Flight Safety Information  - March 3, 2026    No. 044
 

In This Issue

: Incident: United B789 at Los Angeles on Mar 2nd 2026, engine fire

: Incident: BAW A35K enroute on Feb 19th 2026, temporary engine failure

: Aircraft Cabin Air International Conference - 22-23 September 2026

: Incident: Spirit A21N at Fort Lauderdale or Chicago on Feb 28th 2026, tail scrape

: Incident: JAC AT42 near Kagoshima on Mar 2nd 2026, de-icing failure

: Incident: PSA CRJ9 near Pensacola on Mar 1st 2026, smoke in cockpit

: United Airlines Boeing plane forced into emergency landing at LAX by ‘engine fire’

: Airline pilots feared Iranian missile had been fired at them

: Why The Pentagon And NTSB Are At Odds Over New Safety Mandates In 'ALERT' Act

: Insurance gaps leave airlines exposed as Iran conflict widens

: World-first gigabit-per-second laser link between aircraft and geostationary satellite

: New technology can alert drivers and pilots to hazardous ice and freezing rain conditions

: Boeing Vietnam Jet Deals Signal Turnaround And Long Term Growth Story

: Calendar of Events



 


 


Incident: United B789 at Los Angeles on Mar 2nd 2026, engine fire

A United Boeing 787-9, registration N24972 performing flight UA-2127 from Los Angeles,CA to Newark,NJ (USA), was climbing out of Los Angeles' runway 25R when the crew stopped the climb at FL180 reporting a left hand engine (GEnx) fire. The aircraft turned around, the crew advised it appeared the engine fire was out. The aircraft landed safely back on runway 25L, vacated the runway and stopped clear of the runway. Initially the crew thought they would not need to evacuate, but the engine fire indication came back on prompting the crew to initiate an emergency evacuation. The crew advised that both fire bottles had been discharged. Smoke was visible around the aircraft during the evacuation.

https://avherald.com/h?article=535ed907&opt=0

 


 


 


Incident: BAW A35K enroute on Feb 19th 2026, temporary engine failure

A BAW British Airways Airbus A350-1000, registration G-XWBR performing flight BA-274 (dep Feb 18th) from Las Vegas,NV (USA) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was enroute at FL390 about 110nm southwest of Halifax,NS (Canada) when the right hand engine (Trent XWB) lost power, the crew declared PAN PAN and initiated a drift down to FL200. The crew observed the engine 2 master remained ON, no fault indication was shown on the ECAM, however, a restart attempt was unsuccessful. While troubleshooting the crew received an ECAM message ENG 2 HP FUEL VLV NOT OPEN and observed the engine fire switch was protuding. The crew consulted with company maintenance, reseated the switch and the engine was successfully restarted. The crew cancelled PAN PAN, climbed back to FL390 and continued to London for a safe landing about 5:15 hours later.

The aircraft remained on the ground in London until Feb 26th 2026 before returning to service.

https://avherald.com/h?article=535eb65a&opt=0

 


 


 


Incident: Spirit A21N at Fort Lauderdale or Chicago on Feb 28th 2026, tail scrape

A Spirit Airlines Airbus A321-200N, registration N737NK performing flight NK-1 from Fort Lauderdale,FL to Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA), departed Fort Lauderdale's runway 10R, On final approach to O'Hare's runway 10C the aircraft went around from very low height, positioned for another approach to runway 10C and landed about 3:15 hours after departure.

The FAA reported: "AIRCRAFT LANDED AND POST FILGHT INSPECTION REVEALED SCRAPES ON THE TAIL, CHICAGO, IL."

https://avherald.com/h?article=535ea204&opt=0

 






Incident: JAC AT42 near Kagoshima on Mar 2nd 2026, de-icing failure

A JAC Japan Air Commuter Avions de Transport Regional ATR-42-600 on behalf of JAL Japan Airlines, registration JA05JC performing flight JL-3785 from Kagoshima to Kikai (Japan) with 47 people on board, was enroute at FL180 about 110nm south of Kagoshima when the crew decided to return to Kagoshima after receiving indications that the de-icing systems of the aircraft malfunctioned. The aircraft landed safely back in Kagoshima about 65 minutes after departure.

