We begin the new week with these stories...
Be safe out there!
Tom
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British Jet2 flight makes emergency landing in Germany after smoke alert
By Jeyhun Aghazada
A British Jet2 passenger aircraft carrying 225 passengers and seven crew members made an emergency landing at Erfurt-Weimar Airport in Germany overnight after an unspecified smoke incident was reported on board. No injuries have been reported.
According to Stern, the Airbus A321 operated by Jet2 was flying from Greece to London when the crew declared an emergency. The aircraft landed safely in Erfurt, and passengers were subsequently evacuated.
Travellers were accommodated in the airport terminal and provided with assistance. Airport officials said the airline would arrange a replacement aircraft to continue the journey later in the day.
The cause of the reported smoke remains unknown. Firefighters who inspected the aircraft found no signs of a fire on board. The aircraft will remain in Erfurt temporarily while airline technicians carry out a detailed inspection.
https://caliber.az/en/post/british-jet2-flight-makes-emergency-landing-in-germany-after-smoke-alert
Smoke on board: 225 passengers brought to safety
during emergency landing in Erfurt
Erfurt. An incident occurred on Monday night: A Jet2 Airbus en route to London had to make an emergency landing at Erfurt Airport due to unclear smoke development on board.
https://www.thueringer-allgemeine.de/lokales/erfurt/article412422273/rauch-an-bord-225-passagiere-bei-notlandung-in-erfurt-in-sicherheit-gebracht.html
Pilot injured after small plane crashes into Santa Clara Riverbed in Santa Paula
By Dean Fioresi
A small plane crashed into the Santa Clara Riverbed in 
Santa Paula on Saturday afternoon, sending the aircraft's pilot to the hospital with minor injuries, according to Ventura County firefighters.
The incident happened just before 1 p.m. in the river bottom just east of Santa Paula Airport, which is located at 28 Wright Taxi Way, firefighters told CBS LA.
They said that the single-engine aircraft had just one occupant, the pilot, who was able to self-extricate from the plane after the crash landing. Once firefighters were on scene, they said that they hoisted him from the riverbed and took him to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
The cause of the crash remains unknown.
Ventura County Fire Department officials said that the scene and investigation have been turned over to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
NTSB officials said that the aircraft was a Bellanca Viking and that the flight originated in Glendale, Arizona.
CBS LA has reached out to the FAA for a statement on the crash, but has not yet heard back.
Photos shared by firefighters on social media showed that some of the plane's landing gear appeared to detach during the crash. Minor damage could be seen on the front end of the plane.
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/santa-paula-airport-plane-crash-santa-clara-riverbed-ventura-county/
Two injured after plane crash in White County
Caleb Hutchins Chief Editor
Two people are injured after a plane crashed in southeastern White County Friday morning
White County Public Safety officials said the crash 
happened just after 10:45 a.m. in a field along Black Road near Hampton Hills Lane just east of Cleveland.
"Responders located a small plane, identified as a Boeing PT-17, in a nearby field," a statement from White County officials said. "Two individuals were on board the aircraft at the time of the accident."
Both of those people were injured and were taken from the scene to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment.
Officials said the plane is believed to have taken off from nearby Mountain Airpark in Cleveland, less than a mile from the scene of the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified and is investigating the crash.
Plane forced into emergency landing over Kingsburg
by: Miranda Adams
KINGSBURG, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A small plane was 
forced into an emergency landing near a Kingsburg neighborhood Friday afternoon.
Fortunately, the pilot was able to land in a nearby open field and only suffered minor injuries.
According to the Kingsburg Fire Department, it went down around 1:30 p.m. near the Kings Estates Homes development at Caruthers and Mendocino avenues.
While the exact cause of the emergency landing is under investigation, officials say it was “due to mechanical issues.”
https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/kingsburg-emergency-plane-landing/
Planes damaged and overturned after storm hits Stillwater airport
City officials said no injuries were reported
By Patrick Talbot
STILLWATER, Okla. — Several planes were damaged and overturned, and a hangar is missing part of its roof after storms hit an airport in Stillwater. 
