Flight Safety Information - July 22, 2024 No. 145 In This Issue : Incident: American B738 at Dallas on Jul 21st 2024, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Aerologic B772 enroute on Jul 15th 2024, smoke from windshield : Incident: Qatar B788 near Basra on Jul 20th 2024, smoke in cabin : Incident: Southwest B38M at Tampa on Jul 14th 2024, descended below minimum safe height on approach : FAA probes latest Southwest Airlines flight that posed safety issues : Boeing exec says planemaker has settled on design for MAX 7 icing issue : Delta cancels another 600 flights on Monday in wake of cyber outage : Pilots launch bathroom campaign against one-pilot-only flights : NTSB completes investigation into Rochester hot air balloon collision with power lines : Boeing is losing $1 billion a month with planes awaiting parts - and they are sitting in employee parking lots : Korean Air purchases fifty Boeing wide-body aircraft to strengthen long-haul fleet : Calendar of Events Incident: American B738 at Dallas on Jul 21st 2024, engine shut down in flight An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N970AN performing flight AA-1552 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX to Colorado Springs,CO (USA) with 180 people on board, was climbing out of Ft. Worth's runway 18L when the crew stopped the climb at 10,000 feet reporting a right engine (CFM56) failure. The engine was shut down and the aircraft returned to Ft. Worth for a safe landing on runway 18L about 35 minutes after departure. https://avherald.com/h?article=51b6a450&opt=0 Incident: Aerologic B772 enroute on Jul 15th 2024, smoke from windshield An Aerologic Boeing 777-200 freighter, registration D-AALN performing flight 3S-585 (sched. dep Jul 14th, act. dep Jul 15th) from Anchorage,AK to Cincinnati,KY (USA) with 3 crew, was enroute at FL330 about 60nm southeast of Peace River,AB (Canada) when the crew observed smoke from the captain's aft side window. The crew donned their oxygen masks and called the relief pilot to the flight deck to assist with the procedures. The smoke ceased and the crew decided to continue to destination. The Canadian TSB reported maintenance could not reproduce the issue so far, troubleshooting continues. The aircraft continued to Leipzig (Germany) after 3 hours on the ground in Cincinnati. https://avherald.com/h?article=51b6a0b8&opt=0 Incident: Qatar B788 near Basra on Jul 20th 2024, smoke in cabin A Qatar Airways Boeing 787-8, registration A7-BCC performing flight QR-20 from Dublin (Ireland) to Doha (Qatar) with 270 people on board, was enroute at FL410 about 130nm northnorthwest of Basra (Iraq) when the crew decided to divert to Basra reporting smoke in the cabin. The aircraft landed safely on Basra's runway 32 about 25 minutes later. A replacement Airbus A350-900 registration A7-ALW reached Doha with a delay of about 8 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Basra about 23 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=51b6841c&opt=0 Incident: Southwest B38M at Tampa on Jul 14th 2024, descended below minimum safe height on approach A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration N8841L performing flight WN-425 from Columbus,OH to Tampa,FL (USA), had been holding enroute due to weather at Tampa before continuing the approach to Tampa. On final approach to Tampa's runway 10, ambient pressure was stated 30.14 in/Hg by tower, the crew was advised of a headwind gain of about 10 knots at low altitude and a "bumpy ride". The aircraft descended below minimum safe height, when tower issued a low altitude alert they levelled off. About 50 seconds after the low altitude alert tower queried whether they were planning to go around, which the crew affirmed. Tower cancelled the approach clearance and instructed a go around. The aircraft initiated a go around from about 370 feet AGL (compensated for local ambient pressure) about 4.2nm before the runway threshold. The aircraft climbed out to safety and diverted to Fort Lauderdale,FL (USA) for a safe landing about 40 minutes later. The aircraft remained on the ground in Fort Lauderdale for about an hour, then continued to Tampa for a landing without further incident. ADS-B data suggest the aircraft descended to about 370 feet AGL/MSL, about 150 feet measured to standard pressure (which puts the aircraft 220 feet higher than the transponder suggests due to ambient pressure at 30.14 in/Hg), about 4.2nm before the runway threshold before going around. https://avherald.com/h?article=51b5f8ed&opt=0 FAA probes latest Southwest Airlines flight that posed safety issues (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Saturday it is investigating a Southwest Airlines flight after it flew at a very low altitude over Tampa Bay, Florida, the most recent in a series of incidents raising safety questions. The July 14 flight by a Southwest Boeing 737 MAX that had departed from Columbus, Ohio, was approximately 3 miles (5 km)from the Tampa airport when it dropped to as low as about 175 feet (53 meters), according to Flightradar24 data. An air traffic controller alerted the crew of Southwest Flight 425 to their low altitude and the plane was diverted to Fort Lauderdale. Southwest