Flight Safety Information - May 11, 2026 No. 091 In This Issue : Incident: Malaysia B738 at Hong Kong on May 11th 2026, rejected takeoff due to burst tyre : Accident: THY A333 at Kathmandu on May 11th 2026, brakes fire during turn off : Incident: Cebu Pacific A21N at Cebu City on May 4th 2026, smell and smoke in cabin : Accident: Frontier A21N at Denver on May 8th 2026, gone wrong : Incident: Europa B738 at Palma Mallorca on May 8th 2026, bird strike on landing, runway excursion : Incident: Gol B738 at Salvador on May 9th 2026, overran runway on landing : United flight to Houston diverted to Monterrey due to mechanical issue, airline officials say : Airline cancels flights to Canada over fuel costs : A TikTok Creator Wants to Buy Spirit Airlines—and Supporters Have Pledged More Than $335M : Graduate Research Request : Calendar of Events Incident: Malaysia B738 at Hong Kong on May 11th 2026, rejected takeoff due to burst tyre A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration 9M-MXK performing flight MH-79 from Hong Kong (China) to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), was accelerating for takeoff from Hong Kong's runway 07R when the crew rejected takeoff at low speed (about 60 knots over ground) due to a burst tyre. The aircraft slowed safely, vacated the runway and stopped on the parallel taxiway for inspection by emergency services before returning to the apron about 30 minutes later. The flight was cancelled. https://avherald.com/h?article=5390e147&opt=0 Accident: THY A333 at Kathmandu on May 11th 2026, brakes fire during turn off A THY Turkish Airlines Airbus A330-300, registration TC-JNP pereforming flight TK-726 from Istanbul (Turkey) to Kathmandu (Nepal) with 277 passengers and 11 crew, landed on Kathmandu's runway 02, rolled out and was about to turn off via high speed turn off B when smoke was seen from the landing gear. The aircraft stopped on the turn off, not yet clear of the runway, and was evacuated via slides. 2 people received minor injuries as result of the evacuation. The runway needed to be closed for about 100 minutes. Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority reported a fire broke out in the right main landing gear. The airport reported about 30 percent of the aircraft were clear of the runway, 70% of the aircraft were still within the runway area forcing to halt all flight operations. The return flight TK-727 was cancelled. https://avherald.com/h?article=5390da82&opt=0 Incident: Cebu Pacific A21N at Cebu City on May 4th 2026, smell and smoke in cabin A Cebu Pacific Airbus A321-200N, registration RP-C4120 performing flight 5J-2512 from Cebu City to Manila (Philippines), was climbing out of Cebu's runway 04L when the crew stopped the climb at 7000 feet and decided to return to Cebu for a safe landing on runway 04L about 17 minutes after departure. A passenger reported the aircraft landed back "due to weird smell and visible smoke in cabin seconds after takeoff". The airline apologized to passengers for "additional servicing of this aircraft in compliance with aviation standards". A replacement A321-200N registration RP-C4149 reached Manila with a delay of about 2.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 35 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=53906084&opt=0 Accident: Frontier A21N at Denver on May 8th 2026, gone wrong A Frontier Airlines Airbus A321-200N, registration N646FR performing flight F9-4345 from Denver,CO to Los Angeles,CA (USA) with 224 passengers and 7 crew, was accelerating for takeoff from Denver's runway 17L when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed (about 120 knots over ground) after hitting an individual walking on the runway. The aircraft slowed safely, emergency services extinguished a right hand engine (PW1133G) fire. The crew reported an individual was walking the runway, they hit him and had an engine fire, smoke appeared in the cabin. The passengers evacuated via slides. The pedestrian did not survive. 12 passengers received minor injuries as result of the evacuation, 5 of them were taken to hospitals. Denver Airport reported: "Frontier Flight 4345 reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff at DEN at approximately 11:19 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2026. There was a brief engine (PW1133G) fire that was promptly extinguished by the Denver Fire Dept. Emergency crews responded to the scene and bussed passengers to the terminal. 231 souls were on board. Emergency response and investigation are ongoing. The NTSB has been notified. Runway 17L will remain closed while the investigation is conducted." The airline reported: "As flight 4345 was departing this evening from Denver International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, the aircraft reportedly struck a pedestrian on the runway during takeoff. Smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff. Passengers were then safely evacuated via slides as a matter of precaution. The Airbus A321 was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members. We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities. We are deeply saddened by this event." The airline later reported the individual had leapt over a perimeter fence about 2 minutes prior to the collision. The US Transport Secretary reported a trespasser breached airport security, deliberately scaled a perimeter fence and ran onto a runway. The aircraft was already moving at high speed. According to local information, there may have been a gap in the airport's east perimeter fence, which was inspected