Flight Safety Information - February 26, 2025 No. 041 In This Issue : Incident: Southwest B738 at Chicago on Feb 25th 2025, near collision with business jet on runway : Incident: Maldivian DH8C at Fuvahmulah Island on Feb 23rd 2025, engine shut down on approach : Incident: Jin B738 at Busan on Feb 25th 2025, engine trouble : Delta Air Lines plane reportedly struck by lightning flying over Seattle : JetBlue flight that took off from Westchester County Airport diverted due to engine issue : New rules around Marine One airspace cause travel hell at a DC airport : MH370: search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight resumes after 11 years : Fired FAA employee produced maps ‘crucial and critical’ to air traffic control : Boeing's Stephanie Pope out as chief operating officer, still head of commercial planes arm : Calendar of Events Incident: Southwest B738 at Chicago on Feb 25th 2025, near collision with business jet on runway A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N8517F performing flight WN-2504 from Omaha,NE to Chicago Midway,IL (USA), was in the flare to land on Midway's runway 31C at 08:48L (14:48Z), when the crew initiated a go around due to a business jet crossing the runway. The aircraft climbed out to safety, positioned for another approach and landed safely on runway 31C about 15 minutes later. A Bombardier Challenger 35 was taxiing for departure from runway 22L and was tracking runway 04L crossing runway 31C. Tower was just about to instruct the Boeing to go around when the crew already reported they were going around. Later the crew queried how that happened but was instructed to contact approach. The Bombardier was in contact with ground and had been instructed to hold short of runway 31C. Following the occurrence ground again advised their holding instructions had been to hold short of runway 31C, the crew was given a phone number for pilot deviation. According to ADS-B data WN-2405 was in the flare only a few feet above the runway surface about 500 meters/1600 feet short of the intersection with runway 04L, when the aircraft began to climb again crossing the intersection with runway 04L at 780 feet MSL (about 150 feet AGL, transponder altitude reading 900 feet corrected for ambient pressure to 780 feet) about 7 seconds later. Later the day the NTSB announced: "NTSB is investigating Tuesday's runway incursion that occurred when a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 initiated a go-around after a business jet entered the same runway at Chicago Midway International Airport." https://avherald.com/h?article=5248c921&opt=0 Incident: Maldivian DH8C at Fuvahmulah Island on Feb 23rd 2025, engine shut down on approach A Maldivian Airlines de Havilland Dash 8-300, registration 8Q-IAK performing flight Q2-124 from Male to Fuvahmulah Island (Maldives), was on approach to Fuvahmulah Island when the aircraft experienced a problem with one of the engines, the crew shut the engine down. The aircraft flew through the extended runway centerline flying a right hand turn of 270 degrees to align with the runway and landed safely on runway 11. The airline reported it was an engine problem though not a big problem. A team of engineers was sent to Fuvahmulah Island. Passengers reported one of the propellers stopped turning just prior to the aircraft doing an unexpected turn. Emergency services were attending to the aircraft, that stopped at the end of the runway. https://avherald.com/h?article=5248cd6b&opt=0 Incident: Jin B738 at Busan on Feb 25th 2025, engine trouble A Jin Air Boeing 737-800, registration HL8242 performing flight LJ-371 from Busan (South Korea) to Okinawa (Japan) with 183 people on board, was climbing out of Busan's runway 36R when the left hand engine (CFM56) emitted a series of loud bangs and streaks of flames prompting the crew to stop the climb at 4000 feet, entered a hold to burn off fuel and returned to Busan for a safe landing on runway 36L about 75 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration HL8224 reached Okinawa with a delay of about 3.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground about 15 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=5248bf83&opt=0 Delta Air Lines plane reportedly struck by lightning flying over Seattle SEATTLE — Social media posts are circulating online, showing a lightning bolt zap an airplane Monday night as it flew over Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood. Delta Air Lines said it is aware of the reports and said the plane landed safely. How common does lightning strike commercial planes? Here's what experts say. "What you're asking, should they be afraid to get on the next airline? Absolutely not," said Scott Hamilton, an aviation industry consultant. According to aviation experts, lightning strikes each commercial plane flying once or twice a year on average. One of the last confirmed commercial airline flights that crashed in the U.S. due to lightning was in 1963; 81 people died on a Pan Am flight heading from Baltimore to Philadelphia. But since then, the government has instituted stricter regulations for commercial aircraft concerning lightning strikes. The Federal Aviation Administration requires commercial planes to be able to withstand lightning and continue a safe flight and landing. It's a topic KING 5 explored during an aviation safety program in 2010. "The service is built to be conductive and when the airplane is struck by lightning the charge is dissipated across that surface. The charge, the current that goes through the wing stays in the wing. It forms what we call a faraday cage, so it protects the inner part of the enclosure, but at the same time there's a small amount that goes through," said one expert. On top of that, airlines are required to provide maintenance inspections after any lightning incident. Experts said with these regulations, the odds of a plane crashing due to lightning are miniscule. "The