Flight Safety Information - December 31, 2024 No. 260 In This Issue : Airplane near-collisions are down in the US — but underlying problems remain : Incident: Jeju B738 at Seoul on Dec 30th 2024, landing gear problem on departure : Incident: Ryanair B738 at London on Dec 29th 2024, bird strike : Incident: Ryanair B738 at London on Dec 29th 2024, bird strike : FAA Recommends Adding AoA To All Airplanes : Incident: KLM B773 enroute on Dec 29th 2024, hydraulic failure : S Korea orders air safety probe after deadly plane crash : Incident: Tassili B738 at El Oued on Dec 29th 2024, burst both right main tyres on landing : Bird strikes: A growing threat to aviation safety : Accident: Swiss BCS3 near Graz on Dec 23rd 2024, smoke on board : 2024 was deadliest year for commercial aviation since 2018 : Reported entering the zone of influence of the electronic warfare Calendar of Events Airplane near-collisions are down in the US — but underlying problems remain Note: See photos and videos in the original article. Air safety experts warn that the improvement belies the stress still bearing down on the aviation system. Since air travel began climbing out of its pandemic-induced trough, the country had seen a steep spike in near-collisions involving commercial airplanes. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images By Oriana Pawlyk 12/29/2024 02:00 PM EST A worrying rise in near-collisions on runways across the country seems to have ended — for now. This year has seen just one airport close call through October that aviation regulators have classified as serious — a drop that people in the industry credited to an intense focus from the FAA and a call for the entire industry to renew its attention to the basics of safety. Since air travel began climbing out of its pandemic-induced trough, the country had seen a steep spike in near-collisions involving commercial airplanes, with five incidents in 2022 and 11 incidents in 2023 in which a passenger airplane came perilously close to colliding with another plane or a vehicle on the ground. Though FAA data for this year runs through only October, all of last year’s 11 serious incidents occurred during the same period. But air safety experts warn that the improvement belies the stress still bearing down on the aviation system — including record-breaking demand for flights, fatigue and shortages among air traffic controllers and increasingly decrepit FAA equipment. All of those remain threats to the nation’s unprecedented safety record, which has not seen a fatal airline crash in the U.S. since July 2013. In addition, Mike Whitaker, who has led the FAA for roughly the last year, is departing Jan. 20, leaving a leadership vacuum that President-elect Donald Trump’s administration will have to fill. Mike Whitaker, who has led the FAA for roughly the last year, is departing Jan. 20, leaving a leadership vacuum that the Trump administration will have to fill. | Jose Luis Magana/AP Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a former Army helicopter pilot who chairs the Senate subcommittee that oversees aviation, said steps the FAA has taken to redouble attention to safety basics have helped — including through a March 2023 safety summit led by the agency that got the industry talking about solutions. But that doesn’t mean it’s time for a victory lap, she said — a sentiment shared by several other experts who spoke with POLITICO. “I don’t think we can relax because I think that as we get into the holiday season and then next summer, we’re only going to see traffic increase,” Duckworth told reporters earlier this month. Duckworth noted that a recently enacted law boosted the number of air traffic controllers that can be trained annually, but they will still need time training on the job. She said much of the aviation system is still “playing catch-up” from the pandemic, after which travel demand rose much faster than expected. “We’re not going to get to a place where we can be secure until we get all of these upgrades to the equipment that’s desperately needed,” she added. According to POLITICO’s analysis of FAA data through October, the agency logged one incident in which a passenger jet came too close to hitting a vehicle on a runway. The FAA classified that incident as the second-most serious type in the agency’s four-tier sorting scheme. The FAA has logged other near-collisions this year, but the agency declared them to be in the lower urgency tiers, meaning the planes had enough time to avoid a catastrophe. It has yet to classify some incidents, including at least two potential incidents dating back to June, according to POLITICO’s analysis. “We’re not going to get to a place where we can be secure until we get all of these upgrades to the equipment that’s desperately needed.” Sen. Tammy Duckworth The incidents the agency classified as less than dire included several that had grabbed media attention — such as one in Nashville, Tennessee, in September when an Alaska Airlines plane had to abruptly abort its takeoff to avoid a Southwest Airlines flight that was cleared to cross the same runway. Another another incident earlier this year saw a Swiss Airlines flight abort its takeoff at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York because four other aircraft were crossing the same runway downfield. It also received a less-serious classification. Last year, an independent panel of experts found that some of the previous sharp rise in near-collisions could be attributed to challenges facing the air traffic controller workforce, which