Flight Safety Information - July 2, 2026 No. 129 In This Issue : Incident: Wizz Malta A21N near Bratislava on Jun 28th 2026, first officer incapacitated : Incident: ULS Cargo A333 at Istanbul on Jun 30th 2026, engine failure : 26 June 2026 - Tokushukai Medical Group Honda HA-420 HondaJet accident (Japan) : Corporate jet, box truck collide on taxiway at RDU; no injuries reported : Pilots of Avianca flight AV55 is declaring an emergency during U-turn over middle of Atlantic : NORAD Urges Pilots to Check TFRs Ahead of ‘Freedom 250’ Events : Navy helicopter crashes in Arabian Sea; search ongoing for missing sailor : 2 jailed after laser strike on State Patrol aircraft : AAIB Report: De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited DHC-8, 9H-LWB : FAA Proposes New Rules For Civil Supersonic Flight : How F-16 Fighter Jets Have Evolved Over Nearly 50 Years Of Service : UPS never required detailed inspection of part that failed before engine flew off plane that crashed : Calendar of Events Incident: Wizz Malta A21N near Bratislava on Jun 28th 2026, first officer incapacitated A Wizz Air Malta Airbus A321-200N, registration 9H-WMC performing flight W4-1686 from Catania (Italy) to Gdansk (Poland), was enroute at FL350 north of Bratislava (Slovakia) when the captain decided to turn the aircraft around and divert to Bratislava due to the first officer becoming incapacitated. The aircraft landed safely on Bratislava's runway 31 about 25 minutes later. Medical services assisted the first officer, who refused transport to the hospital. The airline reported the health condition of one of the flight crew deteriorated during the flight, the captain diverted the aircraft to Bratislava where medical services provided assistance to the affected crew member. Slovak Medical Services reported the 25 year old man with gastritis refused transport to the hospital. The aircraft was able to continue the flight about 100 minutes after landing and reached Gdansk with a delay of about 3:15 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=53b49c97&opt=0 Incident: ULS Cargo A333 at Istanbul on Jun 30th 2026, engine failure An ULS Airlines Cargo Airbus A330-300 freighter on behalf of THY Turkish Airlines, registration TC-GOL performing flight TK-6078 from Istanbul (Turkey) to Muscat (Oman), was climbing out of Istanbul's runway 35L with a delay of about one hour when the crew stopped the climb at 8000 feet due to an engine (Trent 772) failure. The aircraft entered a hold at 5000 feet for 3.5 hours to burn off fuel and returned to Istanbul for a safe landing on runway 34L about 4 hours after departure. The aircraft returned to service about 13 hours after landing back and reached Muscat with a delay of about 18 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=53b49231&opt=0 26 June 2026 - Tokushukai Medical Group Honda HA-420 HondaJet accident (Japan) Date: Friday 26 June 2026 Time: 17:30 Type: Silhouette image of generic HDJT model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different Honda HA-420 HondaJet Owner/operator: Tokushukai Medical Group Registration: JA333P MSN: 42000031 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Category: Accident Location: Osaka-Yao Airport (RJOY) - Japan Phase: Landing Nature: Ambulance Departure airport: Tokyo-Narita Airport (NRT/RJAA) Destination airport: Osaka-Yao Airport (RJOY) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: HondaJet overran Runway 27 during landing at Yao Airport. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, but there was no fire or fuel leak, and all three occupants on board were uninjured. JTSB launched an investigation as a serious incident. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/573018 Corporate jet, box truck collide on taxiway at RDU; no injuries reported Officials are investigating after a truck and a corporate jet collided on Taxiway C at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. MORRISVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Officials are investigating after a corporate jet ( Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100) and a box truck collided on a taxiway at Raleigh-Durham International Airport on Wednesday. The incident happened on Taxiway C. RDU confirmed there were no injuries to the truck driver or the two people aboard the aircraft. The small plane, owned by a membership company called Nicholas Air, sustained significant damage to the nose area. The airfield was shut down for nearly an hour but later reopened and is operating normally for both arriving and departing flights, airport officials said. At least 20 flights had to be diverted. The cause of the collision remains under investigation. https://abc11.com/story/truck-corporate-jet-damaged-apparent-collision-rdu-taxiway/19429809/ Pilots of Avianca flight AV55 is declaring an emergency during U-turn over middle of Atlantic PARIS — An Avianca flight bound for South America was forced to make a dramatic mid-Atlantic U-turn today after the flight