These are the stories for today...
Of note, an article from KBTX in Texas remembering Dana Diamond, UPS Captain and Bastrop County, Texas Fire Chief that includes comments from our friend and ARFF Legend Jack Kreckie.
Be safe out there!
Tom
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‘A great man, a great pilot, a great firefighter, a great friend’: Caldwell resident Dana Diamond remembered after fatal Kentucky plane crash
By Dylan Chryst Watkiss
CALDWELL, Texas (KBTX) - Caldwell resident Dana 
Diamond was identified as one of the three pilots killed on board UPS Flight 2976 that crashed on Tuesday night in Louisville, Kentucky, shortly after taking off.
Friends and community members remembered Diamond as someone who made his community better.
“Dana made his mark,” said long-time friend Jack Kreckie.
Kreckie had known Diamond for nearly a decade and was shocked to hear the news of his passing.
“It was a gut punch. It knocked the wind out of me, and I get a little emotional. Loss of a family member, loss of a brother”
Diamond trained pilots across the country, but it was his connection with people that set him apart.
“Dana was one of those guys that, as he walked down the hall like a magnet, you know, everybody, everybody wanted to see him. Everybody was glad to see him,” Kreckie reminisced.
He was a man living his passion, taking to the skies as often as he could.
“When I’d see Dana [I’d] say, ‘hey, Cap, how you doing, man?’ [He’d say] ‘Jack, they still let me fly airplanes and they pay me.’ He just loved to fly,” Kreckie emphasized.
Diamond’s efforts went beyond flying. He served as a volunteer fire chief in Bastrop County. Bastrop Emergency Services District No.1 sent KBTX a statement saying:
Bastrop ESD 1:
Bastrop County Emergency Services District No. 1 is deeply saddened by the loss of former Commissioner and Chief Dana Diamond. He ran towards danger so the rest of us can step back from it and that kind of devotion to his community leaves a mark on everyone it touches. He leaves behind not only a legacy of service but also the memories with fellow firefighters and the community he served. His contribution to the citizens of Bastrop County Texas are immeasurable. May his family find comfort in knowing he served our community to make it a better place and may we honor his memory.
Kreckie said the loss of his friend is being felt far and wide.
“In the firefighting world, we consider ourselves a family. The aircraft aviation is another family. The airline, you’re reading things on that line now about all of how UPS is hurting. That family is really mourning right now, and our family is too,” Kreckie added.
Other community members described Diamond as someone always willing to help his neighbors. Others credited his work training pilots as instrumental to keeping hundreds, if not thousands, of firefighters safe. Everyone agreed that his passing was a huge loss and that he would be dearly missed.
https://www.kbtx.com/2025/11/08/great-man-great-pilot-great-firefighter-great-friend-caldwell-resident-dana-diamond-remembered-after-fatal-kentucky-plane-crash/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOBXT9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF1S056SkxSazVkMVQ0a0J2c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmq-zBAaIZ_KleSS2e4KQpC8n_UJsRBGxtctA7Q8FCVWaU6AJdBGaNdleVpF_aem_jJkf4OLr2pT2fQRn-oWJKA
Small plane crash-lands into trees in Chesterfield
By First Alert 4 Staff
CHESTERFIELD, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A small plane
crash-landed into trees in Chesterfield Tuesday evening.
The incident happened around 6:00 p.m. near the intersection of Wilson Ave and Wild Horse Creek Road.
Jim McKay, fire marshal with the Monarch Fire Protection District, says two men were on board and they are not hurt.
McKay said that at approximately 6:05 p.m., the department received a call of a plane down.
The plane flew out from Spirit of St. Louis Airport and was heading back.
According to the pilots aboard, the plane began to bank left and right and then began to go down.
The plane was 1,300 feet in the air when it began to descend, McKay said. This specific plane had a parachute that was deployed as it descended.
The plane landed nose-first into trees.
