We close the week with the following stories...
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Tom
2 injured in Citrus County plane crash
By: Rebekah Nelson
INVERNESS, Fla. — Two people were injured after
a small plane crashed in Citrus County on Thursday night.
Citrus County Fire Rescue said crews responded to the crash around 7:15 p.m. on South Airport Road in Inverness. When they arrived, they found a fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft on a berm with an active fuel leak.
Firefighters shut off the plane's fuel supply and deployed a hose line for fire protection. While working alongside law enforcement, they were able to safely remove both occupants from the aircraft.
One patient was flown to a local trauma center, while the other was taken to a local hospital by an ambulance.
The Citrus County Sheriff's Office will investigate the incident.
https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-citrus-hernando/2-injured-in-citrus-county-plane-crash
Plane makes emergency landing on Joliet golf course
No one was injured
By Bob Okon
A single-engine aircraft made an emergency
landing in Joliet late Thursday afternoon.
The plane landed on the edge of the Inwood Golf Course and within putting distance of McDonough Street at about 5:14 p.m.
The pilot stopped the plane short of both McDonough Street during a peak traffic time and utility wires that line the street while avoiding trees on the golf course.
The only damage was to a chain-link fence that separates the 12th hole of the golf course and adjoining property of Joliet Township Animal Control.
“He did a great job,” Joliet Park District Executive Director Brad Staab said of the pilot’s emergency landing.
Joliet police responded to the area near the intersection of 129th Infantry Drive after getting a report of a possible downed aircraft.
The plane was a single-engine Piper PA-18 Super Cub aircraft, police said.
Officers found the 21-year-old male pilot outside of the aircraft uninjured, and no injuries were reported on the ground, police said.
The pilot told police that the aircraft’s engine began to fail mid-flight, prompting him to make the emergency landing.
The plane was towing a promotional banner during the flight, and the banner was released from the aircraft before the landing, police said. It was safely recovered in the 2600 block of West Jefferson Street, police said.
The pilot landed the plane on the edge of the 12 hole of the golf course in an area near a sand trap but some distance from the fairway and green.
Staab said he did not think there were any golfers playing the hole at the time of the landing.
“The pilot did a great job handling the incident, and we’re just happy no one was hurt,” Staab said.
Staab was on the scene monitoring the situation at the park district golf course.
A safety inspector with Federal Aviation Administration also was at the scene of the landing Thursday evening.
Aviation Safety Inspector Beau Klingbeil said he could not comment on the incident.
https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2025/08/15/plane-makes-emergency-landing-in-joliet/
Plane's nose gear collapses at Centennial Airport
An airport spokesperson said the pilot was not injured.
Author: Darren Whitehead
CENTENNIAL, Colo. — A small plane made a hard
landing at Centennial Airport on Thursday morning causing its nose gear to collapse.
Air traffic control radioed in that a Cessna 172 made a hard landing and went off of Runway 10/28 just before 11 a.m., an airport spokesperson said.
The plane's pilot was the only person on board and they were not injured, the airport's spokesperson said.
A picture provided by Centennial Airport showed the plane's propeller was bent and its nose gear had a flat tire.
https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/centennial-airport-plane-hard-landing/73-fe72b894-96b7-4b58-bde7-76cadd29ed0c
One dead after plane crashes in field near Hulen, NTSB investigates
COTTON COUNTY, Okla. (KSWO) - Authorities are
investigating a plane crash near Hulen that left one dead.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the plane was a Cessna 172 airplane, registered to the Lawton Metropolitan Area Airport Authority.
Authorities with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) confirm one person was aboard the aircraft and has died as a result of the collision.
The NTSB has confirmed an investigator is traveling the scene. Once the wreckage is documented, the plane will be transported to a secure facility for evaluation.
NTSB officials ask anyone with information regarding the crash that could assist in the investigation to contact them at witness@ntsb.gov.
There is no word on the identity of the victim as the investigation is still ongoing.
https://www.kswo.com/2025/08/14/one-dead-after-plane-crashes-field-near-hulen/
A flight makes an emergency landing at Barajas Airport with smoke in the cabin.
It took off from Paris bound for Casablanca and reported the incident in Asturias.
Alan Cohen Cobos
The incident occurred while the Airbus A320
operating Air France Flight 1896 was flying over the Cantabrian Sea at an altitude of 34,000 feet , very close to the Asturian coast. The source of the smoke is unknown.
Controllers facilitated a continuous descent and a direct route to Madrid, where emergency operations were awaiting them, according to air traffic controllers. They landed at 7:59 a.m. Thursday on runway 18R , which is part of the southbound layout, even though the airport was using the northbound layout.
"We diverted potentially interfering traffic and temporarily halted all other takeoffs , while instructing all other incoming traffic to hold," air traffic controllers added.
The flight landed without incident , and shortly afterward, air traffic at Madrid Barajas was restored to its original northbound configuration.
"We would like to thank the other crews for their cooperation and highlight the magnificent work of the pilots who safely resolved the emergency ," the controllers stated on social media.
This is not the first serious incident at Madrid-Barajas Airport this August: earlier this month, an Iberia flight was forced to make an emergency landing after colliding with a bird during takeoff, although no one was injured.
