Flight Safety Information - August 6, 2024 No. 156 In This Issue : Incident: Azul E195 at Sao Paulo on Aug 2nd 2024, bird strike : Incident: ITA BCS3 at Genoa on Aug 4th 2024, smoking engine : Incident: Southwest B38M near West Palm Beach on Aug 4th 2024, cell phone battery emits smoke in cockpit : Incident: Uzbekistan A320 enroute on Aug 3rd 2024, hail strike : Hearing to probe Alaska Airlines emergency on Boeing jet : Airport scare: Jet From Dunkirk Crashes on Jamestown Runway : New Zealand helicopter pilot killed in Papua, police say : Instructor charged with manslaughter in Pennsylvania plane crash that killed student pilot : Million Air Dallas Launches Aviation Safety Action Program : Feds Indict Airline Passenger for Propositioning Flight Attendant, Trying to Open Aircraft Door : Ethiopian Airlines blocked from acquiring Nigeria Air by court order : FAA Safety Inspectors To Get $5,000 Contract Bonus : Calendar of Events Incident: Azul E195 at Sao Paulo on Aug 2nd 2024, bird strike An Azul Linhas Aereas Embraer ERJ-195, registration PR-AXU performing flight AD-2782 from Sao Paulo Congonhas,SP to Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont,RJ (Brazil), was climbing out of Congonhas' runway 35R when a large vulture impacted the right hand engine (CF34). The crew stopped the climb at FL100 and decided to divert to Sao Paulo Viracopos,SP (Brazil) for a safe landing. The aircraft is still on the ground at Viracopos about 76 hours (3 days 4 hours) after landing at Viracopos. https://avherald.com/h?article=51c0846e&opt=0 Incident: ITA BCS3 at Genoa on Aug 4th 2024, smoking engine A ITA Italia Trasporto Aereo Bombardier C-Series CS-300, registration EI-HHI performing flight AZ-1380 from Genoa to Rome Fiumicino (Italy), was climbing out of Genoa's runway 10 when passengers saw one of the engines (PW1524G) was emitting smoke prompting the crew to stop the climb at about FL140 and return to Genoa for a safe landing on runway 28 about 20 minutes after departure. The passengers were taken to Milan Linate (Italy) by bus and flown to Rome from there. The aircraft is still on the ground in Genoa about 37.5 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=51c082d3&opt=0 Incident: Southwest B38M near West Palm Beach on Aug 4th 2024, cell phone battery emits smoke in cockpit A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration N8889Q performing flight WN-3204 from Chicago Midway,IL to Miami,FL (USA), was in the initial descent towards Miami when the crew observed smoke from a cell phone on the flight deck and decided to divert to West Palm Beach, where the aircraft landed without further incident. The FAA reported: "Southwest Airlines Flight 3204 landed safely at Palm Beach International Airport around 6 p.m. local time on Sunday, August 4, after the crew reported smoke on the flight deck from a cell phone battery. The Boeing 737 MAX departed from Chicago Midway International Airport and was headed to Miami International Airport. The FAA will investigate." The aircraft is still on the ground in West Palm Beach about 21 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=51c0816b&opt=0 Incident: Uzbekistan A320 enroute on Aug 3rd 2024, hail strike An Uzbekistan Airways Airbus A320-200, registration UK32015 performing flight HY-9684 from Krasnoyarsk (Russia) to Tashkent (Uzbekistan), was enroute at FL360 when the aircraft encountered hail. The aircraft continued to Tashkent for a safe landing on Tashkent's runway 08R. A weather front line was moving over Kazakhstan at the time the aircraft crossed Kazakhstan. The aircraft is still on the ground in Tashkent about 53 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=51c067d2&opt=0 Hearing to probe Alaska Airlines emergency on Boeing jet US investigators will on Tuesday open a two-day hearing into a near-catastrophic January incident on a Boeing 737 MAX operated by Alaska Airlines that required an emergency landing. Video of the episode showed oxygen masks hanging in front of a gaping airplane space from a panel that blew out shortly after takeoff, leaving passengers exposed to open air at an altitude of about 16,000 feet. The hearing in Washington aims "to determine the facts, circumstances, and probable cause of the transportation accident... and to make recommendations to improve transportation safety," said the National Transportation Safety Board, which is overseeing the probe. The plane soon went back to Portland where it safely landed, although there were eight minor injuries. The NTSB immediately launched a probe and after a month said four bolts securing the panel were missing, according to preliminary findings released February 6. The agency has collected written documents and photos showing that Boeing employees removed four bolts from these locations during an inspection at the Renton plant in Washington state prior to delivery of the aircraft last October. Over the course of two day-long sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday in Washington, the NTSB will hear from about 15 witnesses. Speakers include Elizabeth Lund, senior vice president for quality at Boeing, among other officials at