odds are probably a billion to one,” said Hamilton. "If [passengers are] on the airplane when the lightning strikes, unless the pilot tells you something different, I wouldn't particularly worry about it." Officials with Delta said the plane that may have been hit was arriving from Las Vegas and said the aircraft landed uneventfully and taxied to the gate, where it's being inspected and evaluated by maintenance crews. https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/delta-air-lines-plane-struck-by-lightning-flying-over-seattle/281-cad3a66f-a946-43ea-8f25-11c9ee100c20 JetBlue flight that took off from Westchester County Airport diverted due to engine issue The plane landed safely at John F. Kennedy International Airport. A JetBlue flight that took off from Westchester County Airport made an emergency landing early Tuesday due to an engine issue, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The crew reported the engine issue around 9 a.m. It landed safely at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The plane was traveling to Palm Beach International Airport in Florida. https://westchester.news12.com/faa-jetblue-flight-that-took-off-from-westchester-county-airport-diverted-due-to-engine-issue New rules around Marine One airspace cause travel hell at a DC airport Passengers are seeing long delays and significant disruptions at Washington’s Reagan National Airport due to new safety restrictions for President Donald Trump’s Marine One helicopter, according to a new report. The Federal Aviation Administration has imposed new safety requirements for when the presidential helicopter is in the air following the deadly collision between an Army Black Hawk and an American Airlines jet over Washington D.C. last month, The Washington Post reports. These new requirements include increased runway closures when Marine One is nearby, leaving even less room for commercial jets at the already-crowded airport. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the FAA imposed the restrictions earlier this year following January’s deadly crash, which killed all 67 people on board both aircraft. “For years, non-critical helicopter traffic congested the DCA airspace, which created challenges for controllers and pilots,” the FAA said in a statement to The Independent. “The new policy provides exceptions for lifesaving medical support, active law enforcement, active air defense or presidential helicopter missions. We will review the current policy once NTSB completes its preliminary investigation.” “In recent weeks, weather has caused delays at DCA and the FAA has also limited the volume allowed per hour,” the FAA continued. “Prior to the crash, DCA’s maximum hourly arrival rate was 32 planes and now that number is 28 in order to ensure a safe transition of increased operations and complexity following the reopening of all runways.” The runway closures mean many jets are forced to circle above the airport, the Post reports, and American Airlines has even instructed pilots to carry additional fuel to account for potential delays. Dozens of inbound flights have also been forced to divert to other airports, including Dulles International, Baltimore-Washington International and Marshall and Richmond International. While some delays were typical when Marine One is nearby, the new policies have made these disruptions even more severe, the Post reports. One unnamed American Airlines passenger told the Post she experienced a delay first-hand. When her flight was descending into Washington, it suddenly pulled up and began holding due to “VIP movement,” the pilot explained over the intercom. The disruption impacted them on the ground, too, as American Airlines staff scrambled to help passengers who missed connections or car reservations. “People were panicked because they were afraid of missing their flights and some people had already missed their connections entirely,” she told the Post. “Some had cars or car rentals at National or reservations in that part of town.” On February 14, weeks after the new rules came into force, Trump left the White House on the first leg of a trip to Florida. During that time, roughly 30 airliners bound for National were kept circling the sky, with nine ultimately diverted, according to data seen by the Post. A similar pattern has been followed in the days since. The airport already faces heavy congestion, which some lawmakers say is cause for concern. Last spring, a major aviation bill passed by Congress and signed by then-President Joe Biden added five new daily long-haul flights at Reagan. Many Washington-area lawmakers and the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority opposed it, citing potential safety issues due to overcrowding. Senator Time Kaine of Virginia said last year the airport is “pressed to the gills,” handling 25 million passengers a year when it’s only designed for 15 million, according to CNN. Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen made a similar argument: “The proposal flies in the face of known safety concerns and known congestion concerns.” https://www.yahoo.com/news/fliers-reagan-facing-long-delays-181018088.html MH370: search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight resumes after 11 years Malaysia transport minister says firm Ocean Infinity has resumed hunt for the plane, which went missing in one of aviation’s biggest mysteries A new search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been launched more than a decade after the plane went missing in one of aviation’s greatest enduring mysteries. Maritime exploration firm Ocean Infinity has resumed the hunt for the missing plane, Malaysian transport minister Anthony Loke said on Tuesday. The MH370 families seeking closure, justice and a fresh search Loke told reporters the contract details between Malaysia and the firm were still being finalised but welcomed “the proactiveness of Ocean Infinity to deploy their