Here are your stories for today...
Of note, congratulations to our ARFF Brothers and Sisters at DFW on the opening of their new "East ARFF" Station!
Be safe out there!
Tom
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Pilot, 80, crashes replica German WW2 plane in field after mistaking tractor lines for a runway
BicNews
Barry Conway, 80, flipped his home-built Focke-Wulf 
aircraft trying to land and had to be cut free from the cockpit.
The former RAF fighter ace was rushed to hospital with cracked vertebrae in his neck and back.
A pal said dad-of-two Barry is “very lucky” to be alive following the frightening crash in Ogbourne St George, Wilts, on Sunday.
Dudley Pattison, 76, added: “He thought that the tractor lines were the edge of the runway. The sun was in his eyes, probably.
“He can’t understand how he made the mistake, he’s mad at himself. With the airplane, the view on landing is quite restricted. That didn’t help.
“The tractor ruts made the plane flip over. But he is in good spirits, though he will certainly be in a neck brace for a while.”
Firefighters used hydraulic cutting equipment to free Barry and foam to prevent the fuel from igniting.
The damaged plane has been taken to a hangar and is 
awaiting inspection.
An Air Accidents Investigation Branch spokesman said: “We were informed of an accident involving a light aircraft south of Swindon and we will be conducting an investigation.”
Barry, of Carterton, Oxfordshire, is a former RAF Phantom pilot and later flew commercial airlines.
He paired up with Dudley in 2000 to win the Schneider Trophy air race — a 100-mile competition which is famous for incredible speeds and intricate manoeuvring.
Barry ensured details on his plane were similar to the original Third Reich Luftwaffe version, even down to the Swastika.
Pilot uninjured after emergency landing in Jefferson County field near Highway 101
by KOMO News Staff
QUILCENE, Wash. — A pilot safely made an emergency 
landing in a field in Jefferson County on Tuesday after reporting engine failure, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
“Quilcene Fire Rescue
Today at approximately 10:51 a.m., Quilcene Fire Rescue was dispatched to the report of a small private aircraft attempting to make an emergency landing on Highway 101 near the Highway 101/104 interchange.
While responding, crews were advised that the aircraft had safely completed an emergency landing in a field at Boulton Farms off Highway 101.
Upon arrival, crews found the pilot out of the aircraft and uninjured. The pilot reported experiencing an engine failure that caused an onboard fire while the aircraft was in flight. The pilot immediately began engine failure emergency landing procedures, was able to extinguish the flames using an onboard fire extinguisher, and safely landed the aircraft in an open field.
Quilcene Fire Rescue is thankful this incident ended without injury and would like to thank the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, WA. and the Washington State Patrol for their assistance.” 
At about 10:48 a.m., the pilot of a small, single-propeller aircraft notified air traffic control of engine trouble and said they would attempt to land near the intersection of state highways 101 and 104, authorities said.
About five minutes later, the pilot called 911 and reported that the pilot had successfully landed in a field off Boulton Road in Quilcene.
The sheriff’s office said the pilot was not injured.
Officials also reported that no motorists or pedestrians were harmed.
Plane lands at O'Hare Airport, suffers two flat tires while taxiing
By Will Hager
The Brief
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- An American Airlines flight landed safely at O’Hare Airport and suffered two flat tires.
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- Emergency crews responded to the runway, but no injuries were reported.
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- Passengers waited about an hour before exiting the plane on portable stairs and being bused to the terminal.
CHICAGO - Passengers aboard an American Airlines flight at Chicago O’Hare International Airport faced a lengthy delay after the plane landed and suffered damage to its tires late Tuesday night. 
What we know:
American Airlines Flight 791 from Miami landed around 9:24 p.m. at O'Hare. Video from the scene showed emergency vehicles surrounding the aircraft on the runway shortly after landing.
No injuries were reported, but passengers remained on board for an extended period while crews responded to the situation.
What they're saying:
"When we were landing, I thought it was a smooth landing, but my sister was farther back in the plane and she felt it sway a little bit, she thought," said Linda, a passenger on the flight.
Passengers were later told another aircraft had spotted the flat tires and alerted airport personnel, according to the traveler.
After waiting on the plane for about an hour, passengers were eventually escorted off using a portable staircase on the taxiway before being transported by bus to the terminal.
American Airlines released a statement, saying the tires were damaged while taxiing:
"After landing normally in Chicago (ORD), American Airlines flight 791 experienced a tire issue while taxing to the gate," the statement read "All customers deplaned safely and the aircraft was taken out of service to be inspected by our maintenance team. We appreciate the professionalism of our team and we apologize to our customers for their experience."
What we don't know:
The cause of the flat tires has not yet been released.
