Flight Safety Information - May 4, 2026 No. 086 In This Issue : Accident: United B764 at Newark on May 3rd 2026, too low on final, struck light pole and truck : Incident: Easyjet A320 near Milan on May 3rd 2026, medical problem of first officer : Incident: Delta A339 over Atlantic on May 2nd 2026, engine problem : Incident: United B739 near Chicago on Apr 30th 2026, odour in cabin : United flight strikes light pole, damages truck while landing in Newark : United Declares Emergency Following Attempted Cockpit Breach and Highway Collision : Delta Flight Delayed and Passenger Arrested After Woman Allegedly Refused to Hang Up Her Phone Before Takeoff : Plane Diverted Mid-Flight After 2 ‘Disruptive’ Passengers Allegedly Threatened and Spit on Fellow Travelers : China Eastern Airlines apologies after passenger plane strikes jet bridge at Shanghai airport, saying ‘mechanical failure occurred’ : China cover-up after pilot killed 132 by flying plane into mountain : Industry leaders reflect on the next era of aviation safety at the 2026 SMS Industry Forum : FAA Warns of Criminal Fines Up to $100,000 for Drones Near World Cup Stadiums : Calendar of Events Accident: United B764 at Newark on May 3rd 2026, too low on final, struck light pole and truck A United Boeing 767-400, registration N77066 performing flight UA-169 from Venice (Italy) to Newark,NJ (USA) with 221 passengers and 10 crew, performed a circling visual approach to runway 29, tower reported the winds from 320 degrees at 12 knots gusts 24. When crossing over I95 about 220 meters/720 feet before the runway threshold the aircraft contacted one of the light poles of the I95 and the trailer of a bakery delivery truck with its landing gear and its underbelly. The aircraft continued for a landing without further incident. The aircraft taxied to the apron maintaining routine communication. The crew reported subsequently, they felt something right over the threshold and there is a hole in the side of the aircraft. There were no injuries, the truck and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The NTSB announced they are investigating the occurrence. https://avherald.com/h?article=538bd859&opt=0 Incident: Easyjet A320 near Milan on May 3rd 2026, medical problem of first officer An Easyjet Airbus A320-200, registration G-EZOX performing flight U2-2815 from Bristol,EN (UK) to Preveza (Greece), was enroute at FL390 over Innsbruck (Austria) when the crew decided to divert to Milan Malpensa (Italy) due to a medical problem with the first officer. The aircraft landed safely on Malpensa's runway 35R about 30 minutes later. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 3.5 hours until a replacement first officer had boarded the aircraft and reached Preveza with a delay of about 4.5 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=538b61d7&opt=0 Incident: Delta A339 over Atlantic on May 2nd 2026, engine problem A Delta Airlines Airbus A330-900, registration N429DX performing flight DL-59 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Boston,MA (USA) with 275 people on board, was enroute at FL360 over the Atlantic Ocean about 250nm westsouthwest of Shannon (Ireland) when the crew decided to turn around and divert to Dublin (Ireland) due to an engine (Trent 7000) problem, the engine was reduced to idle thrust and the aircraft drifted down to FL220 during the diversion. The aircraft landed safely on Dublin's runway 10L about 65 minutes after turning around, was inspected by emergency services, the aircraft subsequently taxied to the apron. The remainder of the flight was cancelled. The aircraft is still on the ground in Dublin about 5 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=538abb65&opt=0 Incident: United B739 near Chicago on Apr 30th 2026, odour in cabin A United Boeing 737-900, registration N61882 performing flight UA-1631 from Newark,NJ to Las Vegas,NV (USA), was enroute at FL320 about 150nm north of Chicago,IL (USA) when the crew decided to divert to Chicago O'Hare,IL reporting an unusual odour in the back of the cabin. The aircraft landed safely on O'Hare's runway 28R about 30 minutes later. The airline reported the aircraft diverted to Chicago due to an odour in the back of the cabin. A replacement Boeing 737-900 registration N69838 reached Las Vegas with a delay of about 4.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 24.5 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=538a1bdb&opt=0 United flight strikes light pole, damages truck while landing in Newark A United Airlines flight arriving from Italy struck a light pole and a tractor-trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike while on final approach to Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday afternoon, damaging the truck and sending its driver to the hospital with minor injuries, authorities said. Despite the collision, the aircraft landed safely. There were 221 passengers and 10 crew members on board, and no injuries were reported among those on the plane. United said the aircraft taxied to the gate normally and sustained only minor damage. "Our maintenance team is evaluating damage to the aircraft and we will investigate how this occurred," United Airlines said in a statement. "We will conduct a rigorous flight safety investigation into the incident and our crew has been removed from service as part of the process." The Port Authority Police Department and New Jersey State Police responded to the scene on the Turnpike. Authorities said the tractor-trailer driver was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released. United Airlines jet hits truck and pole at Newark Airport While all passengers and crew escaped injury, the incident highlights how unpredictable ground traffic can complicate even routine airline