Flight Safety Information - August 31, 2026 No. 170 In This Issue : Incident: DAT AT42 at Lampedusa on Aug 29th 2026, engine fire indication : Incident: KLM Cityhopper E195 at Amsterdam on Aug 25th 2026, flaps stuck : Incident: Smartwings B738 near Paris on Aug 29th 2026, smoke in cabin : Incident: Canada A320 at Toronto on Aug 29th 2026, pressurization issue : Incident: United B764 near Newark on Aug 28h 2026, lost RVSM capability : Incident: United B763 over Sardinia on Aug 27th 2026, loss of cabin pressure : Incident: Alliance AT42 at Bilaspur on Aug 28th 2026, tyre damage on landing : Incident: Atlanta Europe B744 at Liege on Aug 27th 2026, flaps problems : Incident: ANZ B789 at Auckland on Apr 25th 2026, brakes fault on line up : Incident: United B752 near Las Vegas on Aug 27th 2026, engine problems : Incident: French Bee A35K over Red Sea on Aug 19th 2026, interference navigation signals, inconsisttent DMEs : IAI 1124A Westwind II - Runway Excursion (Las Vegas, NV) : Passenger Jets Fly So Low Over Springboks-All Blacks Game Over Cape Town Stadium That Footage Looks Fake : FAA set to impose $60K penalty against Pa. airplane engine manufacturer : EU aviation safety agency narrows Gulf airspace warning : NTSB Vice Chairman Graham Retiring : China's three biggest airlines post heavy first-half losses as fuel shock bites : Riyadh Air Graduates First Cohort of Saudi Female Aircraft Maintenance Engineers : Embry-Riddle Researcher Advances Pilot Training Methods : Calendar of Events Incident: DAT AT42 at Lampedusa on Aug 29th 2026, engine fire indication A DAT Danish Air Transport Avions de Transport Regional ATR-42-500, registration OY-RUF performing flight DX-1846 from Lampedusa to Catania (Italy) with 48 passengers and 4 crew, was climbing out of Lampedusa's runway 26 when the crew stopped the climb at 3000 feet reporting a right hand engine fire indication (PW127E). The crew shut the engine down and returned to Lampedusa for a safe landing on runway 26 about 25 minutes after departure. Passengers reported the right hand propeller stopped turning. https://avherald.com/h?article=53f71a6e&opt=0 Incident: KLM Cityhopper E195 at Amsterdam on Aug 25th 2026, flaps stuck A KLM Cityhopper Embraer ERJ-195, registration PH-NXO performing flight KL-1013 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was climbing out of Amsterdam's runway 36L when the crew advised ATC they could not accelerate above 200 KIAS due to stuck flaps and stopped the climb at FL120. They needed to consult and subsequently decided to return to Amsterdam. The crew advised their approach speed would be above 180 KIAS. The aircraft landed safely on Amsterdam's runway 06 at a higher than normal speed (about 170 knots over ground) about 35 minutes after departure. A replacement Embraer ERJ-190 registration PH-EZF reached London with a delay of about 2 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 45 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53f69bb8&opt=0 Incident: Smartwings B738 near Paris on Aug 29th 2026, smoke in cabin A Smartwings Boeing 737-800 on behalf of Eurowings, registration OK-TSU performing flight EW-590 from Cologne/Bonn (Germany) to Palma Mallorca,SP (Spain) with 131 people on board, was enroute at FL370 about 20nm east of Paris (France) when the crew decided to divert to Paris Charles de Gaulle due to smoke in the aft cabin. The aircraft landed safely in CDG's runway 27L about 40 minuts later. The airline reported there was development of steam (smoke) in the aft galley. The passengers were taken to hotels and rebooked onto other flights. https://avherald.com/h?article=53f6903d&opt=0 Incident: Canada A320 at Toronto on Aug 29th 2026, pressurization issue An Air Canada Airbus A320-200, registration C-FCQD performing flight AC-167 from Toronto,ON to Edmonton,AB (Canada), was climbing through FL230 out of Toronto when the crew descended the aircraft to 10,000 feet due to problems with the cabin pressure. The aircraft returned to Toronto for a safe landing on runway 15L about one hour after departure. https://avherald.com/h?article=53f4d9b6&opt=0 Incident: United B764 near Newark on Aug 28h 2026, lost RVSM capability A United Boeing 767-400, registration N69059 performing flight UA-385 from Newark,NJ (USA) to Dubrovnik (Croatia), was climbing out of Newark when the crew stopped the climb at FL250 with a block altitude clearance FL240-FL260. The crew queried ATC what altitude they were showing, the