the company, as well as officials from key supplier Spirit AeroSystems, regulator Federal Aviation Administration and the machinists union. The witness list does not include Alaska Airlines. Lund came under fire from the NTSB after providing a detailed summary of the incident in June to journalists touring the company's Renton plant. Boeing staff identified five "non-conforming" rivets in the fuselage after the arrived in Renton, but the issue "did not create a safety hazard," Lund told reporters. But when the fuselage panel, known as the door plug, was removed to replace the rivets, Boeing staff failed to file the documentation to make the change on the door plug, Lund said. "We believe that plug was opened without the correct paperwork," Lund told reporters. "There was a non-compliance to our processes at that point." She also said Boeing was focused on closing a "gap" over the lack of documentation and that determining who did the work "is the responsibility of the NTSB and that investigation is still going on." - Boeing sanctioned - After Lund's comments were published in June, the NTSB announced it was sanctioning the company for sharing details about an ongoing probe that were not supposed to be discussed publicly. Lund "released non-public investigative information and made unsubstantiated speculations about possible causes of the Jan. 5 door-plug blowout, which is directly at issue in the ongoing investigation," the NTSB said in a June 27 letter to Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun. Some of the information "was either inaccurate or unknown to the NTSB," the letter added. "This disregard of the federal regulations and rules governing NTSB investigations cannot be tolerated." As a result, the NTSB said it is blocking Boeing from reviewing information gathered in its investigation and will not permit the company to ask questions of other witnesses at the hearing. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy in March had also sharply criticized Boeing's handling of the probe, telling a congressional hearing the company was dragging its feet in providing key documentation and witnesses involved in working on the plane. Tuesday's hearing comes as Boeing faces heavy scrutiny from regulators following the January incident and in the wake of congressional testimony from whistleblowers who say the company punishes workers who raise safety issues while moving to cover up problems. https://www.yahoo.com/news/hearing-probe-alaska-airlines-emergency-013654671.html Airport scare: Jet From Dunkirk Crashes on Jamestown Runway An electrical failure is being blamed for a Monday morning emergency crash landing at the Jamestown airport. A Cessna Citation X, reportedly hangared at the Dunkirk Airport, was en route to Jamestown and then to Florida, according to airport officials. However, it is alleged by officials that at some point in the flight there may have been an electrical failure or an issue of some type of mechanical/equipment failure which prohibited the pilot from declaring an emergency or sending out a May-Day distress signal. “We believe they lost all electric,” said Shannon Fischer, airport manager. “Both the pilot and co-pilot were able to walk away from the aircraft. The pilot was flown to UPMC and the co-pilot was transported to UPMC Chautauqua.” “The pilot was flown for protocol,’ said PJ Wendel, Chautauqua County executive. “The other gentleman was alert and conscious.” Fischer said that the pilot and co-pilot were both males. Submitted Photo The wreckage of a Cessna Citation X which crashed Monday at Jamestown Airport. According to Noel Guttman, director of Chautauqua County Emergency Services, approximately eight to 10 volunteer fire departments, ambulances and other vehicles responded to the scene. “Once we understood that we weren’t fighting a fire with bodies still inside of it (the plane), it was a little easier mentally to deal with. … We were not short of any manpower. We had a lot of resources at hand,” Guttman said Guttman added the biggest challenge was making sure there was enough water on hand to fight the fire. Because responders were dealing with jet fuel, Guttman said foam was used to put out the fire. Guttman said there was no initial damage to the runway. Fischer also stated, “Our guys noticed they (plane) were going down quickly, called 9-1-1 and got the firefighting truck out there quickly.” Smoke can be seen from the crash at the airport. Fischer also said the survivability of the crew was due to their skills at aviation. “A good pilot and knowing how to make an emergency landing.” Fischer then talked about what the next steps would be. https://youtu.be/4oHX_wbc7dQ “The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) will let us know when we can reopen,” said Fischer. “Also, the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) and the plane’s insurance company will come out and inspect. Fischer added that the Environmental Protection Agency also will be contacted. Fischer reported there was no long-term damage to the runway. She said the pilot, while landing short of the runway, kept control of the Cessna down