Manchester Airport flights stopped after two easyJet planes clip wings in crash
Holidaymakers are warned to expect disruption
By Chris Slater Senior Reporter and Stephen Topping Senior reporter
Passengers are facing cancellations and delays
after two easyJet flights 'clipped wings' at Manchester Airport.
All flights were briefly suspended at the airport this morning (August 15) after the two planes caught one another on the airfield.
Flights were stopped as a precaution while safety checks took place, the Manchester Evening News understands.
Manchester Airport is now running as normal, but passengers are warned to expect some delays following the incident.
One eyewitness, who was due to travel to Marbella, told the M.E.N.: "Just on the plane at Manchester Airport and another plane has just hit our wing and took the wing off."
The M.E.N. understands the incident involves two EasyJet flights which had been due to take off at 6.15am. One was bound for Gibraltar, flight U22267, and the other was set for Paris, flight U22117.
The two easyJet planes involved in the incident will not be departing Manchester, with alternative arrangements set to be made for those affected, the M.E.N. understands.
In a statement, easyJet said: "EasyJet can confirm that two aircraft came into contact whilst taxiing to the runway at Manchester Airport.”
"An immediate investigation has been launched to understand what happened.
"The safety and security of our passengers and crew is our highest priority."
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/live-manchester-airport-flights-stopped-32279090
Global Aviation Safety Sees Mixed Trends In 2024, ICAO Reports
The 2025 ICAO safety report shows a rise in commercial aviation accidents and fatalities in 2024, even as long-term safety trends remain positive.
Amelia Walsh
The International Civil Aviation Organization
(ICAO) released its 2025 State of Global Aviation Safety report, highlighting a notable increase in commercial air transport accidents and fatalities.
The report provides a detailed look at global safety trends, with a particular focus on 2024. Last year saw a significant recovery in global air travel, with approximately 4.528 billion passengers transported worldwide—an 8.6% increase from 2023 however, safety statistics paint a more complex picture.
The total number of accidents involving scheduled commercial operations with aircraft over 5,700 kg (12,566lbs) increased by 43.9% from 2023, with 95 accidents recorded in 2024 compared to 66 the previous year. Aviation fatalities also increased from 72 in 2023 to 296 in 2024. The Asia-Pacific region experienced the highest toll, with three fatal accidents resulting in 185 deaths, followed by Europe and the North Atlantic with three fatal accidents causing 40 fatalities.
Despite the year-over-year increase, long-term trends remain positive. 2024 accident figures are still below pre-pandemic 2019 levels, even with higher passenger numbers, indicating continued improvements in aviation safety.
ICAO’s report also noted four high-risk accident types: controlled flight into terrain, loss of control in flight, mid-air collisions, and runway incursions, which together made up 25% of fatalities and 40% of fatal accidents in 2024.
In response, ICAO is advancing several targeted safety initiatives, including global runway safety programs, enhanced turbulence monitoring, GNSS protection, improved data-driven reporting, civil-military airspace coordination, and frameworks for safely integrating unmanned aircraft and advanced air mobility vehicles.
https://avweb.com/uncategorized/global-aviation-safety-sees-mixed-trends-in-2024-icao-reports/?oly_enc_id=3681J3205156A2X
NTSB Prelim: Robinson Helicopter Co R66
Helicopter Was About 5 To 10 Ft Above The Corn When, During A Turn, The Turbine Engine Flamed Out
Location: Maynard, IA Accident Number: CEN25LA277
Date & Time: July 22, 2025, 14:00 Local Registration: N88911
Aircraft: Robinson Helicopter Co R66 Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 137: Agricultural
On July 22, 2025, about 1400 central daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter Company R66 helicopter, N88911, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Maynard, Iowa. The pilot was uninjured. The helicopter was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a Part 137 aerial application flight.
The pilot stated that he had been conducting spray operations for about 50 minutes. The helicopter was about 5 to 10 ft above the corn when, during a turn, the turbine engine flamed out. He stated that he immediately lowered the collective and applied aft cyclic to gain altitude.
The pilot then executed a forced landing in the corn field, which resulted in the separation of the helicopter’s tailboom.
The helicopter was retained for further examination.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
49 Years ago today: On 15 August 1976 SAETA flight 232, a Vickers Viscount, was destroyed when it impacted the side of a volcano in Ecuador. All 59 on board were killed.
| Date: | Sunday 15 August 1976 |
| Time: | 08:35 |
| Type: | Vickers 785D Viscount |
| Owner/operator: | SAETA |
| Registration: | HC-ARS |
| MSN: | 377 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1958 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 59 / Occupants: 59 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Chimborazo Volcano - Ecuador |
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport (UIO/SEQU) |
| Destination airport: | Cuenca Airport (CUE/SECU) |
| Confidence Rating: | Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Narrative:
SAETA flight 232, a Vickers Viscount, was destroyed when it impacted the side of a volcano in Ecuador. All 59 on board were killed.
Flight 232 departed Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport, Ecuador at 08:06 hours on a domestic service to Cuenca Airport. Last radio contact with the flight was at 08:27 when the crew reported over Ambato at 18000 feet.
The aircraft failed to arrive at Cuenca. Despite an intesive search operation, the wreckage was not found.
However, on October 17, 2002 climbers attempting to reach the top of the 20,700-foot Chimborazo Volcano, came across aircraft debris. Further investigation by officials in February 2003 confirmed that the wreckage was indeed SAETA flight 232.