The Source: The information in this report came from American Airlines, FlightAware, the Chicago Police Department and travelers who were onboard the flight.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/plane-lands-ohare-aiport-flat-tires?link_source=ta_first_comment&taid=6a04604e3e6e8600018cfd73
10 rescued after small plane crashes off Florida coast near Vero Beach, Coast Guard says
By Sergio Candido, Ana Maria Soler
Ten people were rescued Tuesday after a small aircraft crashed about 50 miles off the coast of Vero Beach, Florida, according to the U.S. Coast Guard and the Federal Aviation Administration. 
The U.S. Coast Guard Southeast said in a social media post at 3 p.m. that a Coast Guard aircraft was launched to search for the downed plane after reports of the crash.
"Reportedly, all 10 people are accounted for & are being brought to EMS for further eval," the Coast Guard said on X. Officials added that the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
According to CBS News, the survivors were transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne for evaluation.
The FAA said the aircraft was a Beechcraft BE30 that crashed into the ocean about 50 miles east of Vero Beach Regional Airport around 12:05 p.m. Tuesday. According to the FAA, the flight departed from Marsh Harbour Airport and was headed to Grand Bahama International Airport. Ten people were confirmed on board.
The Bahamas Aircraft Accident Investigation Authority said the pilot declared an emergency while enroute before communication was lost with air traffic control. The agency said U.S. Coast Guard crews later located the downed aircraft off the coast of Fort Pierce and rescued all 10 people on board.
Officials in the Bahamas also said three people suffered injuries.
An official with the Royal Bahamas Defence Force told CBS News that Bahamian authorities assisted with coordinating the rescue effort but did not deploy any assets to the scene.
"Our role was to assist with the coordination of the rescue effort," the official said. "We did not physically assist through the use of our assets. U.S. authorities were able to rescue the passengers in a timely manner due to their proximity to the United States."
A source briefed on the investigation told CBS News that they are looking into whether there was possible engine failure that led to the crash. They said that they weren't able to steer or turnaround and had to fly forward until they crashed, which explains why they are so far off their original course, which was originally a 20-minute flight.
The FAA said it will investigate the crash.
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/florida-plane-crash-ocean-vero-beach/
'Everyone started to freak out': NTSB reviewing Frontier evacuation after deadly DIA runway strike
The NTSB said it is gathering information as questions mount over passenger behavior during the emergency evacuation of the smoke-filled aircraft.
By: Adria Iraheta
DENVER — Passengers aboard Frontier Flight 4345 are 
recounting the frightening moments after the jet struck and killed a person on the runway Friday night, as federal investigators work to piece together what happened and whether evacuation procedures need to change.
As of Monday afternoon, the National Transportation Safety Board said it still has not determined whether it will open a formal safety investigation. The agency said it is gathering information about the emergency evacuation process. The identity of the person killed has not been released.
12 people suffered minor injuries during the evacuation.
"As the smoke filled the cabin that's when everyone really started to freak out,” said passenger Levi Lynn.
Mohamed Hassan, another passenger on Flight 4345, said the experience left him worried about lasting health effects.
"I'm just concerned for like myself and everyone's health because I mean like inhaled toxic fumes for like four minutes."
The evacuation has drawn scrutiny over some passengers' behavior during the process. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, said it is deeply troubling when passengers do not follow crew instructions.
"It's extremely concerning when passengers do not follow the instructions to leave all their bags behind,” Nelson said.
Nelson said takeoff and landing are the two most critical phases of a flight, and crews are trained and ready to act during both. 
"This is part of our commands for a reason. It's part of our safety briefing for a reason,” Nelson said.
Carry-on bags during evacuations have been a concern for federal regulators for years. Just last September, the FAA issued a Safety Alert for Operators – in other words, a directive telling airlines to re-evaluate their evacuation procedures regarding carry-ons because of similar incidents.
“Passengers have taken their carry-on items with them on a number of recent evacuations. This slows the evacuation and puts lives at risk. Carry-on items also can damage emergency slides,” an FAA spokesperson told Denver7 on Monday.
The SAFO recommends airlines:
- Ensure safety briefings clearly and concisely instruct passengers to leave all carry-on items behind during an evacuation.
- Conduct passenger outreach and education campaigns.
- Leverage their Safety Management Systems (SMS) to evaluate evacuation procedures and identify and address any risks and hazards.
The Association of Flight Attendants is also conducting its own investigation into the incident. Nelson said the union wants to identify what needs to change.
"Whether that's part of the training, whether it's part of the announcements, whether it's part of the briefings for the passengers as they are going through their whole process of buying the ticket,” said Nelson. "As you're thinking about flying, have it in your head if I need to leave, I need to get up and go, not stop and grab a bag that could make everyone else burn on an airplane or make it impossible for myself to get off, too."