landings at major U.S. airports. Authorities confirm only the truck driver sustained minor injuries. United flight clips light pole while landing at New Jersey airport Airport officials said runway inspections were conducted immediately following the incident, and normal operations were quickly resumed. According to Chuck Paterakis, vice president of transportation for Schmidt Bakery and owner of H&S Family of Bakeries, the tractor-trailer involved belonged to Baker's Express and was en route to deliver bread products to a Newark airport depot. The incident happened near Newark airport on Sunday. Video courtesyt H&S Family of Bakeries "The driver experienced a commercial plane's tires landing on the tractor or brushing the top of the tractor," Paterakis told ABC News. Dashcam video shows the moment of impact, either from one of the plane's tires or from falling debris. The driver, Warren Boardley of Baltimore, was traveling northbound on the Turnpike at the time of the incident. Paterakis said Boardley was able to safely pull over after the strike and contact his employer. "The trailer is not damaged, and the bread product was not touched," Paterakis said. Boardley sustained cuts from broken glass to his arm and forearm but did not suffer serious injuries. "Everybody, the driver and everybody on the plane, should be very fortunate," Paterakis said. "Because it could have been the opposite of what happened, and a little help from God went a long way tonight for everybody on the plane, and including the driver." https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/united-flight-strikes-light-pole-231550102.html United Declares Emergency Following Attempted Cockpit Breach and Highway Collision United Airlines faced two high-stakes emergencies at Newark Liberty International Airport involving a flight deck security breach and a wide-body jet colliding with highway infrastructure during landing approach. United Airlines is reeling after a chaotic weekend at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) involving two high-stakes emergencies in less than 24 hours. The airline is currently assisting federal investigators after a flight deck security breach was followed by a wide-body jet colliding with highway infrastructure during its final landing approach. United Flight Strikes Light Pole Over NJ Turnpike At approximately 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 3, United Flight 169 arrived from Venice, Italy, when it struck a light pole while passing over the southbound lanes of the New Jersey Turnpike. The impact sent debris onto the highway, damaging a tractor-trailer and causing minor injuries to the driver. While the aircraft — carrying 221 passengers and 10 crew members — landed safely, the flight crew has been removed from service as part of a "rigorous flight safety investigation". The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed it is investigating the incident and will release a report within 30 days. Mid-Air Emergency: Passenger Attempts to Storm Cockpit The highway collision followed a terrifying security incident on Saturday, May 2. Pilots on United Flight 1837 were forced to declare an emergency after a 48-year-old male passenger allegedly attacked a flight attendant and attempted to gain access to the flight deck. Air traffic control audio captured the pilot’s urgent request for law enforcement assistance, noting that the individual "tried to pop our door open" and "tried to gain access to the flight deck". Upon landing, Port Authority Police detained the suspect without incident and transported him to a local hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. Operational Oversight and Safety Reviews The back-to-back incidents have placed United’s operations at Newark under intense scrutiny. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill confirmed she has been briefed on the Sunday collision, expressing relief that all 231 people on the Venice flight remained unharmed. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/united-declares-emergency-following-attempted-040715641.html Delta Flight Delayed and Passenger Arrested After Woman Allegedly Refused to Hang Up Her Phone Before Takeoff Video of the incident shows the woman's fellow passengers pleading with her to be considerate A Delta Air Lines flight at Miami International Airport was delayed after a passenger allegedly refused to end a phone call before takeoff, prompting the plane to return to the gate Authorities said the woman became disruptive and refused to leave the aircraft, leading crew members to call police The passenger, identified as Shannon Marie Harris of Tyrone, Ga., was arrested and is facing at least one trespassing-related charge A Delta Air Lines flight was delayed — and a woman was arrested — after a passenger refused to hang up her phone before takeoff. The incident occurred on Delta Flight 1323 at Miami International Airport on April 27, a spokesperson for the airline said in a statement to PEOPLE. “A customer did not comply with repeated crew instructions to end their phone call while the aircraft was taxiing out,” the spokesperson said. "The customer became disruptive, and the aircraft returned to the gate where [the passenger] was removed from the aircraft.” The Atlanta-bound flight was ultimately delayed by about one hour, according to the spokesperson. “The safety of our customers and crew comes before all else, and Delta has zero tolerance for disruptive behavior. We apologize to our customers for this experience and delay in their travels,” they added. A video of the incident shared on social media shows a passenger on the plane attempting to plead with someone off camera, asking them to consider all the other passengers on board who were attempting