We close out this week with the following stories...
Be safe out there!
Tom
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An aircraft crashes at Saint-Hubert airport
Maxime Deland
A plane reportedly crashed late Thursday afternoon at Saint-Hubert Airport, on Montreal's South Shore. The aircraft then caught fire.
The crash reportedly occurred shortly after 4 p.m. The fire that broke out after the impact with the ground was quickly brought under control by firefighters.
The pilot, who was alone on board, survived the crash. Witnesses
stated that the man was conscious and breathing after the crash. He was taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
According to the flight itinerary, the aircraft had taken off in the early afternoon from Mont-Joli, in the Lower St. Lawrence, and was due to land at the Saint-Hubert airport around 4 p.m., at the end of a journey of nearly three hours.
The cause of the crash remains unknown.
The schedule of several commercial flights was disrupted in the early evening due to the closure of a runway. Shortly before 7 p.m., the airport authority confirmed that the runway had reopened and that "all airport operations have resumed normally and safely."
https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2026/07/16/un-aeronef-secrase-a-laeroport-de-saint-hubert
UPDATE: Pilot hospitalized with ‘serious injuries’ after St. Joseph helicopter crash
Molly Sweeney and Tyler Hill
JOSEPH, Ill. (WCIA) — Crews responded to the scene of a helicopter crash in Champaign County Thursday evening.
Sheriff Dustin Heuerman shared with WCIA that a crop
duster helicopter reportedly hit powerlines and crashed in the area of 2000E and 1700N in St. Joseph. The pilot was the sole occupant of the helicopter. He was taken to Carle Hospital with serious injuries.
The crash happened around 7:15 p.m. and details remain limited at this time. Members of the public should avoid the area to allow emergency crews to respond safely.
WCIA 3 spoke with neighbors who live less than half a mile away from where the crash happened. The neighbors were watching the pilot crop dusting before going inside their home. Then, their power went out and one man immediately drove out to the scene. He said the pilot was hanging onto the frame of the helicopter when he got there. But, with a live powerline, no one was able to safely rescue him until Ameren cut the line.
While the crash initially cut the power to about 1,103 Ameren Illinois customers, Ameren’s outage map shows that power has since been restored to the area.
Heuerman confirmed that the National Transportation Safety Board will respond to investigate the crash. WCIA has reached out to the NTSB, but did not immediately hear back.
https://fox2now.com/news/illinois/update-pilot-hospitalized-with-serious-injuries-after-st-joseph-helicopter-crash/amp/
Sutter County Airport plane crash leaves pilot dead, authorities say
By Cecilio Padilla, Richard Ramos
A pilot has died after a small plane went through a fence at Sutter County Airport on Thursday morning, authorities said. 
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said a Van's RV-4 went through the airport fence around 7:10 a.m. Only the pilot was aboard.
According to the Sutter County Sheriff's Office, 68-year-old Yuba City resident Gerald Binse was piloting the plane. He was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.
Sutter County Airport, located just south of Yuba City and Marysville, will remain closed until Friday morning, the sheriff's office said.
A Van's RV-4 is a small, two-seat plane commonly built from a kit.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate, with the NTSB leading.
The NTSB said the plane crashed under unknown circumstances at Sutter County Airport. An investigator is expected to arrive at the scene Friday morning to document the crash site and examine the aircraft before it is moved to a secure facility for further evaluation.
As part of the investigation, the agency said it will review flight track data, air traffic control communications, aircraft maintenance records, weather conditions, the pilot's flight experience, witness statements, surveillance video and other evidence that could help determine what happened.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has surveillance video or other information related to the incident is asked to contact the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.
The agency said a preliminary report is expected within 30 days, while a final report identifying the probable cause of the crash could take 12 to 24 months to complete.
https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/sutter-county-airport-july-16-deadly-crash/
Pilot injured after crashing into hangar at Cashmere Airport
Oliver Waite NonStop Local Digital Producer
CASHMERE, Wash. – A 69-year-old pilot was hospitalized
with injuries on Thursday morning following an aircraft crash at the Cashmere Airport, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) reported.