said Saturday is in contact with the FAA "to understand and address any irregularities" following the July 14 flight. "Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees," the airline added. This was the latest in a string of Southwest flights that have raised safety concerns, including a Southwest 737 flight in April that came within about 400 feet (122 meters) of the ocean off Hawaii after the first officer inadvertently pushed forward on the control column and the plane hit a maximum descent rate of about 4,400 feet per minute. The FAA is also investigating another very low altitude Southwest flight about 9 miles (14.5 km) from the Oklahoma City airport. The June 19 incident involving Southwest Airlines Flight 4069 that had departed from Las Vegas dropped to about 500 feet. After an alert sounded, an air traffic controller alerted the flight crew. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and FAA are also investigating a Southwest 737 MAX flight on May 25 that experienced a "Dutch roll" at 34,000 feet while en route from Phoenix, Arizona, to Oakland, California. Such lateral asymmetric movements are named after a Dutch ice skating technique and can pose serious safety risks. The FAA is also investigating a June 25 Southwest flight that departed from a closed runway in Portland, Maine. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-faa-probes-latest-southwest-191210114.html Boeing exec says planemaker has settled on design for MAX 7 icing issue LONDON (Reuters) - Boeing's commercial airplane chief said the planemaker has settled on the design to address an engine anti-ice system that has significantly delayed certification of the 737 MAX 7 and suggested a fix could be completed by next year. The issue with the anti-ice system could lead to it overheating and potentially causing an engine failure. "We're progressing on the engineering," Stephanie Pope said in a meeting with reporters. Asked if the planemaker will conduct a flight test later this year and complete the fix around early to mid-2025, Pope did not offer a formal prediction but said she thought it would be around that time. Boeing, under scrutiny over its safety record after the mid-air blowout of a cabin panel on a new Alaska Airlines MAX 9, in January withdrew a request it filed with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last year seeking an exemption from a safety standard for the MAX 7 over the issue, which pushed potential certification into 2025 or later. Senator Tammy Duckworth in January urged Boeing to abandon the exemption request, saying the issue could "cause the engine nacelle to break apart and fall off. This could generate fuselage-penetrating debris, which could endanger passengers in window seats behind the wing." The FAA, which has repeatedly declined to put any timetable on approval, has said it "will thoroughly review any design Boeing submits." Boeing has said there have been no safety incidents observed in MAX 8 and MAX 9 planes in service stemming from overheating in the engine inlet. The planemaker issued guidance to airlines in June 2023 to follow established procedures when using the MAX's engine anti-ice system to address potential overheating, and the FAA in August 2023 mandated the existing procedure to turn off the engine anti-ice system when it is no longer needed. Southwest Airlines, the MAX 7's biggest buyer, said in January it no longer expected to take deliveries of the model this year. Boeing has said it must first win approval from the FAA for the MAX 7 before it can get the larger, better-selling MAX 10 certified. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-exec-says-planemaker-settled-155226131.html Delta cancels another 600 flights on Monday in wake of cyber outage (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines canceled more than 600 flights on Monday, as the U.S. air carrier continued to struggle to restore operations after last week's global cyber outage, even as other airlines were recovering from the incident. About 16% of Delta's flights had been canceled as of 7:00 a.m. EST, according to data from FlightAware, out of roughly 1,100 flights to or from the United States overall, the web site said. The issue has stranded thousands of Delta travelers across the United States, with some having to rent cars to drive hundreds of miles while others could have to wait days for new flights or cancel trips altogether. The Atlanta-based airline is battling operational issues after the outage hit its crew tracking system. Delta's total number of canceled flights since Friday has exceeded 5,000. A Delta spokesperson did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. A software update by global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike triggered system problems for Microsoft customers, including many airlines, on Friday. Although other U.S. airlines have largely recovered, Delta has struggled to return to normal. American Airlines had called off 1% of its flights on Monday, while United Airlines canceled less than 1%. Delta shares were little changed in premarket trading on Monday. Delta CEO Ed Bastian said over the weekend that the CrowdStrike issue affected its Microsoft Windows systems, snarling a critical application. "One of our crew tracking-related tools was affected and unable to effectively process the unprecedented number of changes triggered by the system shutdown," Bastian told customers in an email. In a separate note, he told employees that Delta would continue to "tactically adjust" schedules to ensure safety. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke with Bastian over the weekend, according to an official, reminding him of the carrier's responsibilities to customers and the department's enforcement role. CrowdStrike said a significant number of the 8.5 million affected Microsoft devices were back online. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/delta-cancels-another-600-flights-114520856.html Pilots launch bathroom campaign against one-pilot-only flights The European Cockpit Association (ECA), which represents airline pilots, will run an advertisement campaign in Brussels Airport’s bathrooms to protest the potential removal of one pilot from the cockpit during flights. The 20 – 27 July campaign comes as EU officials mull proposed rule changes to reduce minimum airline crew requirements, including an option which would see just one pilot on board certain flights. EASA confirmed that the rule changes were being considered following requests from airline manufacturers. Technological advances such as remote controls and autonomous operations may be able to complete operations currently undertaken by humans on board aircraft. European Cockpit Association (ECA) is the representative body of European pilots, and the adverts to be displayed in the airport bathrooms are part of its ‘OneMeansNone’ campaign, which aims to raise awareness about “the safety risks of reducing crew members”. According to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), two options are being assessed. ‘Extended Minimum Crew Operations’ (eMCO) would require only one pilot in the cockpit during the cruise phase while another pilot(s) on board is resting. ‘Single Pilot Operations’ (SiPo) would require only one pilot on board for the whole flight, from landing to departure inclusive. “We hope this campaign is a conversation starter, showing graphically just why we need at least two pilots in the cockpit,” said Captain Otjan de Bruijn, ECA president, in an 18 July press release. The advert material asks how an emergency would be handled if a sole pilot were taking a comfort break at the time—hence why the adverts are being placed in Brussels Airport’s bathrooms. “We cannot let airlines’ commercial interests get in the way of passenger safety”, de Bruijn continued.” The proposals are currently being evaluated by EASA, who told Euractiv, “The concept being investigated more intensely is eMCO. There is some consideration of SiPo, but only for freighters. There is no consideration of SiPo for commercial passenger flights at this time”. EASA added, “The overriding consideration is that safety must not be compromised. Operations must therefore be demonstrably at least as safe as the current two-pilot operations are today to gain approval”. EASA also explained that all parties and stakeholders are being involved in the process and that “an independent scientific research project has been commissioned”. An ECA video states that EASA will recommend any rule changes to the European Commission in 2026. However when asked by Euractiv, EASA said that it “can’t comment on where they are in the process,” but that “there is no firm timeline for the introduction of either type of operations.” Technological solutions are increasingly able to replace human operators in several transport sectors, including rail, maritime and road. The European Commission has noted that “automation and digitalisation are creating many new challenges as well as opportunities for the transport workforce,” and in November 2023, released guidelines on how to manage the impact of these trends on workers. https://www.euractiv.com/section/aviation/news/plots-launch-bathroom-campaign-against-one-pilot-only-flights/ NTSB completes investigation into Rochester hot air balloon collision with power lines There was a ‘loud crackle’ when the balloon hit the power lines. ROCHESTER — As far as conclusions go, an investigation by the federal National Transportation Safety Board into a hot air balloon accident in Rochester that happened earlier this year doesn’t stray too far from what millions of people observed in the video that went viral. The NTSB report released last week concludes in a succinct one-sentence statement that the probable cause of the accident was pilot Michael Lesmeister’s “failure to maintain clearance from power lines while landing in a field.” An NTSB investigator did not travel to the accident site. A disclaimer notes that the purpose of its investigations is not to “assign fault or blame for an accident.” Lesmeister was cleared to pilot again three weeks after the accident, he said. The crash, which happened March 20, 2024, was the talk of the town for several days. The Minnesota Department of Transportation video shows the balloon descending rapidly to the ground and making contact with power lines