the runway and landed the plane in the grass adjacent to the runway. “They were about 200 feet short of the runway, but the pilot kept the plane straight and veered off the runway at the last second,” she said. Wendel said there will be a debriefing of what went well and what can be improved. “From my position right now, what I saw today, things went very well and I can’t say enough about all our first responders in this part of the county,” Wendel said. Wendel added the plane was not burning on the runway because crews moved it onto the grass. According to soljets.com the Cessna Citation X boasts an incredible safety record with only one loss out of 314 units delivered as of 2021. This record underscores the aircraft’s reliability and the effectiveness of its design and operational protocols. This is the second crash at the airport within the last 14 months. On June 6, 2023, a single-engine plane crashed at Jamestown’s airport had just performed the second of two touch-and-go landings when it banked left and then right before crashing in a wooded area. Killed in the Cirrus SR-22 were its owner, 52-year-old Roger Ryall of Toronto, and 52-year-old David Hughes of British Columbia. Ryall was piloting the aircraft. https://www.observertoday.com/news/top-stories/2024/08/airport-scare-jet-from-dunkirk-crashes-on-jamestown-runway/ New Zealand helicopter pilot killed in Papua, police say A helicopter pilot from New Zealand has been killed in the Indonesian region of Papua, police have said. Glen Malcolm Conning, 50, was killed by a pro-independence group known as Free Papua Organisation (OPM), according to police. OPM spokesman Sebby Sambom told the BBC that he had not been able to verify the Indonesian authorities' claim. It comes nearly a year and a half after the abduction of another pilot from New Zealand, Phillip Mehrtens, who remains in captivity. Authorities say the group responsible for Mr Conning's death is the same that is holding Mr Mehrtens. Mr Conning was killed when rebels rounded up those on board the helicopter, including four passengers, after they landed in an isolated area in the Central Papua province, police said in a statement. The passengers are reported to be safe. The spokesperson for the police special operation in Papua, Bayu Suseno, claimed the pilot's body was taken to the helicopter and then burned along with the aircraft in Alama District, which can only by accessed by helicopter. Mr Conning was shuttling passengers for a private company. OPM spokesman Mr Sambom told the BBC that despite being unable to verify the claims, "if it was true, then the pilot is a spy because we have declared that the area is a war zone". Another pilot, Phillip Mehrtens, who remains in captivity, was kidnapped by Papuan rebels 18 months ago In February 2023, separatist fighters in Indonesia's Papua region took another New Zealand pilot hostage. Phillip Mehrtens, 37, was captured shortly after landing his plane in the remote mountainous area of Nduga to drop off passengers. Since then, Mr Mehrtens has been held captive by West Papua National Liberation Army fighters (TPNPB) - the armed wing of the OPM - who also attacked a number of Indonesian troops sent to rescue him, killing at least one. These hostile acts come in the context of a long-running, often brutally violent conflict between the Indonesian government and West Papua's indigenous people. Papuan rebels have been seeking independence from Indonesia for decades, and have previously issued threats and attacked aircraft which they believe are carrying personnel and supplies for Jakarta, the country's capital. The region is divided into six provinces and is separate from independent Papua New Guinea. Previously a Dutch colony, West Papua declared independence in 1961. However, Indonesia took over two years later and was formally given control in a UN-supervised vote in 1969. The UN vote is widely considered illegitimate as only about 1,000 Papuans took part in it. A pro-independence movement began shortly afterwards, which continues to this day. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm233yjj42xo Instructor charged with manslaughter in Pennsylvania plane crash that killed student pilot • A flight instructor involved in a crash that killed a student pilot in eastern Pennsylvania has been charged with involuntary manslaughter PHILADELPHIA -- A flight instructor charged with involuntary manslaughter for a crash that killed a student pilot in eastern Pennsylvania had surrendered his pilot's certificate after two prior crashes with students aboard, prosecutors said in an indictment unsealed Monday. Philip Everton McPherson II, 36, of Haddon Township, New Jersey, was in command of the single-engine Piper PA-28 when it left Queen City Airport in Allentown with the student on Sept. 28, 2022, according to the indictment. He told the National Transportation Safety Board that he took control of the plane from the 49-year-old student just after takeoff, when they encountered engine problems, according to an NTSB report. The plane soon crashed and caught fire, killing the student, who was identified only by the initials “K.K.". McPherson was seriously injured. According to federal prosecutors in Philadelphia, McPherson knew he was not competent to fly the plane for several reasons. First, he had twice been instructing students at Central Jersey Regional Airport in New Jersey when their plane veered off the runway during attempted landings, causing substantial damage in incidents prosecutors described as crashes. He then failed a certification exam and surrendered his pilot's license in October 2021. He is also charged with 40 counts of illegally flying with passengers despite not having a pilot's certificate after that date. McPherson pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on bail, court records show. The charges carry a maximum potential sentence of 128 years in prison. His lawyer, public defender Jonathan McDonald, declined to comment on the case. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/instructor-charged-manslaughter-pennsylvania-plane-crash-killed-student-112592551 Million Air Dallas Launches Aviation Safety Action Program Effort elevates safety culture at the business aircraft services company Million Air Dallas has stood up an Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) for its flight operations and maintenance teams. With the ASAP effort, the company said it is promoting a proactive safety culture by encouraging pilots and mechanics to voluntarily report any safety-related issues or events without fear of reprisal. Million Air Dallas provides business aircraft charter, Part 135 and 91 aircraft management, maintenance, and FBO services. “Implementing ASAP is a testament to our commitment to aviation safety and continuous improvement,” said Million Air Dallas president and CEO Don Rickerhauser. “This program will empower our teams to report safety issues freely and help us identify and mitigate risks effectively. Our ultimate goal is to ensure a safe and reliable experience for all our clients and staff.” In addition, Million Air Dallas director of safety Rodrigo Pezzoni said ASAP “represents a critical evolution in how we approach safety management. By encouraging open communication and addressing issues proactively, we are not only enhancing our operational standards but also reinforcing our dedication to the highest levels of safety and professionalism.” https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2024-08-05/million-air-dallas-launches-aviation-safety-action Feds Indict Airline Passenger for Propositioning Flight Attendant, Trying to Open Aircraft Door • He allegedly admitted to taking at least 10 marijuana edibles. A federal grand jury has indicted an "unruly" airline passenger after he allegedly propositioned a flight attendant for sex and attempted to open the aircraft’s exterior doors. The man allegedly attributed his outburst to consuming too many marijuana edibles, the strength of which was not known to him. Eric Nicholas Gapco, 26, of Delanco, NJ, is charged “with interference with a flight crew, and attempted damage to an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States” stemming from the July 18 incident, according to a press release from the Department of Justice. Gapco was traveling from Seattle, WA to Dallas, TX on American Airlines Flight 2101 when the episode occurred. “Gapco failed to follow instructions to remain in his seat, propositioned a flight attendant for sex, was repeatedly loud, vaped, bothered other passengers, locked himself in the lavatory, and attempted to open the aircraft exterior doors multiple times while the aircraft was in flight,” the statement explained. The New York Post reported that Gapco removed his shirt and produced a vape before enthusiastically puffing on it in the cabin. Another passenger claimed that, at one point, Gapco tried to give them a bag of loose, unidentified pills. KSLTV obtained three separate videos showing the events as they unfolded. “I am sane,” Gapco says in the first video. “I do not want to hurt myself,” he tells the plane. After he refused to return to his assigned seat, the flight crew was forced to tie the passenger's hands and feet. One of the videos shows passengers assisting flight attendants as Gapco asks one of the videographers, “Hey, did you record that?” Gapco was so disruptive that the plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Salt Lake City. A third video shows Salt Lake City police officers boarding the plane and imploring an uncooperative Gapco to leave the aircraft with them. “I have clots in my legs, I need hospitalization,” Gapco screams in the footage. “I need to go to a hospital!” Eventually, he complied and left the plane with the officers. As he was led down the aisle, Gapco sang, “You say potato, I say potahto,” and made several other unintelligible statements. Gapco “continued to be belligerent” and was “combative with medical staff and police” after leaving the plane, according to court documents reviewed by NYP. He allegedly smashed a glass door and spat at one of the officers. The FBI and the Salt Lake City Police Department are jointly investigating the incident. https://www.mensjournal.com/news/feds-indict-american-airlines-passenger-edibles Ethiopian Airlines blocked from acquiring Nigeria Air by court order In a landmark ruling, the Federal High Court in Lagos has declared the sale of Nigeria Air Ltd to Ethiopian Airlines null and void. Ethiopian Airlines blocked from acquiring Nigeria Air by court order The Federal High Court in Lagos declared the sale of Nigeria Air Ltd to Ethiopian Airlines null and void. The ruling was a significant victory for the plaintiffs, including multiple airline operators in Nigeria. The ruling effectively halts the national carrier project, raising questions about transparency and legality. Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, presiding over the case, ordered that the Federal Government's proposed establishment of a national carrier, Nigeria Air, be halted. The judgment came as a significant victory for the plaintiffs, the Registered Trustees of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, alongside Azman Air Services Limited, Air Peace Limited, Max Air Limited, United Nigeria Airlines Company Limited, and Topbrass Aviation Limited. They had sought to stop the sale, citing wrongful exclusion and irregularities in the bidding and selection processes. Justice Lewis-Allagoa granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs except for the ₦2bn damages claim for the injury they alleged to have suffered. The judge stated, "The proposed establishment of Nigeria Air should not be carried out," thereby affirming the plaintiffs' position on the illegality of the bidding process. The six plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against Nigeria Air Limited, Ethiopian Airlines, former Minister of Aviation Senator Hadi Sirika, and the Attorney-General of the Federation. They requested the court annul the entire bidding and selection process, including the former officials' approval and grant of Ethiopian Airlines. This ruling effectively halts the national carrier project, raising questions about the transparency and legality of the processes involved in its establishment. Nigeria Air controversy takes flight In July 2018, Nigeria embarked on a journey to penetrate the global aviation market, with the unveiling of the nation’s proposed national carrier, at the Farnborough Air Show in England. Five years later, the proposed national carrier landed at Abuja Airport, evoking a range of emotions among Nigerians. While some expressed joy at the long-awaited launch of a national carrier, others questioned the logic of commencing operations with just a single aircraft. However, it was later discovered that the aircraft showcased at the launch actually belonged to Ethiopian Airlines, not Nigeria Air. Ethiopian Airlines is a major investor in Nigeria Air, holding a 49 per cent stake, Nigerian private investors hold 46 per cent, and the federal government – 5 per cent. The equity percentages have since elicited various reactions, as many think this would pose an existential threat to domestic carriers and the entire aviation sector. Former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika is currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged money laundering, contract fraud, and other issues related to the Nigeria Air project. https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/markets/ethiopian-airlines-blocked-from-acquiring-nigeria-air-by-court-order/pfjlepr FAA Safety Inspectors To Get $5,000 Contract Bonus Unionized workers in the FAA’s Flight Standards and Aircraft Certification organizations will be getting a $5,000 cash bonus and be allowed to continue spending only two days a week in… Unionized workers in the FAA's Flight Standards and Aircraft Certification organizations will be getting a $5,000 cash bonus and be allowed to continue spending only two days a week in the office. According to Federal News Network, negotiators for the 11,000 members of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union said this week they've reached a tentative deal with the FAA after two years of negotiations. It has yet to be ratified and will also have to go through a legal review to make sure it fits within federal labor relations rules, but PASS President Dave Spero told the Federal News Network he expects the process to lead to a final deal. PASS represents aviation safety inspectors and technicians. The work-from-home provisions seemed to be the sticking point. The new deal doesn't guarantee a set schedule for office visits but instead makes it more difficult for the agency to deny requests for remote work. In an email to the workers late last year the FAA threw in the towel in its effort to make them come into work at least three days a week. “All agreed that building and maintaining a high-performing workforce of dedicated employees and having FAA continue to be a great place to work remain our top priorities," FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker and other brass said in the email. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/faa-safety-inspectors-to-get-5000-contract-bonus/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS • 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