“I was surprised there was a parachute. They’re very fortunate,” McKay said.
https://www.firstalert4.com/2025/11/12/small-plane-crash-lands-onto-tree-chesterfield/
NTSB Final Report: Chris Wallen/Michael Pliske Just Acft Highlander
Pilot’s Inadvertent Application Of Brake Pressure During Landing, Which Resulted In A Nose Over
Location: Brasstown, North Carolina Accident Number: ERA25LA196
Date & Time: April 30, 2025, 10:29 UTC Registration: N788MP
Aircraft: Chris Wallen/Michael Pliske Just Acft Highlander Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Nose over/nose down Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis: The pilot said his feet were inadvertently too high on the rudder pedals on landing which resulted in his inadvertent application of brake pressure.
As such, when the airplane touched down, it nosed over resulting in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, empennage and fuselage.
The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- The pilot’s inadvertent application of brake pressure during landing, which resulted in a nose over.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
29 Years ago today: On 12 November 1996 Saudi Arabian Airlines flight SV763, a Boeing 747-100, and Kazakhstan Airlines flight 1907, an Ilyushin Il-76, crashed following a mid-air collision near Charki Dadri, India, killing all 349 occupants.
| Date: | Tuesday 12 November 1996 |
| Time: | 18:40 |
| Type: | Boeing 747-168B |
| Owner/operator: | Saudi Arabian Airlines |
| Registration: | HZ-AIH |
| MSN: | 22748/555 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1982 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 40035 hours |
| Cycles: | 14927 flights |
| Engine model: | Rolls-Royce RB211-524C2 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 312 / Occupants: 312 |
| Other fatalities: | 37 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 5 km from Charki Dadri - India |
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL/VIDP) |
| Destination airport: | Dhahran International Airport (DHA/OEDR) |
| Investigating agency: | CoI India |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:
Saudi Arabian Airlines flight SV763, a Boeing 747-100, and Kazakhstan Airlines flight 1907, an Ilyushin Il-76, crashed following a mid-air collision near Charki Dadri, India, killing all 349 occupants.
Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907, an Ilyushin Il-76 departed Shymkent (aka Chimkent), Kazakhastan for a flight to Delhi. While descending on Airway G452 the crew contacted Delhi: "Good evening 1907. Passing through 230 for 180, 74 miles from DPN [the Delhi Airport beacon]". The controller then cleared the flight to descend to and report at FL150. In the meantime, a Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 had departed Delhi at 18:32 for a passenger flight to Dhahran. Flight SV763 followed the Parvi SID and reported aproaching FL100. The Delhi controller cleared the flight, which was also on Airway G452, to climb to FL140. Because Flight 1907 was approaching from the opposite side, the controller told SV763: "Maintain level 140, Standby for higher." A little later, Flight 1907 reported reaching FL150 at 46 miles from the airport. The controller then responded: "Roger. Maintain 150. Identified traffic 12 o'clock, reciprocal Saudia Boeing 747, 14 miles. Report in sight." The Kazakhstan crew replied by querying the distance to which the controller answered: "Fourteen miles now, roger 1907." When no reply followed he again warned: "Traffic in 13 miles, level 140."
Apparently the Kazakh aircraft had descended below its assigned altitude and was flying at 14500 feet. A few seconds later seconds later the Ilyushin had descended another 310 feet. Shortly afterwards both aircraft collided, plummeted down in flames and crashed in an arid farming area.
PROBABLE CAUSE: The root and approximate cause of the collision was the unauthorised descending by the Kazak aircraft to FL-140 and failure to maintain the assigned FL-150.
The factors contributing to the unauthorised descent of Kazak aircraft to FL-140, departing from the assigned FL-150, were:
i) inadequate knowledge of English language of Kazak pilot, resulting in wrong interpretations of ATC instructions.
ii) poor airmanship and lack of proper CRM (Crew Resource Management) skill on the part of PIC (Pilot-in-Command) compounded by leadership quality lacking in him.
iii) Casual attitude of the crew and lack of coordination in the performance of their respective duties by crew of Kazak aircraft.
iv) Absence of standard callouts from any crew member.
