Flight Safety Information - September 30, 2026 No. 192 In This Issue : Accident: Flydubai B38M near Tabuk on Sep 30th 2026, fight in the cockpit, first officer under investigation for suspected suicide attempt : Accident: Indigo A21N at Bangalore on Sep 27th 2026, tail strike on go around : Airbus A320-214 - thermal runaway of the lithium battery of a portable power bank (China) : FlyDubai flight diverts to Saudi Arabia after reported fight between pilots : Plane Passengers Use Blankets to Shield Themselves as Water Pours from Ceiling Shortly After Takeoff : Lufthansa flight makes emergency landing in Manchester due to mysterious smell : Concern over Sydney airport as near misses and runway incursions at 20% above national average : US FAA hiring two Southwest Airlines employees for senior roles : BA Stock Clocks Worst Day In Nearly 1.5 Years As FAA Reportedly Puts Max 10 Certification On Hold : Calendar of Events Accident: Flydubai B38M near Tabuk on Sep 30th 2026, fight in the cockpit, first officer under investigation for suspected suicide attempt A FlyDubai Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration A6-FKF performing flight FZ-1073 from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Tel Aviv (Israel) with 174 passengers and 6 crew, was enroute at FL340 about 130nm northeast of Tabuk (Saudi Arabia) when the aircraft descended from FL340 to about 19000 feet within about 90 seconds reportedly due to a fight in the cockpit. The transponder code for unlawful interference was transmitted prompting the dispatch of Israeli fighter jets to the aircraft. The aircraft subsequently levelled off at about 15000 feet, changed the transponder code to general emergency and diverted to Tabuk for a landing without further incident about 85 minutes after leaving FL340. The captain received serious injuries from multiple stab wounds, the first officer was subdued. Passenger photos show two persons in the aisle and in passenger seats with blood on their shirts. Passengers report a physical fight broke out in the cockpit, someone attempted to stab a pilot with a pocket knife, they saw a lot of blood. The plane was out of control for some time, passengers helped to bring the situation under control. A number of cabin crew and passengers managed to get through the cockpit door and restrain the attacker, who was pinned against the floor. Control of the aircraft was regained thereafter. Local Authorities are investigating whether one of the pilots stabbed the other one and are also looking into the possibility that one of the pilots attempted suicide by crashing the aircraft. Israeli Authorities have opened an investigation against the first officer amid growing indications that he tried to take over the aircraft in order to crash it. An Israeli official reported that two other pilots in civil clothes travelling as passengers intervened successfully, these are also the ones shown on the passenger pictures with blood on their shirts. One of the pilots were citizens of South Africa, the other of New Zealand. Israel's Air Defense Forces report the captain is citizen of the United Arab Emirates, the first officer Omani citizen. The Omani citizen is believed to have attempted to crash the aircraft. The airline reported the aircraft carrying 174 passengers including 27 children experienced an incident enroute. Another aircraft is being sent from Dubai to Tabuk to pick the passengers up. The airline later confirmed the emergency was triggered by a fight between the pilots. The airline is investigating the incident and has also informed Israeli Authorities. https://avherald.com/h?article=5423fa17&opt=0 Accident: Indigo A21N at Bangalore on Sep 27th 2026, tail strike on go around An Indigo Airlines Airbus A321-200N, registration VT-NHP performing flight 6E-6542 from Guwahati to Bangalore (India), was on short final to Bangalore's runway 27L at 12:54L (07:24Z) when the crew initiated a go around, however the tail of the aircraft contacted the runway surface. The aircraft climbed to 6000 feet, positioned for another approach and landed on runway 27L without further incident about 20 minutes after the go around. The airline confirmed an abnormal runway contact in gusting conditions. All customers and crew were safe, authorities have been informed. India's DGCA have opened an investigation into the occurrence. https://avherald.com/h?article=54217b7a&opt=0 Airbus A320-214 - thermal runaway of the lithium battery of a portable power bank (China) Date: Tuesday 29 September 2026 Time: 12:10 Type: Airbus A320-214 Owner/operator: China Eastern Airlines Registration: B-6872 MSN: 4886 Year of manufacture: 2012 Engine model: CFMI CFM56-5B4/P Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Location: Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG/ZPPP) - China Phase: Taxi Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Nanjing-Lukou International Airport (NKG/ZSNJ) Destination airport: Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG/ZPPP) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: China Eastern Airlines flight MU2715, an Airbus A320 landed at Kunming Airport at 12:10. While the flight was taxiing, a thermal runaway of the lithium battery of a portable power bank carried by a passenger occurred. The flight crew immediately took action, the flames were promptly contained. No injuries were reported. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/582778 FlyDubai flight diverts to Saudi Arabia after reported fight between pilots A FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Israel was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia Wednesday, briefly raising concerns about a possible hijacking and prompting Israel to scramble fighter jets. Israeli media outlets, citing security officials, said the incident stemmed from a feud between the commercial plane's two pilots and that everyone on board was safe after it landed in Tabuk, where there is a civilian airport adjacent to a Saudi military base. The Jerusalem Post reported that one pilot tried to hijack the plane but was subdued by other members of the flight crew and passengers, citing an unnamed Israeli official who told the newspaper that a "major disaster was narrowly avoided." The official told the paper that during the altercation, the plane dropped around 13,000 feet. Israeli sources told the Post that the would-be hijacker was an Omani national. There was no immediate confirmation of the details from Israeli or Saudi officials. The crew of FlyDubai flight 1073, a Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, transmitted an emergency alert shortly after takeoff on Wednesday, according to publicly available flight tracking information. A regional official briefed on the incident told the Associated Press a fight broke out in the cockpit apparently involving the pilots, but the official did not say what had caused the altercation. The AP cited a second official confirming that Israel had scrambled warplanes, fearing a possible hijacking of the plane carrying dozens of Israeli citizens. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned in recent days of unspecified, escalating security threats to Israel and its interests. Netanyahu's office later issued a statement saying the situation was under control and Israel was working to bring the passengers home. Emergency landings for personnel reasons are rare but not unheard of. In 2022, two Air France pilots were suspended after fighting in the cockpit on a Geneva-to-Paris flight, though the plane landed as scheduled in the French capital. FlyDubai is the lower-cost sister carrier of the United Arab Emirates state-owned flagship carrier Emirates airlines. The UAE has become a popular vacation destination for Israeli tourists since the two nations normalized ties in 2020. Israel has not experienced a plane hijacking in decades, but it maintains some of the strictest airport security in the world. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee posted about the incident Wednesday on X, saying: "Well this had everyone in the Middle East (esp Israel) on FULL ALERT this morning." "Glad it wasn't more serious," he added, "but having pilots inflight detouring to 'fist city' not your ordinary experience." https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/flight-tel-aviv-diverts-saudi-075924144.html Plane Passengers Use Blankets to Shield Themselves as Water Pours from Ceiling Shortly After Takeoff One traveler on board Emirates flight EK123 said the dripping water was coming down “like a waterfall” Emirates said in a statement to PEOPLE that excess condensation caused water to leak inside flight EK123 from Dubai to Istanbul Cabin crew relocated passengers whose seats became wet and followed standard procedures, according to the airline The Airbus A380 continued to Istanbul as scheduled after no further water was observed Plane passengers were in for an unexpected surprise during a recent flight to Turkey. Travelers on board Emirates flight EK123 were repeatedly splashed with water that was leaking from the ceiling of the Airbus A380 while it was en route to Istanbul from Dubai Thursday, Sept. 17, according to Newsflare. Footage of the incident shows a steady stream of water leaking down from the "Exit" sign above, as well as water droplets pouring down from the ceiling directly over passengers. The travelers appeared to try and shield themselves with the blankets provided by Emirates as other passengers turned their heads to see what was going on. Hsin Ying Chang, a Taiwanese passenger sitting in economy, told Newsflare that the dripping water was coming down "like a waterfall" and that it occurred shortly after takeoff. She claimed the cabin crew moved passengers away from the impacted area "without explanation or apology," some being placed in seats at the front of the plane while others were sent to the back near the galley. In a statement shared with PEOPLE, an Emirates spokesperson said the airline "can confirm that an accumulation of condensation resulted in water being observed in a part of the cabin shortly after take-off on flight EK123 from Dubai to Istanbul on 17 September 2026." The spokesperson added that the cabin crew "relocated affected customers whose seats had become wet" and "responded in accordance with established procedures." "No further water was observed during the flight, which continued to Istanbul as scheduled. We apologize to the affected customers for the inconvenience caused," the statement concluded. According to data from FlightAware, Emirates flight EK123 departed Dubai International Airport at 10:47 a.m. local time on Sept. 17, and landed at Istanbul Airport around 2:27 p.m. local time after less than five hours in the air. https://www.yahoo.com/travel/news/articles/plane-passengers-blankets-shield-themselves-212907808.html Lufthansa flight makes emergency landing in Manchester due to mysterious smell An unusual smell in the plane cabin of a long-haul Lufthansa flight to Toronto caused an emergency diversion to Manchester earlier this week. Lufthansa flight LH470 took off from Frankfurt, Germany for an eight-hour flight to Toronto, Canada, at 3pm local time on 26 September. Just over an hour and a half into the flight, while flying over Loch Lomond in Scotland, the Boeing 747 made a sharp U-turn and diverted its course south. A Lufthansa spokesperson told The Independent that the flight, with 371 passengers on board, "turned back over Scotland for safety reasons". "The reason was a smell in the cabin. An emergency landing was declared to secure priority landing rights, and the aircraft landed safely in Manchester." The plane arrived in Manchester at 4.20pm. "Since the plane landed overweight due to fuel, it was