to make connections. Another passenger can be heard saying, “Please be considerate. Consider yourself and the rest of us.” Police later identified the disruptive passenger as Shannon Marie Harris of Tyrone, Ga., according to Fox 5 Atlanta and WSB-TV 2. An arrest report filed in a Miami-Dade County court stated that Harris allegedly became "belligerent" when flight crew members asked her to hang up a call while they attempted to provide safety instructions before takeoff, which prompted the pilot to return to the gate, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. Members of the flight crew asked Harris to depart the plane, but she allegedly refused, prompting the crew to call police, per the outlet. A Delta representative then asked flight passengers to deplane, at which point Harris allegedly attempted to leave with the rest of the passengers, when she was arrested, per police, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. 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Harris is now facing at least one charge related to trespassing, per Fox 5 Atlanta, WSB-TV 2 and NBC 6. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/delta-flight-delayed-passenger-arrested-235014947.html Plane Diverted Mid-Flight After 2 ‘Disruptive’ Passengers Allegedly Threatened and Spit on Fellow Travelers “We take these incidents seriously and do not tolerate disruptive behavior onboard,” easyJet Airlines said in a statement An easyJet flight from London to Antalya was diverted to Kosovo after two customers were “behaving disruptively onboard” A witness of the incident claimed that a man and woman, who met onboard the aircraft and were seemingly drunk, began spitting on and threatening those around them The airline confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE that, upon the plane's landing in Pristina, the pair were met by police and escorted off the aircraft A flight from London to Antalya was diverted mid-flight after a drunken man and woman were “behaving disruptively.” On Wednesday, April 29, easyJet flight EZY8559 was diverted to Kosovo after two customers were “behaving disruptively onboard,” after which they were met by police upon landing at Pristina International Airport in Kosovo, the airline confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE. “Our cabin crew are trained to assess all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other customers is not compromised at any time,” the airline said. “We take these incidents seriously and do not tolerate disruptive behavior onboard.” “The safety and well-being of our customers and crew is always easyJet's highest priority,” the statement continued. According to The Sun, the man and woman involved in the incident had met on board the aircraft and began flirting with each other when they found out they were both from Kent, England. Before long, a passenger recalled the pair exhibiting “terrifying behavior” when the woman allegedly spit on a fellow passenger while the man allegedly threatened those around him, bragging that he had previously spent time in jail. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In footage of the incident obtained by The Sun, a woman could be seen lunging across the aisle at another passenger, shortly after a fellow passenger claimed she was swigging from a bottle of vodka. Meanwhile, a male flight attendant stood nearby trying to de-escalate the situation. “I was sitting behind them and minding my own business when suddenly I heard screeches and the commotion,” a witness told the outlet. “I looked up and was in disbelief about what was going on. It was all a bit mental. “The pair were proper shouting, swearing at each other,” they continued. “Everyone was a bit scared, we all felt a bit helpless and felt sorry for the flight attendants. I decided to start filming in case evidence was needed and also for my own protection as well.” Amid the chaos, an announcement was made encouraging all passengers to remain calm as the plane prepared to land in Kosovo, where police would come onto the plane and escort the pair off, per The Sun. The flight then continued on to Antalya and arrived around three hours late. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/plane-diverted-mid-flight-2-203104191.html China Eastern Airlines apologies after passenger plane strikes jet bridge at Shanghai airport, saying ‘mechanical failure occurred’ A plane operated by China Eastern Airlines collides with an aircraft jet bridge on May 2, 2026. Photo: screenshot from Sina Weibo After several videos showing a passenger plane striking a jet bridge or PBB, Passenger Boarding Bridge, on the Chinese social media platforms on Saturday, China Eastern Airlines issued a statement expressing its apologies over the incident on its Sina Weibo account. The company stated that on Saturday, after a flight from Chengdu [in Southwest China's Sichuan Province] to Shanghai landed and was slowly taxiing toward the parking bay, a mechanical failure occurred. The crew immediately followed procedures, and the aircraft eventually made "partial contact" with the jet bridge. All passengers onboard were safe and disembarked in an orderly manner. Several netizens posted on social media platforms that after the China Eastern Airlines flight landed at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, its wing struck the jet bridge, causing part of the bridge to be damaged. "Very scared, I can't get off the plane now," one netizen wrote on Sina Weibo around 12:19 pm. According to a passenger surnamed Liu, as the plane landed and was moving into the parking position, the nose of the aircraft slightly overshot the jet bridge. He then heard a collision inside the cabin, only to realize something went wrong when the plane's engine