controller responded they were showing FL250. Some time later the crew announced after working their checklists, that they were no longer RVSM (reduced vertical separation minima) capable and needed to return to Newark. The aircraft landed safely back on Newark's runway 04R about 90 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 767-400 registration N66051 reached Dubrovnik with a delay of about 7 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Newark about 15 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=53f4cb6f&opt=0 Incident: United B763 over Sardinia on Aug 27th 2026, loss of cabin pressure A United Boeing 767-300, registration N649UA performing flight UA-127 from Rome (Italy) to Washington Dulles,DC (USA), was enroute at FL330 over Sardinia when the crew initiated an emergency descent to FL100 due to the loss of cabin pressure. The aircraft diverted to Barcelona,SP (Spain) for a safe landing on runway 24R about 65 minutes later. Spain's ATC reported the crew had initiated an emergency descent due to the loss of cabin pressure with French ATC and decided to divert to Barcelona. While enroute towards Barcelona the aircraft dumped fuel. The aircraft is still on the ground in Barcelona 47 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53f48a4f&opt=0 Incident: Alliance AT42 at Bilaspur on Aug 28th 2026, tyre damage on landing An Alliance Air Avions de Transport ATR-42-600, registration VT-UDA performing flight 9I-613 from Delhi to Bilaspur (India) with 34 passengers and 3 crew, landed on Bilaspur's runway 35 but burst both of the left hand main tyres. The aircraft came to a safe stop on the runway and was disabled. The return flight was cancelled. The aircraft is still on the ground in Bilaspur about 29 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53f45f76&opt=0 Incident: Atlanta Europe B744 at Liege on Aug 27th 2026, flaps problems An Air Atlanta Europe Malta Boeing 747-400 freighter, registration 9H-AKA performing flight CC-2615 from Liege (Belgium) to Kinshasa N'djili (DR Congo), was climbing out of Liege's runway 22L when the crew stopped the climb at FL110 due to problems with the flaps. The crew decided to return to Liege and dumped fuel over the North Sea. While returning to Liege the crew decided to divert to Amsterdam (Netherlands) due to weather. The aircraft landed safely on Amsterdam's runway 18R at a higher than normal speed (about 182 knots over ground) about 2 hours after departure. The aircraft is still on the ground in Amsterdam about 38 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53f40bb6&opt=0 Incident: ANZ B789 at Auckland on Apr 25th 2026, brakes fault on line up An ANZ Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9, registration ZK-NZH performing flight NZ-81 from Auckland (New Zealand) to Hong Kong (China), was lining up runway 23L when smoke became visible behind the main wheels and the aircraft became disabled at the runway threshold due to a brakes fault. The aircraft was towed off the runway about 80 minutes after the aircraft stopped, the runway remained closed for landings with intersection takeoffs continuing during that time. The airline reported a technical issue with its braking system while positioning for takeoff at the end of the runway. A replacement Boeing 787-9 registration ZK-NZR reached Hong Kong with a delay of about 3 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 10 hours later. https://avherald.com/h?article=53f3f5aa&opt=0 Incident: United B752 near Las Vegas on Aug 27th 2026, engine problems A United Boeing 757-200, registration N34131 performing flight UA-1403 from Los Angeles,CA to Newark,NJ (USA) with 176 passengers and 7 crew, was climbing through FL320 out of Los Angeles when the crew stopped the climb and initiated a descent and diversion towards Las Vegas,NV (USA) due to problems with the left hand engine (RB211). The aircraft landed safely on Las Vegas' runway 26R about 25 minutes later, vacated the runway and stopped to have emergency services inspect the left hand engine and the brakes. A replacement Boeing 757-200 registration N13113 continued the flight but diverted to Cleveland,OH (USA). The remainder of the flight was cancelled. The FAA reported: "United Airlines Flight 1403 landed safely at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas around 7 a.m. local time on Thursday, Aug. 27, after the crew reported an engine issue. The Boeing 757-200 departed from Los Angeles