inspected by the fire department as a precaution. The passengers were then able to exit the plane normally," the spokesperson added. Lufthansa accommodated the passengers in hotels for the night while it prepared a replacement flight for the following day. Passengers then flew from Manchester to Toronto on Sunday, 27 September at 5.40pm on a different plane, and landed in Toronto at 11.52pm local time. Lufthansa said that after inspecting the plane on the ground in Manchester, its maintenance team identified and resolved the cause of the smell, but did not confirm its origin. The plane eventually flew from Manchester to Frankfurt on the evening of 28 September. "We apologise to our guests for this situation and the disruption to their travel plans. The safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority at all times," the airline added. Mysterious smells have previously caused planes to make unexpected landings mid-flight. Passengers on a Swiss International Air Lines flight spent the night in Brussels after their original plane was grounded because of an unusual odour coming from the forward galley, where the crew prepare snacks and drinks. Meanwhile, in March, passengers travelling on a 14-hour British Airways flight to London complained of a "foul smell" after a woman passed away on board. A woman in her 60s died shortly after take-off on a flight from Hong Kong to London Heathrow. Following the decision to store the body in a heated galley towards the rear of the plane, passengers claimed they could smell a bad odour. The plane did not land early, however, as the situation was not considered an emergency due to the passenger already having passed away. Guidelines from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) state that when a person has been declared dead, they should be moved to an isolated seat, put back into their own seat or, at the crew's discretion, into another area not obstructing an aisle or exit. https://www.yahoo.com/travel/news/articles/lufthansa-flight-makes-emergency-landing-092302235.html Concern over Sydney airport as near misses and runway incursions at 20% above national average Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigating staffing gaps as key factor in four incidents in July and August Modelling by Sydney airport’s air traffic control operators predicted elevated fatigue risks for staff at the time of a series of major safety incidents, with a review identifying runway incursions and near misses at 20% above national averages. Staffing gaps at Sydney airport are being investigated as a key factor in four incidents in July and August this year, according to the investigating authority, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau [ATSB]. Angus Mitchell, the ATSB chief commissioner, released preliminary investigation reports on Wednesday that confirmed staffing levels had “emerged as a recurring area of enquiry”. An air traffic controller has warned changes related to new Western Sydney International Airport had been rushed, with “inadequate training for controllers, of all experience levels”. Sydney air traffic controllers have ‘grave concerns’ about collision risk after airspace redesign Air Services Australia, which operates the tower, had predicted fatigue risks for staff at the time of the incidents as part of roster modelling processes. While fatigue risk does not necessarily mean individual air traffic controllers are tired at the time of an incident, the effectiveness of measures to manage any risk is being queried. Investigators will consider whether staff combining operational roles contributed to the incidents, along with routine reliance on overtime to fill shifts and training and supervision being conducted alongside normal duties. “Nationally, over the decade, reported ground confliction [incident] rates have remained broadly steady,” Mitchell said. “However, Sydney recorded the highest confliction rate per aircraft movement post-Covid among the major airports, about 20% above the national average. “This should be viewed in the context of Sydney airport being the most complex in the country.” The four incidents include a near miss on 27 July, when a Qantas Boeing 737 was cleared by controllers to cross in front of a Qantaslink Dash 8. The two aircraft came within 120m of each other at the same time as a controller completed a handover to a colleague in order to take a rest break. The report said the break was required to manage the controller’s predicted fatigue risk level, “which was high for their shift”. The incident was given the most serious safety classification, only the third time the rating has been used since Australian records began. On 9 August, a Jetstar A320 braked abruptly to avoid colliding with a Qatar Boeing 777 which was being towed. A flight attendant onboard the Jetstar plane fell and fractured her wrist. On the same day, a Qantas Boeing 737 was cleared to cross a runway in front of a Virgin 737 that had been cleared for takeoff. On 18 August, a Qantas A321 had to brake when a Qantas Boeing 737 passed in front of it. Mitchell said in Sydney, ground incidents attributed to air traffic control actions had increased since the Covid period. “Sydney has also recorded twice the annual average number of information and procedural errors compared to other airports,” he said. “Higher-consequence incidents, including runway incursions, taxiway near-collisions and losses of separation attributed to [air traffic control] have also increased at Sydney post-Covid, driven partly by the July and August peak.” The transport minister, Catherine King, said she expected Airservices Australia to cooperate fully with the investigations and fix any problems. She announced the creation of a new independent assurance panel for Sydney air traffic control. The regulator, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority [CASA], said it believed none of the incidents presented an “immediate safety risk” and air travel was safe in Australia. A spokesperson said Airservices Australia would review the interim reports and completed investigations. “The aviation safety system is designed to manage operational risks through multiple safeguards and, based on the information currently available, the recent occurrences do not indicate an immediate safety risk to the travelling public.” Final reports from the investigations are expected in 2027. Last month Guardian Australia revealed Sydney air traffic controllers had warned safety regulators of “grave concerns” about changes to airspace rules, likening the situation to the months leading up to a crash in Washington DC in which 67 people died. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/30/sydney-airport-safety-investigation-plane-incidents-near-collisions-staffing US FAA hiring two Southwest Airlines employees for senior roles WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said it hiring two Southwest Airlines (LUV.N), opens new tab employees for senior roles at the agency and is tapping a senior official at NetJets to serve as the agency's chief counsel starting next month. FAA ⁠Administrator Bryan Bedford said Chris Kelly, a senior regulatory attorney at Southwest Airlines, will join the FAA as the new associate administrator for airports. Other changes: * Southwest senior federal affairs director Michael Ciamarra will join the FAA as assistant administrator for ⁠policy and rulemaking. * Jeff DeVore, who has been in-house counsel at NetJets, will serve as the new FAA chief counsel. * ⁠Current Chief Counsel and acting deputy administrator Liam McKenna is being named FAA Chief ⁠Strategy Officer * Bailey Wood named FAA assistant administrator for government and ⁠industry affairs, who most recently has been director of strategic communications for Vertical Aviation International. https://www.reuters.com/business/us-faa-hiring-two-southwest-airlines-employees-senior-roles-2026-09-29/ BA Stock Clocks Worst Day In Nearly 1.5 Years As FAA Reportedly Puts Max 10 Certification On Hold FAA is delaying certification of Boeing's 737 Max 10 variant due to a newly flagged software issue. The Wall Street Journal first reported the underlying problem on Saturday, citing Boeing documents. The jet was previously expected to be certified in the coming weeks. The Max 10 is the largest jet in Boeing's best-selling single-aisle family and has been years behind schedule. Boeing (BA) shares fell about 7% on Monday, clocking its worst day since April 2025, as investors digested a fresh regulatory setback for the company's biggest 737 Max 10 variant jet. FAA To Delay Boeing 737 Max 10 Approval Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is delaying certification of the 737 Max 10 variant because of a newly flagged software issue, just as Boeing appeared close to winning approval to start delivering the jet, Bloomberg reported. According to the report, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told reporters at an event near Washington that the agency will wait until it decides whether the glitch is a "safety of flight" concern. He added that approval will wait until the FAA is "satisfied that we don't have an issue here." BA's Software Concerns The Wall Street Journal first reported the underlying problem on Saturday, citing Boeing documents. The Journal said an update to the flight-management computer can drop automated vertical navigation after a missed approach if the crew changes the planned path. In that narrow case, pilots may have to fly more themselves at low altitude. Boeing reportedly told operators in August that the issue was not an immediate safety risk and said it had reminded airlines of existing procedures. A lasting software fix had been slated for 2028; the company now says it is trying to move that work up. The glitch is tied to flight-management software versions 14 and 14.1. The recently certified Max 7 used version 14. The Max 10 used 14.1 in certification testing. Southwest and United have told Boeing they do not want new jets with the affected software and would rather take an earlier version, the Journal reported. Several U.S. airlines said their in-service Max fleets do not use those builds. The FAA said over the weekend it was reviewing the issue. The jet was previously expected to be certified in the coming weeks. Why BA's Max 10 Delay Matters The Max 10 is the largest jet in Boeing's best-selling single-aisle family and has been years behind schedule. Flight testing finished in July. As recently as last week, Alaska Airlines, one of the large customers, still thought certification could come within days. The smaller Max 7 was certified in August, with first deliveries also hanging in the balance if regulators treat the software as a safety issue. The jet accounts for roughly 30% of Boeing's undelivered 737 orders. Firm Max 10 orders have been cited in the 1,400-to-1,500 range. Starting deliveries would let Boeing begin converting a large slice of that backlog into cash. How Did BA Retail Traders React? On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around BA stock stayed 'bullish' over the past 24 hours, while message volume rose from 'normal' to 'high' levels. A Stocktwits user opined that a software issue is not sufficient to warrant selling the stock. Another user, likewise, dismissed the concerns. BA stock has fallen 15% year-to-date. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/markets/stocks/articles/ba-stock-clocks-worst-day-214140609.html CALENDAR OF EVENTS . ISASI - BOSTON 2026 - September 28, 2026 – October 2, 2026 . 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) . CHC Safety & Quality Summit - 11th – 13th November 2025 - Vancouver, BC Canada . 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