by airport security on May 9th 2026 morning. The airport later reported the perimeter fence was inspected and was found intact. NTSB and FAA have opened investigations. https://avherald.com/h?article=538f63d8&opt=0 Incident: Europa B738 at Palma Mallorca on May 8th 2026, bird strike on landing, runway excursion An Air Europa Boeing 737-800, registration EC-MPG performing flight UX-6079 from Madrid,SP to Palma Mallorca,SP (Spain), was on approach to Mallorca's runway 06L when a bird impacted the nose gear of the aircraft causing damage the nose gear steering mechanism. The aircraft touched down on runway 06L, during the roll out veered to the right edge of the runway exiting the runway at about 55 knots over ground and came to a stop on a high speed turn off opposite runway with the left hand nose tyre damaged. Emergency services responded, the aircraft was later towed to the apron where passengers disembarked normally. Local media report the aircraft lost a wheel on landing, possibly as result of a bird strike. ADS-B data transmitted by the aircraft suggest, the aircraft touched down normally, during the later stages of the roll out as the speed reduced the aircraft drifted more and more to the right, exited the runway at about 55 knots over ground and rolling over paved surface came to a stop on a high speed turn off opposite direction. The aircraft remained in this position for about 40 minutes before it was towed to the apron. The aircraft remained on the ground in Palma Mallorca for about 20.5 hours before returning to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=539026a6&opt=0 Incident: Gol B738 at Salvador on May 9th 2026, overran runway on landing A Gol Boeing 737-800 freighter, registration PS-GFC performing flight G3-9618 from Sao Paulo Guarulhos,SP to Salvador,BA (Brazil), landed on Salvador's runway 17 at 07:27L (10:27Z) but overran the end of the runway before coming to a stop about 45 meters/150 feet past the runway end. The airline reported there were no injuries to the crew, no passengers were on board. https://avherald.com/h?article=538f8d7a&opt=0 United flight to Houston diverted to Monterrey due to mechanical issue, airline officials say HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A United Airlines flight headed to Houston was diverted to Monterrey on Sunday due to a mechanical issue, airline officials say. According to the airline, United Flight 579 from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, was headed to Houston when a mechanical issue impacted the Airbus A320 aircraft. An emergency was declared, and the plane was then diverted to Monterrey, airline officials said. Airline officials said the 143 passengers and five crew members deplaned normally. United Airlines said it has arranged for a different aircraft to take customers to Houston. https://abc13.com/post/united-airlines-flight-houston-divereted-monterrey-due-mechanical-issue-according-airline-officials/19077721/ How The GE9X's 134-Inch Fan Creates Problems No Other Jet Engine Faces The discovery of a crack in the General Electric GE9X’s mid seal during a January 2026 inspection could easily be framed as just another technical hurdle in the long development story of the Boeing 777X. Instead, it reveals something far more interesting about modern aircraft engine design, particularly when engineers attempt to scale performance to unprecedented levels. The GE9X is not just an incremental improvement over its predecessors, but a machine that pushes the physical limits of size, airflow, pressure, and temperature in ways no commercial aircraft engine has before. At the center of that challenge is the engine’s 134-inch (3.4 meters) fan, the largest ever fitted to a commercial aircraft. While this massive diameter brings significant efficiency gains, it also creates cascading engineering consequences throughout the entire engine. The mid-seal issue highlights how even internal components deep within the engine core are affected by decisions made by the engine manufacturer, General Electric. One of the defining features of the General Electric GE9X is its 134-inch fan, a dimension that would have seemed impractical only a generation ago. This fan allows the engine to move an enormous volume of air, dramatically increasing the bypass ratio and improving fuel efficiency by around 10% compared to its predecessor, the GE90. However, scaling a fan to this size is not as simple as enlarging an existing design, as the aerodynamic, structural, and mechanical implications grow significantly with increased diameter. A larger fan means more air mass flow, which in turn requires a more powerful core to drive it. That core must operate at higher pressures and temperatures to extract sufficient energy, pushing materials and tolerances to extremes. The fan also introduces higher rotational inertia, meaning that acceleration, deceleration, and load transitions place greater stress on shafts, bearings, and downstream components. This is why the General Electric GE9X operates in a way that few other engines do; while its rated thrust is 110,000 lbs (49,895 kg), it has demonstrated up to 134,300 lbs (60,917 kg) during testing, highlighting the immense forces involved. These forces do not remain isolated to the fan section but ripple through the entire engine, influencing how components behave under real-world conditions, especially during critical phases such as take-off and throttle changes, where loads fluctuate rapidly. How Much Larger & More Powerful Is The 777X's GE9X Engine Than The 777's GE90? The GE9X may