The rotation was cancelled.

The aircraft is still on the ground in Kagoshima about 13 hours after landing.

https://avherald.com/h?article=535e9f1e&opt=0

 






Incident: PSA CRJ9 near Pensacola on Mar 1st 2026, smoke in cockpit

A PSA Airlines Canadair CRJ-900 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N569NN performing flight AA-5063 from Tallahassee,FL to Dallas Ft. Worth,TX (USA), was climbing through FL310 out of Tallahassee when the crew reported smoke in the cockpit and decided to divert to Pensacola,FL (USA). The crew advised they would evacuate the aircraft after landing. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on runway 17 about 15 minutes later and stopped on the runway. The aircraft was evacuated.

A replacement CRJ-900 registration N590NN positioned from Charlotte,NC (USA) to Pensacola, resumed the flight and reached Dallas with a delay of about 5 hours.

The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Pensacola about 24 hours after landing.

https://avherald.com/h?article=535e6b38&opt=0

 







United Airlines Boeing plane forced into emergency landing at LAX by ‘engine fire’

A United Airlines passenger plane made an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport due to a reported engine fire, resulting in the evacuation of about 180 passengers with some minor injuries.A United Airlines passenger plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport after reportedly suffering an engine fire Monday.

United Flight 2127 took off from LAX for Newark, New Jersey, on Monday morning carrying 256 passengers and 12 crew, but was forced to turn back within an hour with a smoking engine, the airline confirmed.

About 180 passengers were evacuated, some with minor injuries. Some other flights were temporarily grounded.

"United Airlines Flight 2127 returned safely to Los Angeles International Airport around 11:20 a.m. local time on Monday, March 2, due to a left engine issue. Passengers deplaned on a taxiway," said a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration.

"The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was heading to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The FAA will investigate."

It is the latest in a string of problems with Boeing planes over the last few years, ranging from a sudden mid-air hatch blowout to crashes that killed hundreds of people.

In June 2025 a Boeing Dreamliner operated by Air India crashed moments after takeoff, killing all but one of the 242 people aboard.

On Monday, the FAA issued an emergency order, grounding all flights to LAX from a wide range of airports including Denver, Salt Lake City, and Oakland, California, lasting from 11:15am until 12:30pm L.A. time.

"Users can expect arrival delays / airborne holding into the Los Angeles Airport of up to 30 minutes due to aircraft incident," one notice said.

A United spokesperson said: "United flight 2127 safely returned to Los Angeles to address an issue with one of the engines. Customers deplaned via slides and airstairs and were bused to the terminal.

"There are no reported injuries at this time. We’re working to get our customers to their final destinations."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/united-airlines-flight-forced-emergency-203658845.html

 






Airline pilots feared Iranian missile had been fired at them

An Iranian ballistic missile launched in response to the US and Israeli strikes has been caught on film in dramatic pictures taken from a commercial aircraft.

Pictures taken at dawn over the Middle East on Saturday morning, shared with The Telegraph, show an Iranian missile streaking skyward, a plume of vapour expanding beneath it.

Taken from a civilian aircraft at around 30,000ft and at a speed of around 550mph, the image shows distant vapour trails from either surveillance aircraft or multiple earlier rocket launches.

The Telegraph understands at least three missile launches were seen by the pilots, each about 20 minutes apart.

It is not known what the targets were and no interceptions by air defence assets were seen.

The aircraft’s pilot said it initially looked as though the missile was heading in his direction, although in the event the plane did not have to divert from its course.

Much of the airspace around the region remains closed or severely restricted.