ships” to begin the search for the plane, which went missing in March 2014. Details about how long the search would last had not been negotiated yet, he said. He also did not provide details about when exactly the British firm had restarted its hunt. MH370’s disappeared from radar shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur airport in March 2014. It was bound for Beijing, with 12 crew and 227 passengers on board. The plane has never been found, and the reason for its disappearance is unknown. “We’re very relieved and pleased that the search is resuming once again after such a long hiatus,” Malaysian Grace Nathan, 36, who lost her mother on the doomed jet, told AFP. Jaquita Gonzales, 62, wife of MH370 flight supervisor Patrick Gomes, said she hoped the resumption of the search would bring her family much-needed closure. “We just want to know where it is and what happened,” she said. “Memories come back like yesterday, it’s fresh in our heads.” Marine tracking website Marinetraffic.com showed that the Ocean Infinity vessel was in the south Indian ocean as of 23 February. Malaysia agreed to resume the search in December 2024, with Ocean Infinity conducting the search on a “no-find-no-fee” basis. Loke said the government would sign a contract for 18 months, in return for which Ocean Infinity would receive $70m if the wreckage was located and verified. The search would cover 15,000 sq km, Loke said. On 8 March 2024, on the 10-year anniversary of the disappearance, Australia offered the Malaysian government support for a renewed search. Eight Australians were on board the flight. But on Tuesday a spokesperson for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said that Australian authorities were not involved in the renewed search. Flight MH370, a B777-200 aircraft, departed Kuala Lumpur at 12.41am local time on 8 March 2-14, bound for Beijing. The plane was last seen on military radar at 2.14am, heading west over the strait of Malacca. Half an hour later, the airline announced it had lost contact with the plane, which was due to land at its destination about 6.30am. The families of those on board are still waiting for answers about what happened to their loved ones. Some travelled to Madagascar in 2016 to comb the beaches there for debris: pieces of the plane had been found off the Tanzanian and Mozambican coasts. In January 2017, after nearly three years of searching 120,000 sq km in the southern Indian Ocean, Australian authorities ended the underwater hunt for the wreckage. On 3 October that year, Australian investigators delivered their final report on the disappearance, saying the inability to bring closure for victims’ families was a “great tragedy” and “almost inconceivable” in the modern age. Among the questions that remain is why the plane made a seemingly controlled turn off course towards the Indian ocean and, critically, why two pieces of key communication and tracking equipment on the plane went silent. Theories of what happened have ranged from a pilot “gone rogue” to sabotage and conspiracies that the flight was shot down or “disappeared” by a nefarious government agency and landed at a dark site, either because of sensitive cargo or a politically significant passenger. Data recovered from a home-built flight simulator owned by the pilot, Zaharie Ahmad Shah, showed that someone had plotted a course to the southern Indian Ocean. Ocean Infinity, based in Britain and the United States, carried out an unsuccessful hunt in 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/26/mh370-search-resumes-malaysia-airlines-ocean-infinity Fired FAA employee produced maps ‘crucial and critical’ to air traffic control Federal workers, how have the last few weeks impacted you and your family? Send us a voicemail through the WTOP News app, available on Apple or Android. Click the “Feedback” button in the app’s navigation bar. Among the hundreds who lost their jobs at the Federal Aviation Administration is an employee who specialized in maps that help ensure safety for those flying. Last week, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency fired more than 320 specific FAA employees. The cuts included 13 people in a department that produces and regularly updates digital and paper maps and charts used by airlines, pilots and air traffic controllers to stay on their routes and be aware of potential obstructions that could impact safety. ‘I’m scared’: Federal workers, contractors react to intensifying efforts to shrink workforce ‘This is different’: DC nonprofit sees substantial drop in donations as federal workforce faces more layoffs “We have hundreds of changes every day across the country that need to be made,” one of those terminated employees told WTOP. The employee spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. This navigation data is updated daily so the airlines, airline pilots, controllers and thousands of general aviation pilots who fly smaller aircraft have the latest information. “Say, you have to remove an airport that’s no longer in operation. You might have to add airways to a busy airport that has their summer rush coming up. These are crucial and critical to what the air traffic controllers do for their routes and without maps, they could not operate,” the employee said. It is a highly demanding and detailed-orientated job, requiring specific knowledge of FAA regulations, aviation safety, graphics and map design. Only a handful of people nationwide, in both the private sector and government, are trained in the roles. Employees in the department fear more cuts are coming, reducing the critical margin of safety for the thousands of planes in the air every day and millions of people who fly. Highly specialized FAA employee loses job over probationary status The termination came in a form email citing the employee’s probationary status, with less than one year of full-time government employment and alleged performance