International Airport and was traveling to Newark Liberty International Airport. The FAA will investigate." Passengers reported an engine failure. https://avherald.com/h?article=53f1fe47&opt=0 Incident: French Bee A35K over Red Sea on Aug 19th 2026, interference navigation signals, inconsisttent DMEs A French Bee Airbus A350-1000, registration F-HMIX performing flight BF-702 from Paris Orly (France) to Saint Denis (Reunion), was enroute at FL380 over the Red Sea when interference occurred on the GNSS signal. The crew continued the flight to Reunion. Descending towards Reunion the crew noticed inconsistencies on the radio navigation aids, especially DMEs. The crew continued the descent under visual flight rules and landed safely. The French BEA rated the occurrence an incident involving the malfunction of a circuit or component not part of the powerplant and opened an investigation. The aircraft departed for the return flight on schedule. https://avherald.com/h?article=53f20e50&opt=0 IAI 1124A Westwind II - Runway Excursion (Las Vegas, NV) Date: Friday 28 August 2026 Time: 01:28 Type: IAI 1124A Westwind II Owner/operator: SkyCare Air Ambulance Registration: C-GIAW MSN: 395 Year of manufacture: 1983 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Unknown Category: Accident Location: Las Vegas-Harry Reid International Airport, NV (LAS/KLAS) - United States of America Phase: Take off Nature: Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi Departure airport: Las Vegas-Harry Reid International Airport, NV (LAS/KLAS) Destination airport: Toronto-Pearson International Airport, ON (YYZ/CYYZ) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: An IAI 1124A Westwind aircraft veered left on takeoff roll on runway 26R at Las Vegas (LAS) and had a runway excursion. ADS-B data indicates that the aircraft was about 35 seconds into the takeoff roll, at a ground speed of 146 knots when it began veering to the left. It veered off the side of the runway at a ground speed of about 130 knots, crossed a taxiway and came to rest in the grass. The left main gear collapsed in the process. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/579233 Passenger Jets Fly So Low Over Springboks-All Blacks Game Over Cape Town Stadium That Footage Looks Fake Two Airlink airplanes flew dangerously low over DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday. The clip hit X and Instagram within minutes. Crowds packed the bowl for Springboks versus All Blacks. Then two green Embraers filled the frame. Francisco Cunha posted the first angle. "Just in: Airlink Embraers flew dangerously low over DHL Stadium in Cape Town. Video was backed by FlightRadar 24 data, which hinted they were as low as 50 ft AGL." The jets were ZS-YAE and ZS-YDE. Airlink painted both green for Rugby's Greatest Rivalry. One left Cape Town International around 2 p.m. and held over Robben Island. Then both ran the stadium. The first jet pitches up as it clears the roof. The tail drops. The second jet cuts pink smoke and stadium flares. New videos emerged later, adding to the noise on social media. This is not a fighter demo. An Embraer 190 is a regional airliner. Airlink flies the type on regular routes. About 55,000 people sat under that pass. AS Spain called it a moment that could have ended in tragedy. Why These Airplanes Looked Ready to Hit the Roof The pass was planned. Six Airlink captains flew a similar two-ship over Ellis Park earlier in the tour. Saturday's version looked tighter. The lead jet appears to pull as it meets the stands. The trailer sits in the pyrotechnics. That is the part that travels. Other angles from outside the bowl show more space. Roof cameras do the opposite. They make the belly look close enough to touch. Fortunately, there was no crash and no official injury report. Airlink wanted a show for kickoff. It got one. The airplanes did the job. The internet will argue the height until someone publishes the approved floor. https://www.yahoo.com/sports/articles/passenger-jets-fly-low-over-215647618.html FAA set to impose $60K penalty against Pa. airplane engine manufacturer WILLIAMSPORT — The Federal Aviation Administration has advised an aircraft engine manufacturer based in Williamsport that it intends to levy a $60,000 civil penalty against it. The FAA accuses Lycoming Engines, a Textron company, of violating aircraft maintenance regulations. It alleges a company aircraft repair station in September 2024 failed