Here are the stories to close out this week...
Have a safe weekend!
Tom
-
Investigative Hearing: November 2025 UPS Cargo Airplane Crash
SAVE THE DATE
Investigative Hearing · May 19-20, 2026
Louisville, KY UPS Cargo Airplane Crash (Nov. 2025)
The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a two-day investigative hearing May 19–20 as part of its
ongoing investigation into the Nov. 4, 2025, crash of United Parcel Service flight 2976, a Boeing MD-11F cargo airplane, shortly after takeoff from Louisville, Kentucky.
On Nov. 4, 2025, at about 5:14 p.m. Eastern time, the airplane, operating as a domestic cargo flight from Louisville to Honolulu, was destroyed after impacting the ground shortly after takeoff. The three crewmembers aboard the airplane and 11 people on the ground were killed. One person on the ground who was seriously injured died 51 days after the accident. Twenty-three people on the ground were injured.
The hearing will be held at the NTSB boardroom in Washington where it will also be livestreamed. The agenda, witness list and other details will be announced in the coming weeks.
The NTSB conducts investigative hearings to assist in obtaining information necessary to determine the facts and circumstances of transportation accidents or incidents under investigation. Although the investigative hearing is open to the public, only NTSB board members, investigators, witnesses and parties to the hearing are allowed to participate.
Links to video of media briefings, photos, the preliminary accident report, investigative updates and other related materials are available on the investigation webpage.
Two people uninjured after plane makes emergency landing near Keeneland
By WKYT News Staff
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Lexington emergency crews
responded to a small plane that went down Thursday afternoon.
The Lexington Fire Department says crews responded for an Aircraft Alert in a field near Blue Grass Airport. Officials say a prop plane with two passengers on board made an emergency landing.
Amy Caudill, a spokesperson with Blue Grass Airport says both people walked away uninjured.
According to Lexington’s traffic ticker inbound Versailles Road was blocked, but has since reopened. Police remain on scene.
The airport was also closed for about 15 minutes, but flights have resumed.
It’s not clear yet what caused the aircraft to go down.
According to the FAA registry, the plane is registered to an LLC in Simpsonville.
This story is developing.
https://www.wave3.com/2026/04/16/two-people-uninjured-after-plane-goes-down-near-blue-grass-airport/
SpiceJet plane hits Akasa aircraft while taxiing at Delhi airport, wing damaged
A taxiing mishap at Delhi airport leaves two aircraft damaged and raises fresh questions over ground safety, as SpiceJet grounds its plane and details emerge on how the incident unfolded.
Amit Bhardwaj
Edited By: Sonali Verma
A taxiing SpiceJet aircraft struck a stationary Akasa Air plane at Delhi airport on Thursday, damaging both jets and triggering an investigation into the ground incident.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the
incident took place at Indira Gandhi International Airport when a SpiceJet Boeing 737-700 operating flight SG-124 from Leh was taxiing into its allocated parking bay at Terminal 1.
The regulator said the right-hand winglet of the SpiceJet aircraft (VT-SLB) hit the horizontal tail surface of an Akasa Air Boeing 737, which was positioned on the apron after pushback for a Delhi–Hyderabad flight.
“Spicejet winglet of B-737-700 aircraft has hit Horizontal tail surface (HTS) of Akasa B-737 aircraft,” the DGCA said.
Due to the impact, the right-hand winglet of the SpiceJet aircraft and the tail section of the Akasa aircraft were damaged.
PASSENGERS SAFE, ALTERNATE ARRANGEMENTS MADE
Akasa Air said its aircraft, operating flight QP 1406 from Delhi to Hyderabad, was stationary when the incident took place.
“Preliminary information indicates that Akasa’s aircraft was stationary when another airline’s aircraft made contact with it,” an Akasa Air spokesperson said.
The aircraft had to return to the bay following the collision.
“All passengers and crew were safely disembarked, and our ground teams are making alternative arrangements to fly our passengers to Hyderabad at the earliest,” the spokesperson said.
“At Akasa Air, the safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority,” the spokesperson added.
SPICEJET CONFIRMS DAMAGE, GROUNDS AIRCRAFT
SpiceJet confirmed that its aircraft was involved in a ground occurrence while taxiing.
“On April 16, 2026, a SpiceJet B737-700 aircraft was involved in a ground occurrence while taxiing at Delhi airport, resulting in damage to its right winglet and the left-hand horizontal stabilizer of another aircraft belonging to a different airline,” a SpiceJet spokesperson said.
The airline said the aircraft has been grounded.
PRELIMINARY REPORT SENT TO DGCA
Sources told India Today that a preliminary report on the ground occurrence has been submitted to the DGCA by the airline operator.