UK ‘looking at all options’ to help stranded Britons
British nationals are being advised to follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor the Foreign Office’s travel advice, which officials expect to change rapidly.

Britons in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been urged to register their presence with the Foreign Office online.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer said the Government was “looking at all options to support our people”.

The Prime Minister said: “The situation on the ground may remain challenging for some time, so we’re sending rapid deployment teams to the region to support our British nationals on the ground.

“And we’re in close contact with the travel industry and governments in the region, including with our friends in the UAE, given the concentration of British nationals in that country, and we’re looking at all options to support our people.”

Meanwhile, some commercial flights have begun to fly out of the region.

Etihad Airways flight EY67, flying to London Heathrow and likely to be carrying stranded UK nationals, was set to arrive after 7pm on Monday.

In a post on X, the Government of Dubai Media Office said on Monday afternoon that airlines Emirates and Flydubai would begin operating a limited number of flights, with priority being given to customers with earlier bookings.

Some 15 Etihad Airways flights departed from Abu Dhabi in a three-hour window on Monday, which flight tracking company Flightradar24 said were “likely helping to clear transit passengers who have been stuck there since the start of the conflict”.

British Airways (BA) said it was “closely monitoring the situation” and had cancelled “a number of our flights to the Middle East”.

Virgin Atlantic axed two flights to Heathrow on Monday – one from each of Dubai, UAE, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – while others were re-routed.

EasyJet and BA have also cancelled some flights to Cyprus after a drone hit RAF Akrotiri, a British base on the island.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/airline-pilots-feared-iranian-missile-210647338.html

 






Why The Pentagon And NTSB Are At Odds Over New Safety Mandates In 'ALERT' Act

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has criticized the ALERT Act, a recent aviation safety bill introduced in the US House of Representatives, for not fully addressing key safety measures. The legislation comes in response to the January 29, 2025, midair collision in Washington DC, involving American Airlines Flight 5342 and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter. NTSB officials argue that the bill does not mandate essential collision-avoidance technology for all aircraft.

The ALERT Act was designed to enhance safety in US airspace by promoting modern tracking systems, but aviation regulators have raised concerns about its limitations. Notably, the bill allows certain aircraft, including some military models, to avoid full compliance with ADS-B technology, which provides flight crews and ATC with real-time traffic awareness. Experts warn this could leave significant gaps in airspace safety. The NTSB’s assessment signals ongoing tension between legislative compromise, operational priorities, and the need to implement lifesaving technology.

Legislation Under Scrutiny: The ALERT Act’s Safety Gaps

As per a report from Flying Mag, the ALERT Act calls for the FAA to establish a committee involving airlines, manufacturers, and air traffic controllers to oversee improved collision-avoidance measures. However, the NTSB highlighted that the legislation does not require universal adoption of ADS-B In, a critical component for tracking nearby aircraft. This omission falls short of the agency’s recommendations following the DC midair collision.

Critics argue that the bill’s exemptions leave certain aircraft unmonitored, creating potential risks in shared airspace. The NTSB has stressed that these gaps could undermine the effectiveness of any safety improvements implemented under the bill. A letter signed by NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, members Michael Graham, Thomas Chapman, and J. Todd Inman, managing director Dana Schulze, deputy managing director for investigations Brian Curtis, and Office of Aviation Safety director Timothy LeBaron said:

“Based on our evaluation of the ALERT Act as introduced, while we believe that the bill would address a few of our recommendations, many key provisions fall short of fully implementing all of the NTSB’s recommendations.”

Implications For Airspace Safety

The ALERT Act is the result of mounting public concern over midair safety and calls for stronger technological protections following the DC crash. NTSB officials continue to advocate for comprehensive ADS-B In requirements to ensure all aircraft can detect and avoid nearby traffic. For context, ADS-B Out transmits an aircraft’s position, altitude, and speed to other aircraft and air traffic controllers, helping the wider system know where each aircraft is located. ADS-B In, on the other hand, allows crews to receive live data on the position of surrounding aircraft, weather, and airspace restrictions, information that is critical for avoiding midair collisions, especially in congested or complex airspace.

