality managers, as part of creating an illusion of a legitimate business. AOG Technics’ operation was brought to a halt in 2023, after an airline contacted Safran to check the authenticity of an AOG part. Safran identified the certificate as a fake and alerted authorities, leading to the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency issuing safety alerts in relation to all AOG Technics parts. Planes in the UK and across the world were grounded, with an estimated loss of over £39.3 million for airlines including American Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines as well as various manufacturers. The SFO’s investigation led Zamora to plead guilty in December 2025 to fraudulent trading – meaning the case was concluded just over two years after it was announced. Director of Operations Emma Luxton said: Zamora’s operation risked public safety on a global scale in a way that defies belief. I’m proud that we have used our specialist skills and expertise to bring him to justice and this criminal operation to the ground as swiftly as possible. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sfo-secures-4-year-prison-sentence-for-aircraft-parts-fraud CALENDAR OF EVENTS . VERTICON 2026 - Atlanta March 9-12 . CANSO Global Safety Conference 2026 - 29 March – 1 April 2026 (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) . 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 . World Aviation Training Summit - 5-7 May 2026 - Orlando . 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