As per standard operating procedures, the chief safety engineer compiled the initial findings and apprised the regulator of the incident.
DGCA INSPECTION UNDERWAY
Officials from the DGCA have inspected the aircraft involved in the collision to assess the extent of the damage and reconstruct the sequence of events.
The regulator has also taken immediate action, off-rostering the concerned SpiceJet pilots and the Air Traffic Control officers involved pending investigation.
“Concerned Air Traffic control officer and the involved pilots of SpiceJet have been off rostered pending investigation,” the DGCA said.
There has been no immediate report of injuries, but the incident has drawn attention to ground safety practices at one of the country’s busiest airports.
PROBE UNDERWAY
The DGCA said it is carrying out a detailed investigation into the incident.
Both airlines confirmed that relevant authorities have been informed, and the matter remains under investigation, with scrutiny likely on ground movement procedures and coordination at the airport.
NTSB Final Report: Globe GC-1B
Postaccident Examination Of The Airframe Revealed That The Right Control Stick Was Disconnected From The Stick Base
Location: Afton, Minnesota Accident Number: CEN24FA125
Date & Time: March 2, 2024, 09:42 Local Registration: N2387B
Aircraft: Globe GC-1B Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Aerodynamic stall/spin Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis: The two pilots departed on a personal cross-country flight in the airplane. ADS-B data showed that about 5 minutes after takeoff, the airplane climbed to about 2,550 ft msl on a south heading before it slowed to about 52 kts ground speed. The data then showed a rapid descent that exceeded 5,000 ft per minute before the data ended.
The airplane was equipped with dual flight controls; however, it could not be determined which pilot was manipulating the controls at the time of the accident. Postaccident examination of the airframe revealed that the right control stick was disconnected from the stick base, and no corresponding bolt or nut was located within the wreckage. If the right control stick became disconnected during the flight, it would have prevented the right-seat pilot from controlling the airplane; however, the left-seat pilot would have retained full flight control capability.
Witnesses located adjacent to the accident site reported hearing an airplane engine operating at varying power settings, followed by the sound of impact. However, aside from the disconnected control stick, postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation, and propeller signatures indicated that the engine was operating at the time of impact. Due to extensive fire and impact damage, not all airplane systems could be examined or tested in detail.
Wreckage and impact signatures were consistent with a flat-spin impact with terrain. No evidence suggested that pilot impairment or incapacitation contributed to the accident. Based on the available evidence, the investigation could not determine the reason the pilot lost control of the airplane.
Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and spin.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
62 Years ago today: On 17 April 1964 Middle East Airlines flight ME444, a Caravelle, crashed while on approach to Dhahran Airport, Saudi Arabia, killing all 49 occupants.
| Date: | Friday 17 April 1964 |
| Time: | 19:32 |
| Type: | Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle III |
| Owner/operator: | Middle East Airlines - MEA |
| Registration: | OD-AEM |
| MSN: | 23 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1960 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 49 / Occupants: 49 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 19 km SSE of Dhahran International Airport (DHA) - Saudi Arabia |
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Beirut International Airport (BEY/OLBA) |
| Destination airport: | Dhahran International Airport (DHA/OEDR) |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:
Middle East Airlines flight ME444, a Caravelle, crashed while on approach to Dhahran Airport, Saudi Arabia, killing all 49 occupants.
Flight ME 444 departed Beirut (BEY) at 17:09 UTC and climbed to its cruising altitude of FL300. At 19:04 the aircraft reported to Bahrain Control that it was estimating Dhahran (DHA) at 19:28, and was cleared to descend to reach FL50 over the Dhahran beacon. At 19:06 weather information was reported to flight 444, which read a NNE/10 knots wind, gusting to 16, and 0,5nm visibility (in a sandstorm). At 19:26 the pilot reported estimating the Dhahran NDB in two minutes. At 19:28 it contacted Dhahran and reported "5 000 feet descending" and was cleared for an ADF approach. The controller requested the crew to report at 4000 feet and outbound at 2000 feet. One minute later it reported leaving 4000 feet and at 19:30 passing 2500 feet and turning inbound. It was then cleared to final approach and requested to report reaching minimum and runway in sight. At approximately 19:32 a short loud transmission noise was recorded by the Tower. No further message was received from the flight. It was subsequently found that the aircraft struck the sea at the completion of the procedure turn 4 NM off shore and 10 NM south of Dhahran Airport.
The investigation team concluded that there was no mechanical failure that could have caused the accident. Several theories were investigated, a.o. erroneous radio altimeter indications as a result of the sandstorm (these effects have been proven in tests done by Air France), but the team was not able to prove any of those theories.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The probable cause of this accident can not be ascertained."