Experts argue that without ADS-B In, pilots may remain “blind” to other aircraft in their vicinity, limiting the effectiveness of safety measures. Balancing these safety requirements with military operational needs, cost concerns, and logistical challenges has slowed the adoption of stricter rules nationwide. Industry groups and families of the victims have criticized the law for falling short of comprehensive safety mandates, emphasizing that optional ADS-B In leaves critical gaps in traffic awareness. Supporters, including some military stakeholders, argue that mandatory implementation could create operational and security challenges for sensitive missions.

This tension highlights the ongoing struggle between advancing civilian airspace safety and accommodating national defense priorities. The NTSB continues to press for full implementation of its recommendations, arguing that universal adoption of ADS-B In, alongside existing ADS-B Out requirements, is essential to prevent future tragedies and minimize risk across both civilian and military airspace.

https://simpleflying.com/why-pentagon-ntsb-at-odds-safety-alert-act/

 






Insurance gaps leave airlines exposed as Iran conflict widens

March 2 (Reuters) - As the U.S.-Israeli air war against Iran widened on Monday with no end in sight, focus shifted to the impact on airlines. Operations have been disrupted for a third day and revenue losses are not covered ‌by insurers, analysts and insurance industry sources said.

Travel stocks from Asia to New York tumbled, wiping billions off market value, as the conflict hit thousands of flights worldwide, shut key Middle Eastern hubs and sent oil prices surging.

Here is how insurance industry experts and analysts view the event:

Analysts at Jefferies said commercial property "almost always" excludes war-related risks and, unlike ⁠marine and aviation exposures, such cover is not easily available as a separate policy.

The brokerage added that notable losses in commercial property, such as damage to Dubai's iconic Palm Jumeirah, might not be covered by insurance.

Jefferies said aviation war policies also give insurers the right to cancel cover, while the remaining non-war policies typically exclude war, either explicitly or under force majeure wordings.

Still, an industry source told Reuters that aviation insurers are used to dealing with such events and that there has so far been no notice of cancellation from any insurers.

Airlines have aviation war ‌cover ⁠for their fleets, including damage to aircraft and liability, but revenue losses from operational disruption typically fall under business insurance policies that include war exclusions, leaving airlines to foot the bill, a second industry source said.

Ratings agency Morningstar DBRS said the events create significant underwriting and investment challenges for marine, aviation, property, ⁠travel, and supply chain insurance lines.

"From an aviation-hull perspective, insurers must consider the risk that missiles or air-defence interceptors could result in large hull and liability claims," it wrote in a note.

Morningstar DBRS added that ⁠an expansion of the conflict in the Gulf could prompt higher pricing and reduced capacity in terrorism and political violence insurance markets.

The insurance cost of shipping goods through the Middle East ⁠Gulf has surged as much as fivefold in the past 48 hours, with most underwriters not offering cover for sailings through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported citing industry sources on Monday.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/insurance-gaps-leave-airlines-exposed-iran-conflict-widens-2026-03-02/

 






World-first gigabit-per-second laser link between aircraft and geostationary satellite

Faster, more secure connections from space could one day make broadband on planes, ships and even remote roads as easy as turning on a light. The European Space Agency (ESA), Airbus Defense and Space, the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) and German payload manufacturer TESAT (as subcontractor) successfully connected an aircraft to a geostationary satellite using laser communications, bringing people closer to seamless, high-speed connections in daily life.

During test flights in Nimes, France, Airbus' UltraAir laser terminal maintained an error-free connection while transmitting data at 2.6 gigabits per second for several minutes. At such speeds, downloading an HD film takes only seconds.

Laser communications offer a powerful alternative at a time when space is becoming crowded and radio frequencies increasingly scarce. Because laser beams spread far less than radio waves, they provide more secure links and can carry much more information.