The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. According to CCSO officials, a gyroplane was traveling on the runway before it veered off to one side and crashed into a hangar within the Cashmere Airport grounds. The aircraft reportedly never left the ground prior to its impact with the structure.
CCSO officials noted that the pilot was transported to a hospital in Wenatchee after sustaining multiple injuries from the crash. The pilot, a 69-year-old man from Leavenworth, was the gyroplane’s only occupant, and the only person reported injured following the incident.
FAA officials have launched an investigation into the crash.
https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/pilot-injured-after-crashing-into-hangar-at-cashmere-airport/article_b2e4214b-906e-4e0b-b7d1-58360e0bbf92.html
An Avincis Canadair CL-215 is immobilized in the Tagus River.
The crew escaped unharmed after a breakdown during a water loading maneuver in Portas de Ródão, while fighting the Proença-a-Nova fire.
Digital Aviation, Sp. 
Dynamic water loading allows amphibious aircraft to replenish their tanks without returning to a land base. The maneuver ended anomalously for a piston-engine Canadair CL-215 participating in fighting a rural fire in central Portugal: the aircraft was unable to regain flight and became immobilized in the Tagus River.
Failure during a water loading maneuver
The incident occurred on the afternoon of Thursday, July 16, 2026, in the Portas de Ródão area. The aircraft was performing a dynamic water scooping maneuver when it suffered a malfunction and was unable to regain altitude above the river's surface.
The Portuguese National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) told the Correio da Manhã newspaper that there had been “a malfunction in the equipment during the 'scooping' maneuver.” According to this information, the Canadair remained afloat in the Tagus River and no injuries or apparent serious damage were reported.
The crew was able to evacuate the aircraft without injury. No damage to third parties in the vicinity of the operation has been reported either.
The EC-GBT, a CL-215 manufactured in 1977
Images released of the incident allow the identification of the registration EC-GBT . The active aircraft registry of the Spanish State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) , updated to July 1, 2026, identifies this registration as a Canadair Ltd. CL-215-1A10 , serial number 1054, built in 1977.
The Spanish registry indicates that the aircraft is equipped with two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CA3 radial piston engines . A historical record published by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food confirms the serial number, year of manufacture, and configuration of the aircraft for firefighting missions.
He participated in the Proença-a-Nova fire
Canadair supported the fight against a fire that broke out in a scrub area near Murteira, in the parish of São Pedro do Esteval, municipality of Proença-a-Nova and district of Castelo Branco.
The incident began at 2:56 PM on July 16. In its initial phase, the operation involved 235 personnel and 12 aircraft. By 7:44 PM, the deployment had increased to 332 personnel, 97 vehicles, and 11 aircraft, while the EN-351 national highway remained closed to facilitate the movement of emergency teams.
The Portuguese platform Fogos.pt, which collects operational information on rural fires, recorded the emergency moving to the resolution state at 20:45 and to "conclusion" at 23:31. This latter state indicates the operational closure of the occurrence in the system, but does not provide a confirmed figure for the burned area.
Possible impact on the Portuguese air unit
In 2025, Avincis secured a contract to operate three Canadair CL-215s in Portugal: two main aircraft and one backup unit. The agreement runs until 2027, and the aircraft are integrated into the Special Rural Firefighting Device (DECIR), coordinated by ANEPC.