crew declared an inflight emergency. Avianca flight AV55, operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (registration N792AV), departed Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) at 09:35 CEST, heading for El Dorado International Airport (BOG) in Bogotá, Colombia. Flighttracking software The transoceanic flight was proceeding normally for the first leg of its journey. However, after more than three hours in the air and while cruising at 31,000 feet over the open Atlantic Ocean, the crew suddenly broadcast a Squawk 7700 code, the international transponder signal indicating a general emergency. Mid-Atlantic Turnback Flight tracking data indicates that the widebody aircraft initiated a sharp turnaround just as it was passing over the Azores, an archipelago region in the mid-Atlantic. Rather than attempting to push forward to South America or land in the remote Azores, the pilots opted to head back toward mainland Europe. Tracking projections show the aircraft is currently steering east-northeast, likely redirecting toward a major diversion airport in either Portugal or Spain, where robust maintenance and passenger accommodations are available. AirTravel https://airlive.net/emergency/2026/07/01/pilots-of-avianca-flight-av55-declared-an-emergency-during-u-turn-over-middle-of-atlantic/#google_vignette NORAD Urges Pilots to Check TFRs Ahead of ‘Freedom 250’ Events NORAD is warning pilots to carefully check NOTAMs to avoid airspace violations. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is reminding pilots to closely review airspace restrictions and flight planning information as the United States prepares for “Freedom 250” celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary. In a June 30 press release, the command said Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) will be issued around select commemorative events to protect participants and maintain aviation safety. Officials emphasized that pilots operating under visual flight rules should pay particular attention to Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) before departure, as restrictions may change based on location and timing. The command noted that it continues to operate under Operation Noble Eagle, its standing homeland defense mission conducted in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration and other federal, state, and local partners. Officials also reminded aviators that TFRs are established by the FAA to protect both public events and national security interests. Violations can result in military intercepts, enforcement action, and heightened risk in the airspace system. NORAD said the goal of its advisory is not only enforcement awareness, but prevention—encouraging pilots to use flight planning tools, verify NOTAMs, and ensure routes remain clear of restricted areas before departure. As large-scale Independence Day-related and anniversary events approach across the country, aviation authorities typically see a rise in temporary restrictions and heightened airspace monitoring. NORAD said the “Freedom 250” period will be no exception. “Staying informed and complying with TFRs helps ensure safe and secure skies for everyone,” the command said, reinforcing its message that airspace security is a shared responsibility among military, civilian, and general aviation pilots. https://avweb.com/aviation-news/norad-tfr-freedom-250-airspace-advisory/ Navy helicopter crashes in Arabian Sea; search ongoing for missing sailor It is the latest aviation mishap for U.S. forces during the war with Iran. A Navy helicopter crew member is missing following an emergency landing in the Arabian Sea, officials said Wednesday, the latest aviation mishap for U.S. forces during the war with Iran. Three of the four crew members on board were recovered and are in stable condition, and there are no indications enemy fire brought the aircraft down, Navy officials in the region said in a statement. The search for the fourth crew member is ongoing, according to the statement. Navy officials declined to say what mission the crew was conducting at the time of the incident. The helicopter, an MH-60S Sea Hawk, can perform missions including anti-ship warfare and cargo and personnel transport. The helicopter is assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush. At least 43 aircraft have been shot down, crashed or damaged since the war with Iran started in late February, including a Black Hawk helicopter struck by Iranian fire last month and an F-15E fighter jet shot down in April, prompting a daring rescue for the crew inside Iran. In March, six service members were killed when an Air Force refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/07/01/navy-helicopter-crashes-arabian-sea-search-ongoing-missing-sailor/ 2 jailed after laser strike on State Patrol aircraft LANCASTER County —Two people are in custody after a laser strike on an Nebraska State Patro airplane. At approximately 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, a