deficiencies. “DOT FAA finds, that based on your performance you have not demonstrated that your employment at DOT FAA would be in the public interest,” the document said. “The hardest thing about the email was that it said it was performance based, and it broke my heart,” the employee said. “I was just three weeks away from probationary to career level.” As a career level employee, the person would have had civil service protection from being fired. WTOP has seen the employee’s performance reviews and they showed an employee who supervisors said was “a leader” in the small unit, always willing to take on new responsibilities and who “produced high quality charts that played an important role in the success of our mission.” The employee is appealing their termination through the union, the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists.it’ “We are troubled and disappointed by the administration’s decision to fire FAA probationary employees PASS represents without cause nor based on performance or conduct,” PASS National President David Spero said in a statement to WTOP. “These employees were dedicated to their jobs and the critical safety mission of the FAA. The union also said the timing of the terminations were hastily made and unconscionable considering the recent increases in fatal aviation crashes. FAA cuts, DC plane crash raise safety concerns While declining a request for an interview, the FAA released a statement to WTOP stating that the cuts, as ordered by Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, will not impact aviation safety. “The FAA continues to hire and onboard air traffic controllers and safety professionals, including mechanics and others who support them. The agency has retained employees who perform critical safety functions,” the statement said. In a recent social media post, Duffy said the FAA has 45,000 employees and less than 400 were fired in this round of cuts, and all of those dismissed were probationary, or first-year status employees: “No air traffic controllers nor any professionals who perform critical safety functions were terminated.” “I would say to Secretary Duffy that by overlooking these critical safety staff firings, I believe that you’re essentially saying that you don’t have more regard for the public safety,” the former FAA employee said. “You cannot take the aviation infrastructure out at the knees, and that’s what’s happening right now. Just because there’s the focus on air traffic controllers doesn’t mean that they can operate without the critical support staff around them, and without that, mistakes are eventually going to happen.” Until the Jan. 29 midair collision near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people, there had not been a major aviation accident in the U.S. in 15 years. Aviation safety consultant Jeff Guzzetti, a longtime employee at both the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board, told WTOP he worries the cuts will diminish the level of safety, one piece at a time. “The charting, the data is critical for safety of flight, for the pilots and the air traffic controllers,” Guzzetti said. “These cuts do, at some level, decrease the safety margin. The aviation safety system is built on layers of safety, the redundancy. And if you remove the levels, you increase the risk that something can get through and cause an accident.” https://wtop.com/government/2025/02/faa-cuts-raise-concerns-about-aviation-safety/ Boeing's Stephanie Pope out as chief operating officer, still head of commercial planes arm SEATTLE (Reuters) -Boeing said on Tuesday that Stephanie Pope was no longer the planemaker's chief operating officer as of Feb. 19, but she is continuing to serve as the head of its commercial airplanes business. The company does not plan to fill the chief operating officer position, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly. Pope was appointed to the newly created role of chief operating officer in December 2023, after then-CEO David Calhoun named her as his choice to succeed him. After a mid-air panel blowout on a nearly new 737 MAX jet in January 2024, Pope was also named the head of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The accident put renewed focus on production quality problems in the division and contributed to Calhoun's exit from the company. In August, Kelly Ortberg became Boeing's new chief executive. Avolon CEO Andy Cronin said this month the aircraft lessor, a major Boeing customer, was "really encouraged by what we are seeing" at the company after touring production facilities in Seattle in January. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-says-stephanie-pope-no-224945378.html CALENDAR OF EVENTS · · Sponsor the 2025 Fuzion Safety Conference! March 4 & 5, 2025 (Orlando) · · "Automation in Transportation: Lessons for Safe Implementation," on March 11-12, 2025, in Washington, DC. · · Annual Women in Aviation International Conference, Gaylord Rockies Resort & Conference Center | Denver Colorado, March 27-29, 2025 · · 59th Annual SMU Air Law Symposium is scheduled March 31 - April 2, 2025 · · Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) Safety Symposium April 7-9, 2025 · · AIA Conference: The Aviation Insurance Association's annual conference in Orlando, Florida from April 25–28, 2025 · · Sixth Edition of International Accident Investigation Forum, 21 to 23 May 2025, Singapore · . Flight Safety Foundation - Aviation Safety Forum June 5-6, 2025 - Brussels . . 2025 EASA-FAA International Aviation Safety Conference, 10 Jun 2025 to 12 Jun 2025, Cologne, Germany · · The 9th Shanghai International Aerospace Technology and Equipment Exposition 2025; June 11 to 13, 2025 · . ISASI ANNUAL SEMINAR 2025'September 29, 2025 – October 3, 2025, DENVER, COLORADO . . 29th annual Bombardier Safety Standdown, November 11-13, 2025; Wichita, Kansas · . CHC Safety & Quality Summit, 11th – 13th November 2025, Vancouver, BC Canada Curt Lewis