be the largest turbofan ever built, but by just how much does it surpass its mighty predecessor, the GE90? The relationship between the fan and the core is central to understanding the mid-seal issue. A larger fan demands a higher overall pressure ratio in the core, which means that air must be compressed more aggressively before combustion. This leads to hotter, denser, and more energetic flow entering the turbine stages, increasing the thermal and mechanical loads on internal components. Inside the engine's core, turbine stages extract energy to drive the fan, and between these stages are seals that manage pressure differentials and thermal gradients. The mid seal, in particular, plays a critical role in maintaining stability between these stages, ensuring that airflow behaves as intended and that temperature differences do not lead to inefficiencies or structural problems. With the General Electric GE9X, the conditions around this mid seal are more extreme than in previous engines. The higher pressure ratios and elevated temperatures create an environment where even small design imperfections or material limitations can lead to durability concerns. The crack discovered in January 2026 illustrates how sensitive these components are when operating at the edge of current engineering capabilities, where margins are carefully optimized rather than generously overbuilt. Rather than being an isolated failure, the mid-seal crack can be interpreted as an indicator of the broader stresses within the engine. This component exists in a region where pressure and temperature must be carefully balanced, acting as a boundary between different turbine stages. Any imbalance or unexpected fluctuation can translate into localized stress concentrations. General Electric confirmed that the root cause of the issue has been identified and that a redesigned part is being introduced into production. The fact that the solution involves a redesign rather than a simple repair suggests that the original configuration encountered conditions that exceeded initial expectations. This is not unusual in cutting-edge engine technology, where real-world testing often reveals issues that simulations cannot fully capture. This redesigned part should help to ensure that the first variant of the Boeing 777X family, the Boeing 777-9, is delivered in 2027 to the aircraft's launch customer, Lufthansa. The need for potential retrofits during maintenance overhauls further highlights the dynamic nature of such designs. Unlike older engines, where components operated with wider margins, the General Electric GE9X operates closer to the limits of material performance. This makes it more sensitive to small deviations, requiring ongoing refinement even after certification, as operational data continues to inform engineering updates. What Makes GE9X The World’s Monster Jet Engine? Unravel the secrets of the massive GE9X, a jet engine that redefines scale and efficiency in the skies. The mid-seal issue is not the first challenge faced by the General Electric GE9X engine program. Earlier in its development, the engine experienced high-pressure compressor stator vane durability issues in 2019, a temperature alert that temporarily suspended flight testing in 2022, and a grounding in 2024 related to titanium thrust link failures. Each of these events reflects the same underlying theme - the difficulty of engineering reliability at unprecedented performance levels. Despite these hurdles, the engine has undergone extensive testing, including more than 30,000 cycles and over 1,600 dust ingestion tests designed to simulate harsh operating environments. These tests are intended to expose weaknesses before the engine enters service, allowing engineers to refine designs and improve durability. The use of advanced materials such as ceramic matrix composites and additive-manufactured metal components is also part of this effort. These materials can withstand higher temperatures and stresses than traditional alloys, but they introduce new variables in terms of manufacturing consistency and long-term behavior. As a result, each innovation brings both benefits and new challenges, particularly when scaled across an engine of this size. Why No Other Engine Faces The Same Problems While other modern engines also pursue high efficiency, the General Electric GE9X stands apart due to the sheer scale of its fan and the resulting demands on the core. Engines with smaller fans do not require the same level of pressure ratio or thermal intensity, allowing them to operate with comparatively lower stresses on internal components. This difference is crucial because it means that certain issues, like the mid seal crack, are not easily transferable from one engine program to another. The General Electric GE9X exists in a unique design space where traditional engineering assumptions must be revisited, as components that have performed reliably in other engines may behave differently when subjected to the conditions created by such a large fan. Subscribe for deep-dive newsletter coverage of GE9X Curious about the engineering behind extreme engines? Subscribe to the newsletter for expert analysis of the GE9X mid-seal crack, how a 134-inch fan changes core loads, and clear, technical explainers on modern aircraft engine design. In essence, the General Electric GE9X is exploring a new corner of the performance envelope. This makes it more susceptible to unforeseen interactions between components, as the combined effects of size, pressure, and temperature create scenarios that have