reversed its thrust, Jimu News, a new media affiliated with Hubei Daily reported on Saturday. Per cabin display screen filmed by Liu, the left side of the aircraft had struck the jet bridge. "There were two impacts. After a delay of more than half an hour, passengers disembarked from the other side of the aircraft and each received 300 yuan ($43.94) in compensation from the airline," Liu was quoted. The airline said the specific cause of the incident is under investigation. "We deeply apologize for any inconvenience this incident has caused to passengers' travel," the airline added. https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202605/1360190.shtml China cover-up after pilot killed 132 by flying plane into mountain Data released by the US authorities has confirmed that the crash of Flight 5735 in Guangxi was a murder-suicide after a tussle in the cockpit The Chinese authorities have known for four years that a pilot of a China Eastern Airlines jet deliberately crashed the aircraft, killing all 132 aboard, according to data from the United States. The data, released by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), confirms earlier leaked US accounts that Flight 5735, a Boeing 737, was intentionally crashed into mountains in Guangxi province in March 2022. The NTSB readings from the flight recorders show two pilots wrestling over the controls after both engines were shut down by hand, the automatic pilot was switched off and the jet was pushed into a nosedive as it cruised between Kunming in southern China and Guangzhou. In the face of public anger, Beijing has failed to publish a report. Last July the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration responded to an inquiry with a warning that “disclosure [about the crash] may, if released, endanger national security and social stability”. Beijing is under pressure from international aviation organisations to come clean over the disaster, which appears to have followed a similar pattern to suspected murder-suicide acts by airline pilots that have killed hundreds since 2014. The most recent was Air India Flight 171 which crashed in Ahmedabad killing 260 people after the engines were shut down by hand just after it took off for London in June last year. Expectations are high for the final report, expected next month, on Air India Flight 171 after the country’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau dismissed non-Indian experts’ conclusion of pilot murder-suicide as pure speculation. The NTSB was asked to decode the flight recorders of Flight 5735 and transmitted its readings to China two weeks after their recovery in 2022. The US agency released extracts from its findings on Thursday in response to a Chinese citizen’s freedom of information request. “It was found that while cruising at 29,000ft, the fuel switches on both engines moved from the run position to the cut-off position,” the NTSB said. “Engine speeds decreased after the fuel switch movement.” Jeremy Clarkson: Why does any plane need a fuel cut-off switch? Graphs of control inputs and the aircraft’s movement showed a pilot’s yoke pushing the aircraft into a steep dive and efforts by the other pilot to halt the dive. The two pilots were turning their yokes in opposite directions, commanding left or right rolls from the ailerons on the edges of the wings. The report said that a power failure had halted the data recorder after 90 seconds but the battery-powered crew voice recorder had continued. The agency did not reveal the contents, which it transmitted to Beijing at the time and said it had not stored a copy. Video from the ground showed the Boeing plunging vertically. The crew made no radio calls and no emergency radar code was transmitted. Previous Chinese reports have said that all systems appeared to have been functioning normally. Two months after the crash, a US investigator told The Wall Street Journal that “the plane did what it was told to do by someone in the cockpit”. China removed all references to that report, including screenshots, from social media. Three pilots were on the flight deck. Captain Yang Hongda, 32, Zhang Zhengping, the 59-year-old first officer, and Ni Gongtao, a 27-year-old second officer in training. Speculation in China has centred on Zhang, one of the airline’s most experienced pilots, who had recently been demoted from his captain’s rank. Criminal action by disturbed pilots has proved one of the deadliest causes of airline crashes in recent years. In 2022 a Bloomberg study found it to be the second most common cause of deaths from 2011 to 2020. In 2015 Andreas Lubitz, a young co-pilot, took over his Germanwings Airbus and crashed it into the French Alps, killing 150. Deliberate action by a pilot is a leading theory for the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines’ Flight MH370. The Boeing airliner with 239 people on board came down in the Indian Ocean in 2014 after six hours flying away from its planned route, from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, with no radio or radar transmissions. Only small floating debris has been recovered. Latest MH370 search finds no trace as families urge hunt to go on In October 2023 Joe Emerson, an off-duty pilot in the cockpit of an Alaska Airlines flight, attempted to shut down both engines in flight. He claimed he had been under the influence of a hallucinogenic drug and was sentenced to probation last year. In 2024 the British Royal Aeronautical Society called for airlines to take a more active approach to ensuring the mental health of their crew rather than reacting after crashes. In March the International Air Transport Association criticised states that failed to release accident findings. Willie Walsh, the organisation’s