In this demonstration, the aircraft's terminal stayed connected to the Alphasat TDP-1 satellite 36,000 km above Earth. Achieving such accuracy with a fast-moving aircraft, while simultaneously dealing with clouds and atmospheric differences, is a major challenge, yet the system provided reliable connectivity throughout the test.

These developments entail a future where travelers could enjoy reliable, high-speed internet while flying, and where people on ships or in vehicles crossing remote regions can stay connected without interruption. Europe's investment in laser-based communications is laying the foundations for everyday technologies that depend on strong and dependable links.

The UltraAir laser terminal was developed through ESA's program for Optical and Quantum Communications—ScyLight—which supports research, development and evolution of optical and quantum communication. ScyLight belongs to ESA's larger Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) program. As part of ScyLight, the project has also been supported by the Netherlands Space Office (NSO) and the German Aerospace Agency (DLR).

"This achievement demonstrates how optical communications can transform secure connectivity for our Member States. Particularly by working to resolve the technical challenges that come with establishing fast laser communications, capable of evading interference and detection in demanding conditions," said Laurent Jaffart, Director of ESA Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity.

"Collaboration drives innovation, and this milestone will strategically deliver benefits to future missions, where speed and security of data transmission is paramount. For Europe and beyond."

"This breakthrough proves that our industry strengthens Europe's security and its autonomy by leading strategic technology in the field of secure laser communications," said Kees Buijsrogge, Director of Space at TNO.

"Establishing laser links between moving targets at this distance is technically very challenging. Continuous movements, platform vibrations and atmospheric disturbances require extreme precision," said François Lombard, Head of Connected Intelligence at Airbus Defense and Space.

"This milestone is a further development of our long successful laser communication history; it opens the door to a new era of laser satellite communications to meet defense and commercial needs in the next decades."

"Optical communications between airborne users and satellite networks, like ESA's High-thRoughput Optical Network (HydRON), are high on ESA's agenda," said Harald Hauschildt, Head of ESA's Optical and Quantum Communication Office. "High-data rate, low-latency links that connect High-Altitude Pseudo Satellites (HAPS) and aircraft are equally demanded for commercial and resilience driven applications."

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-world-gigabit-laser-link-aircraft.html#google_vignette

 






New technology can alert drivers and pilots to hazardous ice and freezing rain conditions

Researchers supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation developed advanced sensors that can measure surface ice accumulation and estimate the likelihood of dangerous atmospheric icing conditions, boosting the nation's resilience to extreme weather.

The team designed a prototype for a new icing detection system (IDS) that can, for the first time, measure liquid droplets in nearby clouds. It can also calculate droplet size and abundance around an airplane or other vehicles and determine if those droplets could lead to dangerous icing conditions.

"The most hazardous kind of ice forms in temperatures that are just below freezing and when the drops are large," said Nilton Renno, the lead author on the study and professor at the University of Michigan. "In those conditions, we detect liquid droplets in the air that freeze once they hit unprotected surfaces of an airplane, causing dangerous icing hazards."

Ice build-up on planes can interfere with aerodynamics and controls, leading to roughly 10% of all fatal air carrier crashes. Icy roads also pose public safety risks, accounting for approximately 20% of weather-related car crashes each year. Renno, a pilot himself, recognized the need for a system that can quickly detect potential icing hazards and activate safety protocols not just for airplanes, but also for trucks and other vehicles.

A new kind of sensor
Planes that are certified to fly by the Federal Aviation Administration must have icing protection systems and be able to fly long enough to safely exit the most hazardous icing conditions. The faster the system can detect icing conditions, the easier it is to certify the airplane.

Current systems estimate ice accretion in probes on the front of the aircraft, alerting the flight crew to icing conditions. The new IDS, however, can measure ice accumulation on any aircraft surface, while also calculating cloud droplet size and water content, alerting the flight crew to the hazard level. This capability enables pilots to make faster decisions, such as rerouting or adding heat to the wing to melt the ice.