Nebraska State Patrol Pilot and Tactical Flight Officer (TFO) were performing an aerial patrol above the city of Lincoln when their plane was struck by a laser from the ground, a ccording to a media release from the Patrol. Any laser strike constitutes an in-flight emergency. Troopers were able to determine that the laser came from the area of Portia and Knox streets in north Lincoln. The Patrol Tactical Flight Officer communicated with Lincoln Police Officers on the ground and directed them to the area where the laser strike had originated. Officers found two people at the location, as well as a laser, a controlled substance, and drug paraphernalia. Police arrested Alena Moniz, 43, and Jade Ways, 39, both of Lincoln, for possession of a controlled substance. Troopers also responded and cited Moniz for attempted second degree assault on an officer, in relation to the laser strike. “Pointing a laser at an aircraft is extremely dangerous,” said Lieutenant Justin Grint, Commander of the NSP Aviation Support Unit. “A laser strike can temporarily blind a pilot, and at a minimum takes the pilot’s attention away from flying the aircraft. Never point a laser at an aircraft.” Pointing a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime. NSP has reported the laser strike to the Federal Aviation Administration and the investigation remains ongoing. According to the FAA, there were 20 laser strikes reported in Nebraska in 2025. https://jcpost.com/posts/906611fe-58c6-414a-af95-cf06c09988d5 AAIB Report: De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited DHC-8, 9H-LWB De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited DHC-8 (9H-LWB), runway excursion, Runway 27, Guernsey Airport, 23 April 2024 On a flight returning to Guernsey from London Gatwick the Commander tried to execute a gentle touchdown, the aircraft floated and touched down about two-thirds down the runway length, it then overran the end of the runway at slow speed. There were no injuries to the passengers or crew and the aircraft was undamaged. The flight was being operated under a Wet Lease agreement and following the Serious Incident both the Lessee and the Lessor made changes to their safety management systems. Two safety actions were implemented after the event; one to enhance the Lessee’s initial understanding of how flights under Wet Lease contracts were being operated, and the other was the implementation by the Channel Islands Director of Civil Aviation of an Augmented Review of Foreign Carrier Permit (FCP) Applications for Wet Lease operations in the Channel Islands. One Safety Recommendation resulted from the investigation regarding the location of emergency checklists in the DHC-8 Quick Reference Handbook. Read the report. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/aaib-report-de-havilland-aircraft-of-canada-limited-dhc-8-9h-lwb FAA Proposes New Rules For Civil Supersonic Flight The agency has launched rulemaking aimed at allowing next-generation supersonic aircraft to operate over land under new noise standards. The FAA has begun developing rules that could allow civil supersonic aircraft to operate over the U.S. under a new noise-based certification framework. In a June 30 announcement, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the agency is taking “a pivotal step” toward enabling supersonic operations over the continental U.S., arguing that advances in aircraft design could allow supersonic flight without the disruptive sonic boom that led to a decades-long ban over land. The FAA said the proposed rule would establish a noise-based certification framework for supersonic aircraft. A second rule, expected later this year, would set takeoff and landing noise standards for the new class of high-speed aircraft. Together, the actions are intended to give manufacturers clearer regulatory guidance as they work to develop next-generation supersonic designs. FAA officials said the goal is to support safe operations while minimizing noise impacts on communities near airports and along flight paths. The FAA has long prohibited civil aircraft from exceeding Mach 1 over land, a restriction tied to concerns about noise from sonic booms. Current research programs, including NASA-led efforts and industry demonstrators, have focused on shaping aircraft designs and flight profiles intended to soften or redirect shockwaves. Under the proposed framework, supersonic aircraft would be evaluated based on measurable noise thresholds rather than a blanket prohibition on breaking the sound barrier over land. The FAA said it is also coordinating with international regulators and industry stakeholders as it develops the new standards. The agency aims to finalize both the certification and operational noise rules by mid-2027. https://avweb.com/aviation-news/faa-new-rules-for-civil-supersonic-flight/ How F-16 Fighter Jets Have Evolved Over Nearly 50 Years Of Service Though icons will always remain icons, that doesn't mean that they don't have to