director-general, said. “Anything less than 100 per cent compliance short-changes everyone on opportunities to improve.” https://www.thetimes.com/world/asia/article/china-crash-cover-up-xps93dbfr Industry leaders reflect on the next era of aviation safety at the 2026 SMS Industry Forum FORT WORTH, Texas — Collaboration, transparency and evolving technology took center stage on the final day of the 2026 Safety Management System (SMS) Industry Forum. The day opened with a panel discussion featuring Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau, American’s Chief Operating Officer David Seymour, President and CEO of Commercial Engines & Services at GE Aerospace Mohamed Ali and CEO of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Chris McLaughlin. Panelists agreed that open dialogue and events like the SMS Forum are essential to strengthening safety in an industry that continues to evolve. Rocheleau, Seymour, Ali and McLaughlin described the state of aviation safety as strong, crediting increased collaboration across the industry. “We're all thinking the same way,” Seymour said. “And I think that's important. That’s not where we were 20 years ago, or 30 years ago, as we've evolved.” Rocheleau emphasized that safety progress is ongoing. “We’re constantly looking for opportunities to make the system even safer,” noting the FAA’s recent efforts to further integrate safety functions across the agency. Leadership and culture were core themes throughout the discussion. Panelists reinforced that effective SMS programs are grounded in transparency and trust. “If you can’t see a problem, you can’t solve it,” Ali said, highlighting the importance of structure and culture and the need for environments where team members feel empowered to speak up. The conversation also highlighted the industry’s ongoing efforts for proactive safety management and noted the opportunities for the use of artificial intelligence to identify risks and to support decision making. Panelists also called for a deeper interconnection across organizations, including more formalized ways to share data. “That kind of joint ownership of a problem is how we get to the best solutions,” McLaughlin said Thursday’s panel was moderated by Sarah Jantz, American’s Managing Director of Operations Communications. Since 2015, the annual SMS Industry Forum brings together more than 400 safety leaders each year to share insights and strengthen collaboration across the aviation industry. https://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2026/U-S-DOT-Secretary-Sean-Duffy-opens-the-11th-annual-SMS-Industry-Forum-OPS-OTH-04/default.aspx FAA Warns of Criminal Fines Up to $100,000 for Drones Near World Cup Stadiums The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has designated all FIFA World Cup stadiums and event spaces as strict “No Drone Zones” and says it will impose criminal fines of up to $100,000 for flying aerial devices near them. The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking the first time the tournament has been staged across three countries. The opening match is scheduled for June 11, 2026, in Mexico City, with the final set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. With millions of fans expected to attend matches across North America, the FAA announced that it will work with the FBI and local law enforcement agencies to monitor airspace around games and related events. The agency has declared all tournament venues and surrounding areas to be strict “No Drone Zones.” “A ‘No Drone Zone’ means that no individual is allowed to launch, land, or operate a drone within restricted airspace around World Cup venues,” the FAA states in a news release, adding that even licensed drone operators or those with prior authorization will not be exempt during active restrictions. “Taking off, landing, or flying a drone within these restricted areas is a serious violation of federal and local regulations,” the FAA adds. Under the plan, unauthorized drone operations will be fully prohibited around stadiums and official event locations. The FAA will also implement Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) during match windows, limiting all aerial activity within designated zones. The agency says it will use federally authorized systems to detect, track, and assess any unauthorized drone activity. Operating a drone within a restricted World Cup “No Drone Zone” carries significant penalties. The FAA says that, as the FBI is authorized to use specialized mitigation tools to intercept and seize drones, violators may face federal criminal charges and immediate arrest. Civil penalties can reach up to $75,000 per violation, while criminal fines may total up to $100,000. The FAA has advised fans attending matches not to bring drones and to check airspace restrictions using official tools such as the B4UFLY app before operating unmanned aircraft near host cities. https://petapixel.com/2026/05/04/faa-warns-of-criminal-fines-up-to-100000-for-drones-near-world-cup-stadiums/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS . 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 . ESASI 2026, 20-21 May, Dubrovnik . Safeskies Australia - Australia’s renowned Aviation Safety Conference - Canberra Australia 20 and 21 May 2026 . Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection, and Investigation Course 7 to 9 July 2026; Woburn MA 01801 USA : APSCON/APSCON Unmanned 2026 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL - July 13-17, 2026 : Aircraft Cabin Air International Conference - 22-23 September 2026 . IATA World Maintenance & Engineering Symposium (23-25 June, Madrid, Spain) . ISASI - BOSTON 2026 - September 28, 2026 – October 2, 2026 . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV Curt Lewis