Measures such as locking overhead bins during flights have been considered in the past but were never implemented due to safety reasons, Nelson said.
The union is providing emotional support to cabin crew 
members – not only to help them process the trauma and grief, but also to process the what-ifs – like what they could have done differently during the evacuation process.
All things considered, experts say the pilots and crew appear to have done everything they should have as part of the rejected takeoff – saving many lives in the process.
MSU Denver aviation expert Chad Kendall said the maneuver was a textbook example of what crews should do in case of an emergency.
“Rejecting at high speeds is a critical maneuver, but they performed it to their training. High remarks for how they responded, to the pilots and then the cabin crew members of getting all the passengers off safely,” Kendall said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/everyone-started-to-freak-out-ntsb-reviewing-frontier-evacuation-after-deadly-runway-strike
DFW Opens New Aircraft Rescue And Firefighting Station
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Opens East Aircraft And Rescue Station
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has opened its new East Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) 
Station, part of more than $130 million invested in next-generation ARFF response infrastructure through the airport’s capital improvement plan.
The facility replaces two fire stations that have served the airport since it opened more than 50 years ago, marking a significant upgrade to infrastructure that supports emergency operations across one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs. DFW was ranked the fourth-busiest commercial airport in the world in 2025, and third in total aircraft movements with more than 743,000 flight operations last year.
DFW’s $130 million aircraft rescue and firefighting modernization program consolidates four existing stations into two centralized east and west facilities, improving response coverage, resiliency and operational efficiency. The new West station is expected to open later this year. The program is being delivered through a design-build partnership led by JE Dunn Construction and PGAL and is supported by more than $75 million in federal funding secured over multiple years through the FAA Airport Improvement Program and additional federal support. These investments are critical in the development of next-generation emergency response infrastructure at DFW.
To maximize response coverage and positioning across the airfield, the new station includes 10 apparatus bays with high-speed, multi-fold doors that open in seconds, enabling the simultaneous deployment of multiple ARFF vehicles. The facility also includes 21 dorm rooms, dedicated training and fitness space, and specialized support areas for hazardous materials, decontamination and equipment storage, ensuring crews can respond and reset quickly during sustained operations. Built to ICC-500 standards, the station includes an F5-rated storm shelter and hardened infrastructure designed to maintain continuity during extreme conditions.
FMI: www.dfwairport.com
NTSB Final Report: American General Acft Corp AG5B
Following A Momentary Wind Shift, The Airplane Lost More Altitude And It Struck The Tops Of Trees
Location: Fairfield, New Jersey Accident Number: ERA26LA096
Date & Time: January 15, 2026, 17:15 Local Registration: N59WM
Aircraft: American General Acft Corp AG5B Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT) Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis: The pilot reported being on the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern when a 16 to 24-knot tailwind pushed the airplane further from the runway than he had planned. While on final approach, the airplane was low with a headwind. Following a momentary wind shift, the airplane lost more altitude and it struck the tops of trees resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. Despite the impact, the pilot was able to clear the trees and land safely on the runway. The pilot also reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with 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 failure to maintain an appropriate glide path during the landing approach in gusting wind conditions, resulting in an impact with trees prior to the runway.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
77 Years ago today: On 13 May 1949 An Aeroflot Ilyushin Il-12 crashed following a loss of control 12 km from Novosibirsk-Severny, Russia , killing all 25 occupants.
| Date: | Friday 13 May 1949 |
| Time: | 14:10 |
| Type: | Ilyushin Il-12P |
| Owner/operator: | Aeroflot, Moscow Civil Aviation Directorate |
| Registration: | CCCP-L1791 |
| MSN: | 93013208 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1949 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 51 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 25 / Occupants: 25 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 12 km from Novosibirsk-Severny (North) Airport - Russia |
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Omsk Airport (OMS/UNOO) |
| Destination airport: | Novosibirsk-Severny (North) Airport (UNCC) |
Narrative:
An Aeroflot Ilyushin Il-12 crashed following a loss of control 12 km from Novosibirsk-Severny, Russia , killing all 25 occupants.
The Il-12 operated on a flight from Moscow to Krasnoyarsk with en route stops at Omsk to Novosibirsk. While approaching Novosibirsk, it entered a heavy thunderstorm. The first officer and the radio operator were disabled by a lightning strike. The captain tried to leave the cloud but entered a zone of heavy rainfall with hail and squall with a visibility of 100-200 metres and seemed to have lost control during the descent. The aircraft crashed into a mound 12 km from the airport and caught fire.