is roughly 3,000 people short — coupled with aging equipment at control towers that grows more obsolete each year. In a statement, FAA said that while airport near-collisions “are significantly down” this year, “one incident is one too many.” The agency also said it is studying the risk for runway incidents at 45 of the busiest airports, an audit that it expects to complete in early 2025. The FAA has also made strides to hire and train more air traffic controllers, which the airline industry has routinely said contributes to chronic delays. Airlines for America, the trade group for major U.S. commercial airlines, in a statement said that a full complement of controllers, along with upgraded technologies and funding are all “crucial to ensuring the safety” of the airspace, “including on the ground at airports.” The airline industry also pointed to work being done by an advisory body studying fresh kinds of cockpit technologies that can alert pilots to potential dangers. Southwest Airlines highlighted a safety summit the FAA held last year, which the airline said placed a “renewed emphasis” on the issue. A spokesperson said the airline’s own “dynamic” organizational safety program prompts it to continuously review performance to help identify safety gaps where it can. American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines had no immediate comment about why this year’s statistics are better. FAA administrator raises concerns about Boeing FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker Highlights Concerns with Boeing John Cox, a former pilot and former executive air safety chair with the Air Line Pilots Association union, credited a whole-of-industry effort for the turnaround. “There was more focus and emphasis by all operators and the number decreased this year,” Cox said. “The FAA was part of the active team that increased awareness and training. This certainly helped.” ALPA leader Jason Ambrosi, whose union represents a majority of pilots for U.S. airlines, credited pilot awareness and technology for helping blunt the trend this year. He also praised the FAA for bringing the aviation community together to tackle the issue, which prompted organizations such as ALPA to remind its pilots to refocus on basics like reducing distractions, among other initiatives. But more redundancies to prevent such events are needed, he said. “You need to invest in the technology to help prevent this,” Ambrosi told POLITICO after appearing on a Senate aviation panel hearing earlier this month. The FAA has made investments in additional equipment at certain airports that alert air traffic controllers of a potential calamity, and an aviation law passed earlier this year also mandates more technologies that help controllers better see all sorts of moving parts on runways and taxiways. Ambrosi said these efforts are the first step in the “multilayered approach for safety” that’s needed, which will someday include cockpit-alerting technologies currently under discussion. “There is really good hope for [that] technology in the near future,” Ambrosi said. “We have to maintain our vigilance,” he said. “We’re not going to let go.” Incident: Jeju B738 at Seoul on Dec 30th 2024, landing gear problem on departure By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Dec 30th 2024 12:45Z, last updated Monday, Dec 30th 2024 12:45Z A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800, registration HL8090 performing flight 7C-101 from Seoul Gimpo to Jeju Island (South Korea) with 161 people on board, was climbing out of Gimpo's runway 14L when the crew levelled off at 5000 feet and decided to return to Gimpo Airport due to a problem with the landing gear. The aircraft landed safely on runway 14R about 35 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration HL8051 reached Jeju Island with a delay of about 2 hours. The airline stated that the crew received indication of a possible landing gear problem, however, the landing gear functioned normally. The aircraft is being examined. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Seoul about 15 hours after landing back. Incident: Ryanair B738 at London on Dec 29th 2024, bird strike By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Dec 30th 2024 21:39Z, last updated Monday, Dec 30th 2024 21:39Z Note: See the aircraft seen after landing in the original article. A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-ENC performing flight FR-965 from Gothenburg (Sweden) to London Stansted,EN (UK), was on approach to Stansted's runway 22 when birds impacted the nose of the aircraft. The aircraft continued for a safe landing. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 3 hours, then returned to service. FAA Recommends Adding AoA To All Airplanes Angle of attack indicators are more reliable at warning of an impending stall. Russ Niles Updated Dec 28, 2024 6:36 AM EST Kitplanes/YouTube Screenshot Note: See photos and videos in the original article. A prominent proponent of angle of attack (AoA) indicators is applauding the FAA for recommending they be installed in all airplanes. The agency published a special airworthiness information bulletin (SAIB) recommending AoA systems be installed as standard equipment in new airplanes and retrofitted in the existing fleet. The full document is reprinted below. "Outstanding step forward by the FAA, recognizing the importance of AoA systems in keeping the pilot better informed on where the wing is operating relative to the stall," said Paul Dye, a serial homebuilder and former NASA