These are the stories to close out this week...
Have a safe weekend!
Tom
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WestJet passengers evacuated on Denver runway after blown tires
by: Jacob Factor, Parker Gordon
DENVER (KDVR) — Passengers on a WestJet flight were
evacuated on a Denver runway Thursday after an incident just before takeoff that left two landing gear tires shredded.
The flight was about to depart for Calgary, Canada around 12:30 p.m. when the incident happened, a Denver International Airport spokesperson said.
FOX31’s Alliyah Sims spoke with a passenger on WestJet flight 1571 who said they believed the plane’s tires blew out before takeoff.
Video provided by a passenger showed two blown tires.
“The aircraft safely aborted takeoff, The crew responded promptly in accordance with established procedures and declared an emergency, with response teams attending immediately,” WestJet said in a statement.
No injuries were reported, and passengers were bused back to the terminal.
The airline company said it was working on re-accommodations.
More than 300 flights are delayed at DIA Thursday afternoon, but it is unclear how many were delayed due to the incident.
https://kdvr.com/news/local/buses-getting-passengers-after-incident-on-plane-leaving-dia/
Hot air balloon with 10 aboard makes hard landing in Pahrump, FAA investigating
by Warren Tennyson
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A hot air balloon made a hard
landing in Pahrump, Nevada, around 7 a.m. local time Thursday with 10 people on board, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA said it will investigate. The agency said it will post a preliminary accident/incident report, usually on the next business day.
An official with Pahrump Fire & Rescue told KPMV that they were dispatched around 6:30 a.m. to the Stewart Valley area, near the California state line.
Crews were notified that a hot air balloon had suffered a hard landing and caught fire.
A private vehicle transported passengers to a local hospital. Some crews remained on scene and others went to the hospital for the investigation.
https://news3lv.com/news/local/faa-investigating-hard-landing-of-hot-air-balloon-with-10-aboard-in-pahrump-nevada
Skydiving Worker Killed In Propeller Incident
Investigation Underway At Marana Regional Airport
A skydiving company employee died after walking into a spinning aircraft propeller shortly after landing at Marana Regional Airport in Arizona.
Authorities say the incident appears to have been accidental and remains under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and local police.
Eduardo Hernandez, 40, worked for SkyDive Marana and was part of the crew aboard a Cessna 208B that landed just before 4:30 p.m. on June 13th. According to the FAA, Hernandez exited the aircraft and walked into the propeller while it was still rotating. Emergency responders from the Marana Police Department and Northwest Fire District provided immediate lifesaving efforts, but he was later pronounced deceased.
Police stated there is no indication of foul play. A preliminary FAA report also confirmed that the individual walked into the propeller after disembarking. The aircraft is registered to Marana Tactical Flight LLC, based in Tucson, according to FAA records.
The incident adds to a few serious accidents at Marana Regional Airport in recent years. In April, Chris Sheafe and Jacque Sheafe died when their aircraft ran off the runway and caught fire. In February 2025, a midair collision claimed the lives of pilot Michael Reinath and passenger Linda Gifford.
As investigators continue working to determine what happened, the loss leaves a somber note over a community that knows the operational demands and hazards of aviation only too well.
FMI: www.registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry www.skydivemarana.com
New NTSB Safety Alert Video - On-Scene Hazards of Ballistic Parachute Recovery Systems
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NTSB Prelim: Piper J5C-65
Pilot Stated That After Takeoff, When The Airplane Was About 400 Ft, He Noticed The Engine rpm Drop Slightly
Location: East Granby, CT Accident Number: ERA26LA225
Date & Time: June 2, 2026, 11:51 Local Registration: N331JM
Aircraft: Piper J5C-65 Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On June 2, 2026, at 1151 eastern daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N331JM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near East Granby, Connecticut. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot stated that after takeoff, when the airplane was about 400 ft, he noticed the engine rpm drop slightly. When the rpm continued to drop, he turned to return to the airport. As the airplane descended to about 200 ft, the engine lost all power. The pilot subsequently conducted a forced landing in a farm field. The airplane struck a greenhouse and the landing gear partially collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount.
The airplane was retained for examination.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
79 Years ago today: On 19 June 1947 Pan Am flight PA121, a Lockheed L-049 Constellation, crashed near Mayadine, Syria, killing 14 occupants; 22 survived the accident.
| Date: | Thursday 19 June 1947 |
| Time: | 01:40 |
| Type: | Lockheed L-049 Constellation |
| Owner/operator: | Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) |
| Registration: | NC88845 |
| MSN: | 2045 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1946 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2645 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 14 / Occupants: 36 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Mayadine - Syria |
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Karachi International Airport (KHI/OPKC) |
| Destination airport: | Istanbul-Yesilköy Airport (IST/LTBA) |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:
Pan Am flight PA121, a Lockheed L-049 Constellation, crashed near Mayadine, Syria, killing 14 occupants; 22 survived the accident.
The Constellation, named "Clipper Eclipse", was cruising at FL185 when the no. 1 prop had to be feathered due to engine problems. The remaining three engines overheated, forcing the crew to reduced power. This resulted in a gradual descent. The crew elected to continue to Istanbul instead of landing at the nearby Habbaniya RAF Station in Iraq. While descending through FL100 a fire broke out in the engine no. 2 nacelle. A rapid descent was started during which the no. 2 engine separated from the wing. With the left wing on fire a belly landing was carried out in the desert. It appeared the no. 1 engine failure was due to a broken exhaust rocker arm on the no.18 cylinder. The no. 2 engine failure was due to a failure of the thrust bearing which in turn resulted in blocking the passage of oil from the propeller feathering motor to the propeller dome.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was a fire which resulted from an attempt to feather the No. 2 propeller after the failure of the No. 2 engine thrust bearing."