Although seemingly designed for winter weather, IDS has roots elsewhere. "We originally designed this instrument to measure water content in soils as part of a Mars mission to look for evidence of liquid water," said Renno. It was during NSF-sponsored fieldwork at Owens dry lake in California that Renno realized the new tool could accurately detect phase changes, like ice to water, spurring the idea for multiple uses.

Through multiple NSF grants, among other funding sources, the team built a database of scientific measurements and developed the aircraft device, in part at the University of Michigan Space Physics Research Laboratory. The team founded the startup company, Intelligent Vision Systems, which plans to continue refining the device and prepare it for wider adoption in partnership with a large aerospace company.

For further reading, visit the University of Michigan's news release.

https://www.nsf.gov/geo/updates/new-technology-can-alert-drivers-pilots-hazardous-ice






 


Boeing Vietnam Jet Deals Signal Turnaround And Long Term Growth Story

Boeing (NYSE:BA) has secured major jet deals with Vietnamese airlines, including what has been described as the largest-ever wide-body order by a Vietnamese carrier.
The company has also signed a significant single aisle aircraft agreement with Vietnam’s national airline.
In 2025, Boeing reported more plane orders than Airbus for the first time in seven years.
These developments follow efforts to address production issues and strengthen quality controls.
Boeing is a global aerospace manufacturer focused on commercial jets, defense equipment and related services, and the Vietnam deals highlight demand for its wide body and single aisle aircraft. For investors, this draws attention to how order books, delivery execution and contract terms feed into the long sales cycles typical for the sector.

With Boeing reporting more orders than Airbus in 2025, many shareholders may monitor how consistently the company can win new business while maintaining quality and safety standards. The Vietnam agreements also bring focus to air travel trends in emerging markets, which can influence where Boeing directs future production capacity and customer support.

Stay updated on the most important news stories for Boeing by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on Boeing.

We've flagged 3 risks for Boeing. See which could impact your investment.

The Vietnam jet deals put some numbers around Boeing’s effort to rebuild its commercial franchise. Almost 100 aircraft spanning 787 wide-bodies and 737 MAX single-aisle jets deepen its presence in a fast-growing travel market and diversify the customer base beyond US and European carriers. For investors, the key question is less about headline order size and more about how quickly these commitments turn into delivered aircraft and cash, especially given Boeing’s recent focus on tightening quality controls and production processes. At the same time, progress on 777-9 simulators and additional 787 interest from airlines such as Air Astana and British Airways point to an ecosystem of training, services and future replacement needs that can extend revenue beyond the initial aircraft sale.

How This Fits Into The Boeing Narrative
The Vietnam orders and other 787 commitments align with the narrative that strong aircraft demand and a large backlog can support sustained revenue as international travel grows.

Bringing nearly 100 extra jets into the backlog may pressure Boeing’s complex supply chain and production system. This is already highlighted in the narrative as a potential drag on margin recovery.

The focus on 777-9 training simulators and expanded services revenue tied to new fleets is only partly captured in the existing storyline and could further influence how investors think about long-term earnings mix.

Knowing what a company is worth starts with understanding its story. Check out one of the top narratives in the Simply Wall St Community for Boeing to help decide what it's worth to you.

What To Watch Going Forward
From here, it is worth watching how quickly Boeing converts the Vietnam orders into firm delivery schedules, and whether production remains on track without new quality issues. The pace of 787 and 737 MAX deliveries compared with Airbus and other competitors such as Embraer will help show if Boeing’s reported turnaround in orders can be matched by execution. Progress on 777-9 certification and pilot training, plus any further wide-body commitments from international carriers, will also shape how durable this demand picture is.

https://simplywall.st/stocks/us/capital-goods/nyse-ba/boeing/news/boeing-vietnam-jet-deals-signal-turnaround-and-long-term-gro

 






 
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