limited historical precedent. The mid seal is just one example of how these interactions can manifest, especially when compounded over thousands of operating cycles. https://simpleflying.com/how-ge9x-134-inch-fan-creates-problems-no-other-jet-engine-faces/ Airline cancels flights to Canada over fuel costs Major global airlines have trimmed their flight networks and cut underperforming routes due to high jet fuel prices following the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran. With jet fuel prices sitting at prices that are nearly double what they were before the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran, almost every major global airline has trimmed its flight network to prioritize high-traffic routes and cut any underperforming ones. Lufthansa has cut more than 20,000 flights from its summer schedule and shut down its regional carrier CityLine a year earlier than anticipated. Delta Air Lines also cut its total capacity by 3.5% earlier this spring. Airlines such as Virgin, Air France, and Air Canada have all cut flights to regional U.S. cities on which the carriers had initially placed high hopes for the summer season. Air India cuts 35% of its flights to Canada this May When it comes to flights headed to Canada, India's national airline Air India has cut nearly 35% of its flight schedule for the coming month over high fuel prices, CBC reported. The cuts include reducing the airline's Delhi-Toronto route from 10 times a week to seven and its Delhi-Vancouver route from seven times a week to five. The total number of Air India's round-trip flights to Canada is down from 48 in April to 31 in May, and more cuts are also planned for the summer months if oil prices hold steady at the current prices. Canadian flag carrier Air Canada also runs routes to Delhi from Toronto and Vancouver. Despite also making a number of other flight cuts in response to fuel prices, the airline has not axed any of its India schedule as of the current moment. For both airlines, these routes are particularly popular with the approximately 1.4 million members of the Indian diaspora living in Canada. "We can only raise fares so far before people decide to stay home": Air India "This is in response to the massive rise in jet fuel prices which, together with airspace closures and longer flying routes, has caused many of our international flights to become unprofitable to operate," new Air India CEO Campbell Wilson wrote in a memo sent to staff and first reported by the Canadian Press. "To partially compensate for the huge spike in costs, we have increased airfares and imposed fuel surcharges, but understandably, these higher airfares impact customer demand, so we can only raise fares so far before people decide to stay home." The fare increases referred to in the memo account to what in some cases represent a jump of 25% on the airline's Delhi routes. As of the current moment, the region in and around the Middle East has been seeing the largest number of cancellations due to the security situation as well as the cost of jet fuel. While many international airlines initially expected to restart their service to Dubai and other Middle Eastern cities by the summer, British Airways recently confirmed that it will not restart its route between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi "until later this year." https://www.yahoo.com/finance/sectors/energy/articles/airline-cancels-flights-canada-over-195056459.html A TikTok Creator Wants to Buy Spirit Airlines—and Supporters Have Pledged More Than $335M What started as a joke on TikTok has turned into one of the internet’s wildest viral moments of 2026. After Spirit Airlines abruptly shut down this spring, leaving passengers stranded and social media in meltdown mode, TikTok creator Hunter Peterson floated an outlandish idea: what if regular people just bought the airline themselves? Now, that half-serious pitch has snowballed into a full-blown online movement. According to Peterson’s campaign, supporters have made more than $335 million in non-binding pledges toward a dream of reviving Spirit as a fan-owned airline, even though he acknowledged his lack of aviation and regulatory expertise, seeking support from professionals as the campaign evolves. He has publicly asked for help from aviation lawyers and public relations professionals, a sign that even he recognizes the gulf between a viral idea and a workable rescue plan. The huge number has helped turn the campaign into a headline-grabbing sensation. But there is one major catch: no real money has changed hands, no formal bid has been filed, and there is no indication that Spirit’s owners, creditors, or federal regulators are treating the effort as an actual takeover attempt. Still, in an era when internet humor can morph into a national story overnight, Peterson’s “Let’s Buy Spirit” campaign has become far bigger than a throwaway meme. Spirit’s shutdown triggered a wave of frustration from travelers who suddenly found themselves dealing with grounded flights, empty counters, and few answers. Into that mess stepped Peterson, a 32-year-old TikTok creator and voice actor, who posted a video that mixed outrage, absurdity, and a surprisingly catchy pitch. His math was simple enough to go viral. With more than 250 million adults in the United States, Peterson argued, it would take only a slice of them chipping in around $30 to $40 each, roughly the price of a budget Spirit ticket, to buy the airline outright. He pitched the idea as a people-powered rescue mission, framing it as a way for passengers and