Flight Director who has been promoting the tech for years. "Increasing the use of AoA systems—and training pilots to use them —will never prevent all accidents. But it is a definite step in the direction of reducing the number of loss of control mishaps." "AoA offers an extra level of awareness for pilots that they are operating near the stall. Airspeed is not a reliable indicator," Dye said. "The AoA for stall is always the same, whereas the airspeed for stall varies with G-load, so that the ASI is 'the gauge that lies' when the aircraft is in a turn or other maneuver where there is more than one 'G' of loading on the wing." The SAIB notes that flight deck displays of AoA indicators vary widely, making training a challenge. "This poses the question of whether AOA presentation in the flight deck should be standardized," the SAIB says. "Whether AOA displays should be standardized and to what standard remain open questions." In the video below, Dye demonstrates "flying AoA" and discusses its benefits. Copy Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) # 2024-07) Incident: KLM B773 enroute on Dec 29th 2024, hydraulic failure By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Dec 30th 2024 21:52Z, last updated Monday, Dec 30th 2024 21:52Z A KLM Boeing 777-300, registration PH-BVS performing flight KL-835 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Singapore (Singapore), was enroute at FL290 when the crew decided to return to Amsterdam reporting a hydraulic failure, that required some time for alternate gear extension and alternate flaps extension, they would need a tow truck after landing. They also were going to dump fuel. The aircraft landed safely back on Amsterdam's runway 27 about 90 minutes after departure. The rotation AMS-SIN-Denpasar (Indonesia)-SIN-AMS was cancelled. The aircraft is still on the ground in Amsterdam about 23 hours after landing back. S Korea orders air safety probe after deadly plane crash The Jeju Air crash killed 179 out of 181 people on board South Korea's acting leader has ordered an emergency safety inspection of the country's entire airline operations, a day after 179 people were killed in the deadliest plane crash on its soil. The Jeju Air plane burst into flames as it crash-landed in South Korea's Muan International Airport, killing everyone onboard save for two crew members. Acting President Choi Sang-mok has asked investigators to promptly disclose their findings to bereaved families. His request also comes as another Jeju Air flight turned back to Seoul shortly after takeoff on Monday, due to an unidentified landing-gear issue. On Monday, the Jeju Air plane departed from Gimpo International Airport at 06:35 local time (21:35 GMT Sunday) and returned less than an hour later after realising a mechanical defect caused by the landing-gear issue, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported. Landing gear refers to the set of wheels and other parts of the plane which support the plane during takeoff, taxiing and landing. The aircraft that turned back was a Boeing B737-800, the same model as the one involved in the disaster on Sunday. Thirty-nine of the 41 aircraft in Jeju Air's fleet are of this model. • Follow our live updates • What we know the South Korea plane crash so far • After Sunday's deadly crash, Boeing had said it was in touch with Jeju Air and that it stood "ready to support them". The 179 passengers on flight 7C2216 were aged between three and 78 years old, although most were in their 40s, 50s and 60s, according to Yonhap news agency. Two Thai nationals are among the dead and the rest are believed to be South Korean, authorities have said. On Sunday, the ill-fated plane had skidded off the runway after touching down and crashed into a wall shortly after 09:00 local time (00:00 GMT). A South Korean transport official had said that the plane had been attempting to land but was forced to hold off after air traffic control gave a bird strike warning - an alert about the risk of a collision with birds. Air traffic command later gave permission for the plane to land from the opposite direction, the official said. The airline's bosses bowed deeply as they gave a public apology at a press conference on Sunday. "We deeply apologise to all those affected by the incident. We will make every effort to resolve the situation," the firm said in a statement. Jeju Air shares were trading around 8% lower in Seoul on Monday. The accident is a national tragedy for South Korea, which has been embroiled in political turmoil after parliament voted to impech President Yoon Suk Yeol and his temporary successor Han Duck-soo. Acting President Choi, who stepped into the interim role only on Friday, said he is "heartbroken" by the accident. "To the honorable citizens of our nation, as an acting president, my heart aches as we face this unforeseen tragedy amid recent economic hardships," he said. Incident: Tassili B738 at El Oued on Dec 29th 2024, burst both right main tyres on landing By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Dec 30th 2024 22:56Z, last updated Monday, Dec 30th 2024 22:56Z Note: See the aircraft seen on the runway in the article. A Tassili Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration 7T-VCE performing flight SF-5563 from Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) to El Oued (Algeria), landed on El Oued's runway 13 but burst both right hand main tyres. The aircraft rolled out without further incident and became disabled on the runway. Bird strikes: A growing threat to aviation