along U.S. Highway 63 South between 40th Street Southwest and 48th Street Southwest. The collision created an explosive burst of sparks and an electrical arc that separated the basket from the envelope. Gophers senior Ben Warian hits a chip as teams participate in day four of the 2024 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship at the La Costa Resort & Spa Champions Course on Monday, May 27, 2024 in C... The basket plummeted the rest of the way to the ground. Miraculously, Lesmeister and the two passengers climbed out of the basket with only minor injuries. “(A) loud pop crackle was heard, momentary stop, then (a) crackle of shower of sparks,” Lesmeister stated in a three-page handwritten accident report about the terrifying moment. “I vaguely remember the fall, (the) impact with (the) surface. (The) Gondola lay down in a forward motion face down in (a) dry grass ditch.” In addition to Lesmeister, there were two crew members who served on the ground: Dan Campion as a ground chaser and David Greenwaldt as a ground crew member. Mark Schafer of Oronoco and his stepson were the passengers. On the bottom of the basket is a picture of Ben Schafer, Mark Schafer’s son. A veteran, Ben was 37 when he died tragically at home, according to his obituary. Lesmeister gives free air balloon rides to veterans and their families to honor their service. Lesmeister said that the forecast that day predicted strong, gusting winds in the morning that were expected to drop off later in the day. The sky was clear when the hot balloon was launched around early evening. Fifteen minutes into the flight, the balloon began a descent. As Lesmeister approached a landing spot parallel to Highway 63 on the west side of the road, the wind abruptly shifted. Because of the speed of the wind shear, there was not enough time to lift the balloon clear of the fast-approaching powerlines. With the surface wind picking up speed, Lesmeister tried to get to the ground as soon as possible by pulling the deflation port at the top of the balloon down to release heat from it. He told his passengers to sit low in the basket because a hard impact with the surface tends to eject the passengers. The 16 steel cables connecting the gondola to the envelope hit three power lines. The collision created an arc that severed 12 of the 16 cables. The four remaining wires snapped as a result of the overload. After the crash landing, the three crawled out of the gondola, and except for bumps and bruises, miraculously free of grievous injury. The shower spark caused dozens of small grass fires in the field. With the help of some volunteers, the gondola was dragged away from the fires. The balloon envelope drifted away and was retrieved a mile away from a tree line. Lesmeister believes there was an intervention that spared them from a more tragic outcome. He said the first 911 calls reported that there were four passengers in the basket when in actuality there were only three. Lemeister believes Ben Schafer, whose memory is honored with his picture on the basket, was the fourth man. “He broke our fall,” he said. https://www.twincities.com/2024/07/20/ntsb-completes-investigation-into-rochester-hot-air-balloon-collision-with-power-lines/ Boeing is losing $1 billion a month with planes awaiting parts - and they are sitting in employee parking lots Boeing is burning through more than $1 billion in cash a month as it has dozens of new planes sitting outside factories in need of parts. Part shortages and other issues have left Boeing with roughly 200 mostly finished jets sitting on airfields, outside plants and even in employee parking lots, according to the Wall Street Journal. Some planes need interior parts and others need engines, according to the report. While others are finished and awaiting delivery to China. The delay in parts is due to supply-chain shortages that have lingered since the pandemic, according to the Journal. For example, seat suppliers haven’t been able to meet demand because of material shortages. There have also been fewer temperature-regulating parts than typical. Because the 200 planes aren’t in the air, the manufacturer is losing around $1 billion a month. The loss of money is the latest bad news for the beleaguered airline that has seen its reputation and bottom line take a hit following a series of airline safety issues. “It kind of begs the question: When are you going to deliver these things,” Ron Epstein, an aerospace analyst at Bank of America, told the Journal. “They can only sit around so long before you have to do something with them.” Boeing has seen its production slowdown since the safety concerns launched a series of federal investigations. In fact, those slowdowns might be helping Boeing as it leads to fewer planes being produced than normal and fewer sitting waiting for final parts. In total, the company has delivered about 90 fewer planes this year, compared to the same time last year. Boeing officials say they are working to remove the parked planes and get them completed. The company also noted that the backup of planes hasn’t had a slowdown in production because of a lack of space. “As we have delivered hundreds of 737s and dozens of 787s from inventory in recent years, we have reduced the parking space needed at several sites,” Boeing told the outlet. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-losing-1-billion-month-021437706.html Korean Air purchases fifty Boeing wide-body aircraft to strengthen long-haul fleet Korean Air has committed to purchasing up to 50 Boeing wide-body aircraft, including 20 777-9s and 20 787-10s, with options for 10 more 787-10s. This decision aims to enhance Korean Air’s long-haul fleet, improving operational efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. The new aircraft will support the airline’s expansion and renewal plans ahead of its merger with Asiana Airlines, targeting high-demand markets in Europe, North America, and Asia. Boeing’s advanced technologies in these aircraft will provide enhanced passenger comfort and sustainability. Press release: Korean Air Commits to Up to 50 Boeing Widebodies to Strengthen Future Long-Haul Fleet Boeing and Korean Air announced today the airline’s intent to purchase up to 50 of Boeing’s highly fuel-efficient widebody airplanes, including 20 777-9s and 20 787-10s with options for 10 more of the largest 787 Dreamliner variant. Korean Air’s selection of the 777-9 and 787-10 supports planned growth and renewal of its fleet in size, range and capacity to reach high-demand markets in Europe and North America, as well as popular regional routes within Asia. The carrier will leverage the market-leading efficiency and versatility of these widebody jets to enhance its fleet while adding flexibility to its global network ahead of its anticipated merger with Asiana Airlines. “The addition of the Boeing 777-9 and 787-10 aircraft marks a significant milestone in our strategic objective to expand and upgrade our fleet,” said Walter Cho, Chairman and CEO of Korean Air. “This investment underscores our commitment to providing a best-in-class flying experience. These new airplanes will elevate passenger comfort and enhance operational efficiency, while significantly reducing carbon emissions, supporting our long-term commitment to sustainable aviation.” When finalized and posted to Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website, Korean Air will be the latest customer to purchase the world’s largest and most fuel-efficient twin engine jet. The 777-9 can seat 426 passengers in a two-class configuration with a range of 13,500 km (7,285 nautical miles) and the 787-10 can carry up to 336 passengers with a range of 11,730 km (6,330 nautical miles). “We are honored Korean Air has selected our largest, most efficient widebody airplanes to add capacity to its global network,” said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “Boeing airplanes have played an integral role with Korean Air over the past 50 years, and the 777X and 787 Dreamliner will continue to support the airline’s long-term goals for sustainability and continued growth.” The 777-9 features advanced technologies from the 787 Dreamliner family, including new carbon-fiber composite wings and engines that will enable the airplane to achieve 10% better fuel efficiency, CO2 emissions and operating costs than the competition. Meanwhile, the fuel efficiency of the 787 has helped operators avoid more than 169 billion pounds in CO2 emissions since entering service. Recently rated the #2 airline in the world by airlineratings.com, Korean Air continues to optimize its global route network and looks to maintain its status as a leading global carrier. The airline will feature new business class suites and Wi-Fi capability onboard its new 787-10s, further enhancing its award-winning onboard service. Korean Air’s Aerospace Division currently supplies components for the 787 program, including the model’s unique raked wing-tip. The supplier also produces parts for a number of Boeing airplanes including the 737 MAX, 767 and 777. https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/korean-air/purchases-fifty-boeing-wide-body-aircraft-to-strengthen-long-haul-fleet/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS • Airborne Public Safety Association, Inc. (APSCON 2024) - July 29 - August 3; Houston TX • 2024 FAA Drone and AAM Symposium, July 30-August 1 | Baltimore, MD • Asia Pacific Summit for Aviation Safety (AP-SAS 2024), Aug. 13-15, Beijing, China. • Asia Pacific Airline Training Symposium - APATS 2024, 0-11 September, 2024, Singapore • Aircraft Cabin Air International Conference - 17 & 18 September - London • 2024 Ground Handling Safety Symposium (GHSS) - September 17-18, 2024 - Fort Worth, TX • 2024 ISASI - Lisbon, Portugal - September 30 to October 4, 2024 • DEFENCE AVIATION SAFETY 2024 - 2 OCTOBER - 3 OCTOBER 2024 - LONDON • International Congress of Aerospace Medicine ICAM 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal, 3 - 5 October 2024 • Aviation Health Conference back on Monday 7th and Tuesday 8th October 2024 • Safeskies Australia Conference, Canberra Australia - 16th and 17th of October 2024 - www.safeskiesaustralia.org • 2024 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition - Oct. 22-24 (Vegas) • Sixth Edition of International Accident Investigation Forum, 21 to 23 May 2025, Singapore Curt Lewis