KOCO 5 spoke with an Oklahoma State University flight student, who uses the planes that are stored at the airport. He showed video of some of the planes that were damaged and flipped over.
"One fully flipped over. One of OSU's multi-engine trainers, as well as the multiple single engines that had their front gears completely collapsed," Owen Sanders said. "Another one of the multi-engines is still upright but moved probably 300-400 feet across the area. So, yeah, it's maybe five to 10, hopefully not more.
Several more planes were damaged Friday night when the storm rolled through Stillwater Regional Airport. City officials said no injuries were reported.
https://www.koco.com/article/planes-damaged-power-lines-down-severe-storms-slam-stillwater/71751490
Skydiving plane crashes in France, killing 11 people
By Billy Stockwell, Niamh Kennedy
Eleven people were killed on Sunday when a skydiving plane crashed in the northeastern French town of Tomblaine, according to a regional official.
The aircraft – which was carrying 11 people – crashed at 11 a.m. local time during a skydiving session, according to Yves Séguy, the prefect of the Meurthe-et-Moselle region where the plane went down.
Five instructors and five independent nurses appeared to be among the casualties, CNN affiliate BFMTV cited Thierry Pechey, president of the Meurthe-et-Moselle Council of Independent Nurses as saying. The pilot also died in the crash.
A significant emergency response was mobilized, with police units and 50 firefighters deployed to the scene, according to local authorities.
The deadly incident comes just weeks after a skydiving plane crashed moments after takeoff in western Missouri, killing 12 people and reviving a longstanding debate over the regulation of skydiving planes.
In France, Séguy told BFMTV the plane crashed “almost vertically, right next to a housing development” on the edge of the airfield. “There were many witnesses at the scene of the accident,” including relatives of the victims, he said.
No bystanders were among the casualties, according to Séguy.
‘We are awaiting the arrival of the forensic team to conduct the standard investigation,” Séguy said. The local official added that the French interior minister would visit the scene on Sunday.
“We stand together with all involved, emergency services and all the elected officials around me,” Séguy added. “Our thoughts are with the victims and with their loved ones.”
‘They had all died instantly’
A witness to the crash, who was driving at the time, told Reuters news agency he saw the plane climbing into the air before suddenly veering to the right. “Something was clearly wrong. By the time I reached the roundabout, circled back and parked near the fire truck, a man was already on the scene trying to put out the flames,” the witness, who did not provide his name, said.
“We saw right away that it was over, that they had all died instantly. There was no movement, and it was clear the impact had been too violent for there to be any survivors,” he added.
French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot called the crash a “terrible tragedy” with a “particularly high” death toll. He also confirmed on X that he would travel to Meurthe-et-Moselle on Sunday afternoon.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/28/europe/plane-crash-france-skydiving-intl
NTSB Final Report: 217WhiskeyMike LLC SQ12
Airplane’s Main Landing Gear Wheels Went Into A Low Tundra Hole And The Airplane Subsequently Nosed Over
Location: McGrath, Alaska Accident Number: ANC25LA111
Date & Time: September 20, 2025, 12:00 Local Registration: N217WM
Aircraft: 217WhiskeyMike LLC SQ12 Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Nose over/nose down Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis: The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll at a remote site, he was applying full engine power to taxi uphill.
The airplane’s main landing gear wheels went into a low tundra hole and the airplane subsequently nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the left wing lift strut.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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 clearance from a hole in the tundra, which resulted in impact with terrain.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
NTSB: Cessna 195 Floatplane Down In Columbia River
Two Dead After Aircraft Hit Power Line Across The River
Both occupants perished after a Cessna 195 equipped as a floatplane flew into a power line that crossed the Columbia River to Clover Island in Kennewick in southeast Washington State on Wednesday afternoon, sending the plane and a live wire into the river.