safety 2024-12-29 14:45 Note: See photo in the original article. Shafaq News/ Many aviation accidents worldwide, though often minor, are attributed to bird strikes, which may have caused the crash of a passenger plane on Sunday while landing in South Korea from Bangkok. Since 1988, bird strikes have killed 262 people and destroyed 250 aircraft globally, according to the Wildlife Strike Group of the Australian Aviation Authority. This figure does not include the recent Korean plane crash that killed 179 people. With the increasing number of flights, such incidents are becoming more frequent. In the United States alone, 291,600 wildlife and civilian aircraft collisions were reported between 1990 and 2023, according to a database created by the Federal Aviation Administration. In France, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation recorded 600 incidents annually during commercial flights. These collisions cause over $1.2 billion in damage to aircraft each year, according to the Australian group. Bird strikes usually occur during takeoff and landing at low altitudes between 0 and 50 feet (15 meters). Although rare, mid-flight incidents are possible; for instance, a passenger plane in France crashed in 2021 in Seine-et-Marne, near Paris, after colliding with a cormorant. One of the most famous bird strike incidents occurred in January 2009, when an Airbus A320 operated by US Airways, carrying 155 passengers, successfully landed on the Hudson River in New York after striking a flock of geese. Serious wildlife collision incidents account for less than 8% of cases and have been declining in recent years, according to the French Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Most damage is cosmetic, such as scratches to the aircraft's body. However, if a bird or more enters the engine, the damage can be severe, particularly if the compressor is affected, potentially causing engine failure, according to an aviation expert. The Civil Aviation Authority noted that this could result in safety hazards or impact the continuation of the flight, leading to engine shutdowns, cautious landings, takeoff cancellations, and delays. Risks increase with the size and number of birds, especially during migration periods, potentially causing flames or fires in the engine. The expert clarified that such incidents rarely disable the aircraft's entire hydraulic and electrical systems, allowing the pilot to control landing gear and use the second engine if the first fails. To mitigate bird strike risks, airports and aircraft manufacturers have implemented several measures, including testing engine resistance by throwing dead chickens and deploying various airport measures, such as broadcasting distress calls or firing preventive shots into the air to scare birds away. Accident: Swiss BCS3 near Graz on Dec 23rd 2024, smoke on board By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Dec 23rd 2024 19:06Z, last updated Monday, Dec 30th 2024 23:03Z Note: See the scenes on board in the original article. A Swiss International Airlines Bombardier C-Series CS-300, registration HB-JCD performing flight LX-1885 from Bucharest Otopeni (Romania) to Zurich (Switzerland) with 74 passengers and 5 crew, was enroute at FL400 about 20nm eastnortheast of Graz (Austria) when the crew decided to divert to Graz reporting smoke on board. The aircraft landed on Graz's runway 34 and stopped on the runway about 19 minutes after the decision to divert. The aircraft was evacuated. A rescue helicopter positioned to the aircraft on the runway, took a flight attendant under resuscitation on board and flew him to a hospital, the flight attendant died on Dec 30th 2024. About 17 passengers and a number of crew needed medical attention, too. The airline stated: "The cockpit crew decided to make an unscheduled landing in Graz. The aircraft is currently on the runway, the passengers have been evacuated. More information will follow." The airline subsequently added that following engine (PW1524G) trouble and smoke in cockpit and cabin they are concerned about one of their cabin crew, the other four crew also went to see doctors. Later the airline announced two additional flights were scheduled to fly to Graz, one with a care team for the passengers and crew already during the night, and another one to take the passengers to their destination the following morning. The cause of the smoke is currently under investigation. 17 passengers required medical attention. Local Police reported one member of the crew received serious injuries and is currently in the Intensive Care Unit of a local hospital, 13 passengers received minor injuries. Both pilots and 2 cabin crew were taken to the hospital, too. A replacement BCS3 registration HB-JCG reached Zurich the following morning with a delay of about 12.5 hours. On Dec 26th 2024 the airline reported that two of three cabin crew are still in hospital care, one of them still in the intensive care unit. The investigation is working diligently to clarify the causes of this accident, in the focus are mechanical components like engines but also the use of the Protective Breathing Equipment (PBE). On Dec 30th 2024 the airline reported that the seriously injured flight attendant died. According to information The Aviation Herald received the left hand engine suffered an oil leak causing the smoke, the engine seized leading to the suspicion that the main shaft might be fractured. The engine is being replaced. Related NOTAM: A2982/24 NOTAMN Q) LOVV/QFALC/IV/NBO/A /000/999/4700N01526E005 A) LOWG B) 