fans to take control instead of watching another airline vanish. He even invoked the Green Bay Packers, the National Football League’s famously publicly owned team, as a model for how a fan-backed Spirit could work. It sounded ridiculous. That was part of the appeal. The TikTok took off as users shared it across platforms, with many embracing the idea partly as satire and partly as a strangely heartfelt response to Spirit’s collapse. Some commenters mourned the loss of ultra-cheap airfare. Others loved the rebellious energy of everyday people trying to crowdsource an airline purchase. And plenty were simply entertained by the chaos of it all. As the buzz exploded, Peterson launched a website, letsbuyspiritair.com, to give the campaign a home beyond TikTok. The site does not collect actual investments. Instead, it asks visitors how much they would hypothetically be willing to contribute toward a fan-owned Spirit revival. That distinction matters. These are not payments, investments, or binding financial commitments. They are pledges entered into a form, which then feed a public total displayed on the site. Even with that major caveat, the numbers caught attention fast. Early coverage reported that hypothetical pledges had already crossed $88 million. As the campaign spread from social media to local television and business outlets, the total kept climbing. Later reports said it had passed $130 million. By early May, some outlets were citing totals north of $335 million, with others putting the tally at at least $337 million. One local report said the website suggested a starting pledge of $45, described as close to the average cost of a Spirit one-way fare. The same coverage said the campaign reported an average pledge of $989; a figure that only added to the sense that the campaign was living somewhere between genuine support and meme-fueled exaggeration. Outside the internet bubble, though, experts have been quick to pour cold water on the fantasy. Business outlets and analysts have stressed that the campaign’s headline number is not real money in any practical sense. The pledges are non-binding, not held in escrow, and not tied to any official acquisition structure. And even if every dollar somehow became real overnight, experts say the figure would still fall short of what it would take to buy and restart a major airline. Reviving a grounded carrier would require far more than hundreds of millions of dollars. It would involve debt, aircraft, staffing, maintenance, airport access, fuel costs, customer obligations, and a maze of regulatory approvals. Just as important, there is no sign that Spirit itself is engaging with the campaign as a real proposal. Reports have noted that the airline did not publicly comment when asked about the effort. There have also been no public filings showing that Peterson or any organized group behind him has made a formal move to acquire Spirit’s assets. Peterson has not tried to hide the fact that he is learning as he goes. In follow-up posts and media interviews, he has acknowledged that he is not an aviation expert and does not claim to understand every financial or legal detail involved in running an airline. That is part of what makes the story so compelling. The campaign sits in a blurry zone between internet stunt and genuine public yearning. By some accounts, Peterson has admitted the idea started more as online humor. But the more attention it got, the more it seemed to tap into something bigger: public frustration with corporate failure, nostalgia for a chaotic but cheap airline, and fascination with the idea that ordinary people could reclaim something from the wreckage. There is also a warning buried inside the viral fun. Some media reports have flagged the appearance of copycat or scam-style sites trying to exploit the momentum around the campaign, underscoring the need for caution whenever internet buzz starts attracting money-themed spin-offs. For now, the facts remain straightforward. Spirit Airlines is still shut down. The pledge counter is still built on hypothetical numbers. And the TikTok campaign, while undeniably viral, is still a long way from becoming a real-world airline comeback. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/markets/stocks/articles/tiktok-creator-wants-buy-spirit-101804509.html Graduate Research Request candidate in Aviation with a specialization in Human Factors at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. With nearly 40 years of experience in aircraft maintenance and aviation safety, his dissertation research examines how Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMTs) experience and describe decision-making during troubleshooting, inspection, and repair activities in Part 121 and Part 135 operations. The IRB-approved study seeks currently employed Part 121 and Part 135 AMTs with at least one year of maintenance experience to participate in one confidential 60 to 75-minute virtual interview focused on real-world maintenance decision-making. Participation is voluntary and confidential, and no proprietary or company-specific information will be requested. Although employed by the FAA, this research is conducted solely in an academic capacity and is not affiliated with or conducted on behalf of the FAA. Individuals interested in participating or learning more may contact Steve Poiani at poianadf@my.erau.edu. Steve Poiani Doctoral Candidate Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University poianadf@my.erau.edu CALENDAR OF EVENTS . 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