The temporary grounding of one of the aircraft could reduce the service's redundancy margin, although its actual impact will depend on the availability of the backup aircraft, the duration of the recovery operations, and the outcome of the technical inspection. It has not been publicly confirmed which aircraft will cover the missions assigned to EC-GBT.
https://aviaciondigital.com/canadair-cl-215-avincis-inmovilizado-tajo/
NTSB Prelim: Autogyro MT03
Pilot Noticed That The Gyroplane Was No Longer Climbing And Had Entered A Slight Descent
Location: San Jose, CA Accident Number: WPR26LA237
Date & Time: June 29, 2026, 11:48 Local Registration: N423AG
Aircraft: Autogyro MT03 Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On June 29, 2026, about 1148 Pacific daylight Time, a MTO Sport gyroplane, N423AG, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Reid-Hillview Airport (RHV), San Jose, California. The pilot was seriously injured, and the passenger received minor injuries. The gyroplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to take a passenger on a local traffic pattern flight to demonstrate the gyroplane. The pilot reported that the pre-flight inspection, engine start, run-up, magneto check, and pre-takeoff checks revealed no anomalies. Before taking off from runway 14L, he engaged the secondary fuel pump.
The pilot stated that the takeoff roll was normal; however, when the main landing gear was about 6 inches above the runway, the radio lost power. He attempted to reset the radio power but was unable to restore it, which he believed was indicative of a master power failure. As the gyroplane approached the departure end of the runway about 130 ft above ground level, the pilot noticed that the gyroplane was no longer climbing and had entered a slight descent. He selected a dirt area off the runway for a forced landing.
The gyroplane continued to descend and impacted terrain at about 15 mph. Resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and main rotor system.
The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
26 Years ago today: On 17 July 2000 Alliance Air Flight 7412, a Boeing 737-200, lost contol on approach to Patna Airport, India, killing 55 occupants and 5 persons on the ground; three occupants survived.
| Date: | Monday 17 July 2000 |
| Time: | 07:34 |
| Type: | Boeing 737-2A8 Advanced |
| Owner/operator: | Alliance Air |
| Registration: | VT-EGD |
| MSN: | 22280/671 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1980 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 44087 hours |
| Cycles: | 51278 flights |
| Engine model: | P&W JT8D-17A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 55 / Occupants: 58 |
| Other fatalities: | 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 2 km SW of Patna Airport (PAT) - India |
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Calcutta-Netaji Subhas Chandra Airport (CCU/VECC) |
| Destination airport: | Patna Airport (PAT/VEPT) |
| Investigating agency: | MoCA India |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:
Alliance Air Flight 7412, a Boeing 737-200, lost contol on approach to Patna Airport, India, killing 55 occupants and 5 persons on the ground; three occupants survived.
Flight 7412 departed Calcutta 21 minutes late, at 06:51, for a flight to Patna, Lucknow and Delhi. The crew had been cleared to land at runway 25 when they requested a 360-degree orbit because they were high on the approach. Permission was granted and a left turn was initiated. During the left turn, the aircraft stalled. The plane then grazed a few single-storied houses in a government residential housing estate at Aneeshabad and exploded into a ball of fire. The aircraft broke into four pieces. The accident site is located about 2 km southwest of the Patna Airport.
Weather reported at 07:30 included temperature 30deg C (86 F), dewpoint 27deg C (80 F); 997 mB; wind calm, haze, 4000 m visibility.
The aircraft in question, VT-EGD, had been involved in an accident 14 years ago. On January 15, 1986, the pilot of flight 529 attempted to land at Tiruchirapalli in conditions below weather minima. During a go-around the wing contacted the runway due to an excessive bank angle. The wing was substantially damaged, but there were no injuries among the 6 crew and 122 passengers.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The cause of the accident was loss of control of the aircraft due Human Error (air crew). The crew had not followed the correct approach procedure, which resulted in the aircraft being high on approach. They had kept the engines at idle thrust and allowed the air speed to reduce to a lower than normally permissible value on approach. They then maneuvered the aircraft with high pitch attitude and executed rapid roll reversals. This resulted in actuation of the stick shaker stall warning indicating an approaching stall. At this stage, the crew initiated a Go Around procedure instead of Approach to Stall Recovery procedure resulting in an actual stall of the aircraft, loss of control and subsequent impact with the ground."