2412231720 C) 2412231920 EST E) AERODROME CLSD 2024 was deadliest year for commercial aviation since 2018 Story by Michelle Del Rey Note: See photos and videos in the original article. The Independent Jeju Air CEO bows in apology after South Korea deadly plane crash This year has been the deadliest for aviation accidents since 2018 after a commercial aircraft smashed into a concrete wall on Sunday morning in South Korea, killing 179 out of 181 people on board. The Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 plane collided with a barrier before erupting in flames at the Muan International Airport. The flight had departed from Bangkok, Thailand around 2 a.m. on Sunday. Only two people, who were both crew members, survived the catastrophe. An international group of investigators is now working to determine the cause of the deadly incident. mortgagelenderscomparison.comTop 5 Banks for Mortgage Loans - 5 Best Mortgage Lenders Ad Passenger plane fatalities jumped this year after the Jeju Air crash and an Azerbaijan Airlines jet was downed on Christmas Day in Kazakhstan after it flew into Russian airspace. Thirty-eight out of 67 people on board died in the incident. In August, a regional commercial aircraft crashed in Brazil, killing all 62 people on the aircraft. A satellite image shows South Korea's Muan airport before the Jeju Air crash (via REUTERS) A total of 318 people died in plane fatalities this year, according to data from the Aviation Safety Network. This marks the deadliest year in aviation since 2018, when 557 people died on commercial flights. That year, a Lion Air Boeing 737 Max aircraft crashed into the Java Sea after departing from Jakarta, Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board. SatoriData & AI Security Platform This year is the first time since 2018 that flight fatalities have exceeded 300 people. In 2023, flight fatalities hit a recent low of 120, the safest year in air travel since 2017, when 58 deaths were reported. In a statement following the Jeju Air crash, Boeing said it was in contact with the airline and stood by ready to support them. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones and our thoughts remain with the passengers and the crew,” the company said. Boeing is one of two major commercial airplane manufacturers, with the second being Airbus, the company’s European competitor. Boeing shares fell four percent in premarket trading on Monday. The National Transportation Safety Board, the leading U.S. investigative agency following transportation disasters, will lead a team of U.S. investigators to assist Korean officials with the probe. Any forthcoming information will be released by the South Korean Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, the federal agency said. On Monday, South Korean authorities ordered the grounding of all Boeing 737-800 planes used by the country’s airlines after a second Jeju Air plane experienced a landing gear issue. Officials will inspect the planes before returning them to the skies. A Jeju Air official (C) bows his head and apologises to the bereaved families of passengers of the Jeju Air passenger plane. (YONHAP/AFP via Getty Images) The Federal Aviation Administration ordered all Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft to cease operations after a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines flight nearly a year ago. The agency required all 171 planes to be inspected before they could return to transporting customers. It’s not clear what caused Sunday’s crash, but investigators suspect a bird strike or a landing gear failure may have played a role, although the former rarely causes such catastrophic incidents. The landing gear had not been deployed when the plane hit the tarmac. Despite the deadly collisions, fatal airplane crashes remain rare and typically occur during landing and takeoff. Sunday’s fatal crash marked the first for Jeju Air. Investigators will likely work to determine the cause of the incident to prevent similar ones from happening in the future. Officials will analyze data obtained from the cockpit voice recorder and black box to find out what caused the crash. Preventative measures are normally enacted after catastrophic incidents. Independent readers are independently-minded global citizens. They are not defined by traditional demographics or profiles, but by their attitudes. In today’s increasingly fragmented world, communities value real facts and frank opinions delivered first-hand from a non-biased news brand that they can trust. Armed with information and inspiration, Independent readers are empowered and equipped to take a stand for the things they believe in. Reported entering the zone of influence of the electronic warfare Date:Sunday 29 December 2024Time:12:58Type: Ilyushin Il-96-400T Owner/operator:Voronezh Aircraft Production Association Registration:RA-96101 MSN:97693201001 Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:Other fatalities:0 Aircraft damage:None Location:92 km from the ARP Ulyanovsk (UWLW) - Russia Phase:En routeNature:Test Departure airport:Voronezh-Pridacha Airport (UUOD) Destination airport:Voronezh-Pridacha Airport (UUOD) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: At FL310 and a distance of 92 km from the ARP Ulyanovsk, the crew reported entering the zone of influence of the electronic warfare. The course systems display different readings, the accuracy of the RVSM does not ensure. The decision is to return to the departure airfield Voronezh. Test flight, landing safely. Curt Lewis