evolve over time. To compete and stay relevant, it's crucial to be able to change and adapt. For celebrities, this often means releasing a timely autobiography if your career's gone a bit quiet. Meanwhile, with technology, frequent upgrades tend to be needed. With military technology, this is especially important. The F-16 fighter jet is an extraordinary aircraft acclaimed for its versatility. Equipped with a suite of weapons including 2,000-pound bombs and a M-61A1 20-millimeter, it's adept at engaging surface and aerial targets alike, and with a range of more than 2,000 miles and capacity to fly at more than 50,000 feet, it can perform a wide range of roles. Particularly so when considering its sophisticated controls and avionics. To maintain its versatility, the F-16 has seen a variety of upgrades over its long life to date. Here's when the model was first introduced, and the variants and enhancements have been implemented since. Here's how it's remained relevant in the face of the mighty F-35 and other such aircraft. The story of the F-16 begins In 1972, the U.S. military sought a relatively uncomplicated new aerial weapon: A fighter focused on eliminating threats from other aircraft. The perspective plane, it was specified, should also be inexpensive and practical to operate (at least, by the standards of sophisticated Air Force aircraft). Lockheed Martin (formerly General Dynamics Corporation) would develop the Flying Falcon F-16 in the wake of the Lightweight Fighter project. F-16 designer Harry Hillaker explained to Code One magazine that research around the F-15's time demonstrated that "it was possible to have a fighter that was twice as maneuverable with twice the mission radius of the F-4D Phantom while weighing only 17,050 pounds." Buoyed by the efforts of John Boyd, a fighter pilot who prized the maneuverability of fighters over the likes of raw speed, the project continued, and the F-16 was first fielded in January 1979. At approximately $14.6 million (fiscal 98 constant), the first F-16s (the F-16A) held true to the promise of being effective, agile, adaptable aircraft that weren't budget-busters. This has largely remained the case throughout the F-16 family's life to date, even though the initial model has been transformed in a variety of ways. How has the F-16 changed over time? An F-16 fighter jet angular flight An F-16 fighter jet angular flight - Vanderwolf-images/Getty Images The F-16 is more than a potent weapon; it's also become a valuable training tool. Some F-16B models boast room for a second crew member, allowing pilots-in-training to gain some first-hand experience while supported by another. The brilliant solution to making the extra space was to reduce the internal space taken up by fuel, thereby not compromising the aircraft's arsenal. Since the early 1980s, the F-16 family has been equipped with advanced radar and other functionality to help enable it to perform regardless of atmospheric conditions and other factors. This is critical, of course, in an aircraft designed for versatility above all. The Sniper XR and LANTIRN systems also became compatible, and available weaponry has evolved to the Falcon C, and D can equip the AIM-120 AMRAAM. The aircraft's utility in the United States and beyond has advanced, too. Though it's largely set to be retired in favor of the F-35, it still has its place in the US military's fighter line-up. Indeed, the Block 70/72 model represents a new evolution of the F-16, wielding the likes of a Center Pedestal Display and APG-83 AESA radar (the latter being closely linked to that of the F-35) unlike any the aircraft has boasted before. https://www.yahoo.com/tech/transportation/articles/f-16-fighter-jets-evolved-214500040.html UPS never required detailed inspection of part that failed before engine flew off plane that crashed UPS never required the detailed inspections needed to spot the problem that led to an engine to fly off one of its planes before it crashed even after Boeing recommended it years earlier, according to new documents posted Wednesday by crash investigators. But UPS said in its own submission to the National Transportation Safety Board that the reason it never required those enhanced bearing inspections inside the pylons that hold the engines to the wings of its MD–11 freighters is because Boeing said incorrectly that the failure of those bearings wouldn’t jeopardize the safety of flight. And the enhanced inspections were never required. The plane crashed last fall while accelerating down the runway at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing killed all three pilots and 12 people on the ground. Twenty-three more were injured. The failures that kept mechanics from taking a close look at the key parts securing the engines to the wings were highlighted at two days of investigative hearings on the crash in May, but the documents released Wednesday provide additional details. The NTSB might not publish its final report on the cause of the fiery crash that happened as the UPS plane was trying to take off in Louisville, Kentucky, last November until late this year or possibly early next year. But UPS said it’s clear “once the pylon separated from the aircraft, the crash was inevitable.” Boeing and Federal Aviation Administration officials acknowledged during the hearings that they misunderstood the risks related to the potential failure of a steel bearing and metal sheath in the engine mount before the crash, not realizing that it could lead to the lugs that secure engines to an MD-11’s wings breaking. The bearings are tucked deep inside near the pylons, so problems are hard to spot without removing each engine for detailed inspections. Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said the actions of Boeing, UPS, FAA and the maintenance company STE San Antonio Aerospace all contributed to this crash. “There’s just lots of subtleties and semantics that these four entities are using. But in the end, this got missed and to some degree, all four have some role to play in that,” said Guzzetti, who used to investigate crashes for both the NTSB and FAA. “Safety is a shared responsibility, and I think the NTSB’s task now is to apportion that responsibility.” Failure of key part securing the engine never identified Chris Hentz, who is Vice President of STE San Antonio Aerospace, said UPS only required its mechanics to check for corrosion and not for signs of bearing failure. But Hentz and UPS both pointed out that even as Boeing said “changes to the inspection requirement of the spherical bearing were warranted” the planemaker said in the same letter that the existing inspection requirements were sufficient. Hentz said in his letter that Boeing “stated that while the MD-11 inspection intervals and requirements for an inspection of the aft bulkhead were sufficient, changes to the inspection requirements of the spherical bearing were warranted to ensure that the migration of the outer race would be reliably detected and identified during inspection.” UPS said that even though Boeing developed an enhanced inspection procedure that it added to the MD-11 maintenance manual, the planemaker never added that procedure to its federally approved maintenance schedule that would have required it. “Relying on Boeing’s representations that the issue was not safety-of-flight and that existing MPD inspections were sufficient, UPS determined that no additional changes to its maintenance program were necessary beyond what was already being performed.” the package delivery giant said. Past problems didn’t trigger alarm At one point, Boeing even successfully petitioned the FAA to extend the schedule for required inspections from once every 19,900 cycles of takeoffs and landings, to once every 29,260, so that airlines could complete more of the major maintenance tasks simultaneously, with less down time. The planemaker sought the change even after receiving reports about seven of the flaws in the bearings well before the planes had reached their original inspection limits. In the years after the schedule was relaxed, three more instances were discovered before the crash. The UPS plane that crashed after losing its engine had flown 21,043 cycles, so it should have been thoroughly inspected under the original schedule. There has been only one other crash, decades earlier, involving a similar plane model losing an engine, but that one was blamed on improper maintenance and not the same flaw. FedEx and other operators of these MD-11s reported at least 10 other instances of failures of these bearings or the parts that hold them in place over the years before the UPS crash. But it’s not clear what these other operators might have been doing differently in their maintenance. FedEx resumed flying its MD-11s in May after the FAA approved Boeing’s plan to ensure their safety. The engine mounts were closely inspected following the November crash, and going forward the spherical bearings will be replaced regularly, after every 4,000 cycles of takeoffs and landings. UPS decided to retire all of its MD-11s early after this crash. https://wreg.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-ups-never-required-detailed-inspection-of-part-that-failed-before-engine-flew-off-plane-that-crashed/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS . 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 . EAA AirVenture Oshkosh - July 20–26, 2026 . July 20-24, 2026 | Farnborough, UK - Farnborough Airshow 2026. . ICAO/EASA Third Global RSOO/RAIO Forum for Aviation Safety — September 29–30, 2026, in Georgetown, Guyana., https://www.icao.int/events : 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 . Global Aviation Conference Frankfurt- 29-30SEP2026 - Frankfurt, Germany . 79TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY SUMMIT MONTREAL | NOVEMBER 10-12, 2026. . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV . 2027 ACSF Safety Symposium - April 6-8, 2027 - ERAU Daytona Beach, FL Curt Lewis