to follow the manufacturer’s manual while performing maintenance on four Lycoming TEO-540-CIA engines. The company released the engines for return to service without replacing the exhaust bypass valve assembly as required, the FAA said. Attempts to get a comment from Lycoming Engines or Textron were unsuccessful. The company has 30 days to respond to the FAA. The repair station location was not specified, but Lycoming Engines has a location at the Williamsport Regional Airport in Montoursville. The nearly century-old company makes piston engines for a wide range of aircraft, from helicopters and fixed-wing planes to airships. https://www.pennlive.com/news/2026/08/faa-set-to-impose-60k-penalty-against-pa-airplane-engine-manufacturer.html EU aviation safety agency narrows Gulf airspace warning Aug 31 (Reuters) - The European Union Aviation Safety Agency on Monday extended until September 30 its warning to airlines to avoid airspace over ‌the waters of the Persian Gulf within Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, narrowing an earlier advisory that recommended avoiding the countries' entire airspace. The new advisory comes hours after the U.S. and Iran resumed hostilities for the first time ⁠since late July. "While risks over the waters of the Persian Gulf remain high, operations necessary for arrivals at or departures from aerodromes within the affected Flight Information Regions may be conducted with sufficient mitigation," EASA said in its latest advisory for the Persian Gulf nations. It asked operators to exercise caution while operating above the land territory of these ‌nations, ⁠adding that airlines should also not operate over Gulf of Oman waters within Oman's Muscat flight information region. The agency lifted its previous recommendation that airlines avoid Jordanian airspace, but advised airlines ⁠to exercise caution through September 30. EASA also extended its recommendations that airlines not operate in the airspace of Iran, Iraq and Lebanon ⁠until the end of September. However, flights arriving at or departing from the Lebanese capital Beirut are permitted if ⁠the approach starts from the sea or the departure ends over the sea, the agency added. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/eu-aviation-safety-agency-narrows-gulf-airspace-warning-2026-08-31/ NTSB Vice Chairman Graham Retiring His departure would leave the five-member safety board with three members unless another member is seated before Oct. 2. National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Michael Graham announced Friday that he will retire Oct. 2, little more than three months after the Senate confirmed him to another five-year term on the board. The Senate confirmed Graham on May 18 to a term expiring Dec. 31, 2030. His retirement also comes less than six months after President Donald Trump designated him NTSB vice chairman for a three-year term. Friday’s announcement did not give a reason for the timing of his departure. Board Would Drop To Three Members The NTSB is structured as a five-member board and currently has four members: Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy, Graham, Tom Chapman and John DeLeeuw. Graham’s departure would reduce the board to three members unless another member is seated before Oct. 2. Under federal law, three members constitute the quorum required for the board to carry out its duties and powers. The board has undergone considerable turnover in the past year. Former member Alvin Brown was removed from the board by the White House in May 2025, while Todd Inman was removed in March. DeLeeuw, a former American Airlines safety executive and Boeing 787 captain, also joined the board in March. Aviation Safety Background Graham joined the NTSB in January 2020 after serving as director of flight operations safety, security and standardization at Textron Aviation. A former Navy F/A-18 pilot and airline transport pilot, he has logged more than 10,000 flight hours. During his NTSB tenure, Graham served as the board member on scene for investigations including the 2022 Wings Over Dallas midair collision and advocated for flight data monitoring and broader adoption of safety management systems. The NTSB announced his planned retirement Friday. https://avweb.com/flight-safety/accidents-ntsb/ntsb-vice-chairman-graham-retiring/ China's three biggest airlines post heavy first-half losses as fuel shock bites Biggest state-owned carriers post combined