The plane collided with a transmission line, causing power outages for thousands of homes and businesses in the surrounding area. The plane crash also sparked a fire in an open field next to Riverview Park.
The plane landed upside down in the river and drifted downstream. Pasco Fire used a boat to stop it from moving farther while crews from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Benton County Sheriff's Office, Columbia Basin Dive Rescue and the U.S. Coast Guard responded on the water.
Authorities confirmed that the two male occupants of the aircraft are deceased. Their identities have been established, though names have not yet been publicly released.
Spill response crews were deployed to help first responders near Clover Island in Kennewick, Washington after a small amount of fuel from the aircraft evaporated in hot weather.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
NTSB Updates Details Of Georgia Wedding Night Helicopter Crash
Preliminary Report Shows No Anomalies With Aircraft, Weather In The Area In The Mountains
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released preliminary findings on the fatal Robinson R66 helicopter crash in Georgia that killed a groom on his wedding day and seriously injured the bride.
The helicopter took off late Friday May 29 leaving the couple’s wedding when it crashed in a remote, mountainous wooded area in Dawson County in the North Georgia mountains.
“Impact signatures at the accident site were consistent with collision with tall trees and terrain in the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area,” the NTSB said in the report.
The crash killed the pilot of the helicopter, Nikhil Nargundkar, and newlywed Dave Fiji. Fiji’s wife Jessni, who was trapped in the wreckage for nearly five hours, was seriously injured.
“The helicopter was recovered from the accident site and transported to a secure facility where additional documentation was performed. Examination of the airframe and engine did not detect any preimpact anomalies which would have contributed to the accident. A review of pilot information found that he completed his initial pilot testing and his line check on September 16, 2025, in both a Robinson R44 and a Robinson R66. He was graded satisfactory for all maneuvers. The pilot held an instrument rating and a commercial pilot certificate.
“Weather was reported to be 2 miles visibility with moderate rain and mist, and scattered clouds at 7,500 ft, with a remark for variable visibility from 1.5 miles to 3.5 miles. Modeling of weather near the accident site indicated the potential for light wind, a cloud ceiling near 200 ft above ground level (agl), and overcast clouds at 600 ft agl with rain and fog. A review of the National Weather Service (NWS) imagery showed the helicopter near an area of moderate rain at the time of the accident.
The NWS also had a Convective Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET) advisory issued at 2055 for an area of embedded thunderstorms moving from 220° at 15 knots with cloud tops near 40,000 ft. There was also Graphic Airman's Meteorological Information (AIRMET) advisories current for developing instrument flight rules conditions and mountain obscuration over the area.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
60 Years ago today: On 29 June 1966 Philippine Air Lines flight 785, a Douglas DC-3, crashed near Sablayan, Philippines, killing 26 occupants; 2 survived the accident.
| Date: | Wednesday 29 June 1966 |
| Time: | 12:15 |
| Type: | Douglas C-47A-90-DL (DC-3) |
| Owner/operator: | Philippine Air Lines |
| Registration: | PI-C17 |
| MSN: | 20573 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1944 |
| Engine model: | P&W R-1830-92 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 26 / Occupants: 28 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Sablayan - Philippines |
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Mamburao Airport (MBO/RPUM) |
| Destination airport: | |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:
Philippine Air Lines flight 785, a Douglas DC-3, crashed near Sablayan, Philippines, killing 26 occupants; 2 survived the accident.
Flight 785 took off from Mamburao at 12:04 for a flight to San Jose. After requesting terminal weather information at 12:15 nothing more was heard from the flight. The DC-3 was later found to have crashed at 2300 feet msl in a ravine of the northern slope of Mount Rabañgan (3500 ft high).
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Misjudgement of the terrain clearance of which resulted to the collision with trees. IMC enroute accompanied by severe turbulence and strong gusty wind over the crash site was a contributory factor."