first-half net loss of about $1.2 billion Jet fuel costs jump 35% to 38% across three carriers as Middle East conflict drives prices higher First-half revenue rose about 10% at each airline, helped by stronger international travel Summer typhoons disrupted peak-season travel, clouding outlook for usually strongest quarter HONG KONG/BEIJING, Aug 31 (Reuters) - China's three biggest state-owned airlines reported first-half losses for the seventh consecutive year, battered by surging jet fuel prices, with the ‌outlook for the rest of the year clouded by a lacklustre summer season. Air China (601111.SS), opens new tab, China Eastern Airlines (600115.SS), opens new tab and China Southern Airlines (600029.SS), opens new tab posted combined first-half net losses of about 8.2 billion yuan ($1.22 billion), having warned last month the figure could reach as high as 9 billion yuan. The losses were a sharp reversal from their combined first-quarter profit of 4.82 billion yuan, which was boosted by strong Lunar New Year demand, and sent their shares lower in mainland China and Hong Kong trading on Monday. Flag carrier Air China reported a net loss of 2.3 billion yuan, widening from a 1.81 billion yuan loss a year earlier. China Eastern posted a loss of 2.2 billion yuan, versus a ⁠1.43 billion yuan loss in the same period of 2025. China Southern reported a loss of 3.7 billion yuan, compared with a loss of 1.53 billion yuan a year earlier. The weak results underscored the post-pandemic fragility of China's aviation sector, as the trio confronted what China Eastern described as a profit environment "severely undermined" by disrupted international routes and persistently elevated jet fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict. Fuel costs at each of the carriers rose between 35% and 38% in the first half. Unlike many Asian and European rivals, Chinese airlines hedge little of their fuel purchases, leaving them more exposed to oil price swings. China Southern said in its filing there was currently "no effective means available" to manage its exposure to jet fuel price fluctuations. Revenue growth was strong at the carriers, with Air China up 10.5%, China Eastern up 11.1% and China Southern up 9.7%, driven by international demand. European routes were particularly buoyant as some travellers avoided Middle Eastern hubs disrupted by the Iran war. But weaker economic conditions and competition from high-speed rail and driving holidays have hindered their ‌ability to ⁠make substantial domestic fare hikes like those seen in the U.S. market without depressing demand. The third quarter, typically the most profitable for Chinese carriers, has so far offered little relief, with an unusually strong typhoon season disrupting domestic routes during the peak summer travel period. Meteorological data shows 21 typhoons have formed in the northwestern Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea so far this year, nine more than the historical average for the same period. Aviation data firm Flight Master projected traffic carried ⁠by Chinese airlines on domestic and international routes would fall 3.6% year-on-year to 142 million passengers in July and August. That would mark the first contraction in the peak season since 2022, when much of China was locked down during the pandemic. HSBC analysts expect China's three biggest carriers to post combined losses of about 16.8 billion yuan in 2026, compared with the market expectation for a ⁠combined profit of 1.3 billion yuan. Shanghai-listed shares of all three carriers have fallen at least 36% so far in 2026 as weaker domestic travel demand has continued to pressure their profit outlooks, and none declared an interim dividend. The trio did report expanding their fleets of domestically made COMAC jets. China Eastern grew its fleet of the narrow-body planes to ⁠17 after taking three deliveries in the first half. Air China and China Southern each operated 11 C919s, having taken two and three deliveries respectively in the period. China Eastern said it expected to receive 13 fewer C919 deliveries than previously forecast between 2026 and 2028. Air China maintained its earlier forecast and China Southern did not disclose a forecast in its interim report. ($1 = 6.7260 Chinese yuan renminbi) https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/chinas-three-biggest-airlines-post-heavy-first-half-losses-fuel-shock-bites-2026-08-31/ Riyadh Air Graduates First Cohort of Saudi Female Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Riyadh Air has marked the graduation of its first cohort of Saudi female aircraft maintenance engineers, a step forward in the airline's push to build local expertise in a key aviation field. The event took place at the company's headquarters, attended by the graduates' families and senior management, and honored 26 engineers who completed a diploma through the Riyadh Air Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Programme. Developed with Colleges of Excellence and the International Aviation Technical College in Riyadh, the program is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia. It aims to give Saudi women internationally recognized skills while helping to create a national aircraft maintenance ecosystem. The initiative is part of Riyadh Air's broader talent development strategy, which also includes the Nawat graduate program and scholarships for co-piloting and aircraft maintenance, supporting the Kingdom's goals to strengthen its aviation sector. https://www.indexbox.io/blog/riyadh-air-graduates-first-cohort-of-saudi-female-aircraft-maintenance-engineers/ Embry-Riddle Researcher Advances Pilot Training Methods Goal Is To Improve Operational Performance At Major Airlines New research by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Presidential Fellow Dr. Barbara Holder examines pilot training performance at five major airlines to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement. Holder, an associate professor in the College of Aviation, School of Graduate Studies, found that airlines struggle to train and assess the nontechnical aspects of pilot performance, known as Crew Resource Management (CRM) and Threat and Error Management (TEM). The research, published in the journal associated with Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics International, introduces a new action-oriented training framework that goes beyond CRM and TEM by making explicit the nontechnical actions and strategies that are foundational for flight safety, she said. In the framework, the nontechnical aspects of performance are formulated as actions, or verbs, that pilots do on every flight. These include communicate; plan; lead and participate; manage time and tasks; and assure. Holder said the actions apply broadly across tasks and roles, making them recognizable, understandable and trainable. For example, an effective communication strategy is to “think out loud” when something comes to mind that may affect the safety of flight. The value of doing so is to engage the voice to make intentions and concerns available to other crewmembers. This allows them the opportunity to provide another perspective, countermand, creatively problem-solve and error-check. Holder said the framework has been tested and validated at two major U.S. airlines and one regional airline. The validations were conducted in three phases, she said, and the results indicate airline consensus on the framework's direction and relevance. https://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=2102D9C4-FA97-4450-B2AA-5AACA68A2E4E CALENDAR OF EVENTS . ALPA's 70th Air Safety Forum -September 14-17, 2026; Washington, DC . ICAO/EASA Third Global RSOO/RAIO Forum for Aviation Safety — September 29–30, 2026, in Georgetown, Guyana., https://www.icao.int/events : NATA Ground Handling Safety Symposium - September 15-16, 2026 Dallas/Fort Worth, TX www.nata.aero/ghss : Aircraft Cabin Air International Conference - 22-23 September 2026 . ISASI - BOSTON 2026 - September 28, 2026 – October 2, 2026 . Global Aviation Conference Frankfurt- 29-30SEP2026 - Frankfurt, Germany . Defence Aviation Safety Conference 2026 — October 5–6, 2026, United Kingdom. . European Aviation Training Summit 3 – 5 November 2026 • Estoril Congress Centre, Cascais, Portugal . 79TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY SUMMIT MONTREAL | NOVEMBER 10-12, 2026. . Airlines 2026 conference - November 11, 2026 (London) . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV . Gulf Flight Safety Association (GFSA)conference Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on the 28th and 29th of October 2026 . Bombardier Safety Standdown (November 10–12, 2026 in Wichita, KS) . Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection, and Investigation17 to 19 November 2026, Woburn MA . 2027 ACSF Safety Symposium - April 6-8, 2027 - ERAU Daytona Beach, FL Curt Lewis