Here are the stories for today...
Of note, not often you hear of an airport closure due to a "lack of available firefighting equipment." but it's happened in Wabush, Labrador, Canada...
Be safe out there!
Tom
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Flights at Wabush airport grounded due to lack of firefighting equipment, airline says
PAL Airlines says affected passengers will receive email notifications on flight changes
Ashley Fitzpatrick · CBC News
PAL Airlines says that flights to and from Wabush airport in Labrador are grounded for now. 
The airline has posted a notice to passengers. It noted that affected passengers will receive email notifications on changes to their flights.
"We remain in contact with the airport authority and will provide updates as more information becomes available," it states.
The airline said the situation was due to a "lack of available firefighting equipment."
No one at the airport was taking questions from CBC.
Transport Canada acknowledged a mechanical issue is affecting the airport’s firefighting capabilities.
"The affected vehicle is currently undergoing assessment, and all necessary repairs will be completed as expeditiously as possible to restore the required level of service and resume normal airport operations," the federal department said in an emailed statement.
This is not the first time flights at Wabush airport have been affected by lack of firefighting equipment and related services being available. In October 2025, planes with more than 19 seats were unable to land due to Transport Canada requiring services for Wabush Airport that were not on site.
As a result of the disruption Monday, PAL offered transportation to Happy Valley-Goose Bay and the airport there, for passengers on two flights.
The flights were originally to run from Wabush to Goose Bay, before heading on to Deer Lake and then St. John's. The first leg was instead offered as a road trip.
The airline similarly offered bus service into Wabush for passengers in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, trying to get into Labrador West.
Other passengers are being told to monitor their emails.
This shouldn't be happening, mayor says
Wabush Mayor Gertie Canning told CBC Radio's On the Go she considers the current situation "unacceptable."
"I don't think this should be happening right now," Canning said, adding she doesn't see this situation in other airports.
"If a piece of equipment goes down in a busy airport like this is, I think there should be a second piece of equipment here. And I'm calling on our federal government to please fix this."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/flights-at-wabush-airport-grounded-due-to-lack-of-firefighting-equipment-airline-says-9.7302088
2 people seriously hurt after small plane crash in Clark County
By FOX 12 Staff
RIDGEFIELD, Wash. (KPTV) - Two people were take to the hospital with serious injuries after a small plane crash in Clark County on Monday afternoon. 
The Clark County Sheriff’s office says deputies responded to a small plane crash at around 1 p.m. east of Ridgefield near the Daybreak Airport.
Emergency crews found the plane overturned near the river.
Two people were on the plane at the time of the crash and both were seriously hurt.
Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue says one person was able to get out of the plane on their own and was found sitting on the wing. Crews then had to cut away parts of the plane to pull the second person out.
One of the crash victims was taken to the hospital by Life Flight and the other by ambulance.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash.
https://www.kptv.com/2026/08/11/2-people-seriously-hurt-after-small-plane-crash-clark-county/
A private plane collided with a car at Linate Airport, prompting two flights to be diverted to Malpensa and Orio al Serio.
The alarm was raised at 11:19 a.m. Two people were rescued, but they were not injured. Flights were grounded for about half an hour.
Malpensa
Accident involving a collision between an airplane and a
motor vehicle in the general aviation area of Milan Linate airport : a vehicle belonging to a handling company struck the nose of an airplane during a maneuver.
The alarm was raised at 11:19 a.m. and the situation was resolved within half an hour (flights were suspended for 33 minutes). An ambulance, along with firefighters, responded to the scene. Two people were rescued—a 30-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman— but according to initial reports, they were not injured (the ambulance returned empty).
There have been some operational delays, which are gradually being resolved. Two incoming flights have been diverted to Orio al Serio Airport and Milan Malpensa Airport.
SRQ airport gets out ahead of PFAS foam mandate
Firefighting agencies in Florida must transition to fluorine-free foam by July 1, 2029.
By Andrew Warfield
On July 1, a new Florida law went into effect requiring local fire departments and airport firefighting companies to transition from PFAS-laden fire suppression foam to fluorine-free foams by July 2029. 
That means stockpiles in storage facilities and aboard firetrucks must be depleted or removed by that date. All equipment that came in contact with Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) must undergo specialized cleaning or be replaced. That can be a challenging and costly process, especially for airports as the discharge of the material is as rare as plane crashes and jet fuel fires.
Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport Fire Department Chief Jason Hackley said the transition at the agency, though, will be completed by the end of this year, if not sooner, putting it some 30 months ahead of schedule.
PFAS chemicals are chemicals which, according to the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection, resist natural degradation and build up in ecosystems. They do not break down in the sun, water or soil and spread rapidly through groundwater and the air. Scientific studies show some of these chemicals in the environment may have health effects for humans and animals.
The last time the department had to deploy the material, Hackley said, was about five years ago to put out a fire from a small aircraft crash near the runway. The foam also hasn’t been used in training for several years, which means there is plenty on site.
The AFFF, which is stored in 330-gallon containers called totes in a corner of the fire station, also has a long shelf life.
“We've had some of the old legacy foam for 20 years,” Hackley said.
And the cost per filled tote?
“That's probably between $8,000 and $10,000 including the foam, the shipping and the container," he said.
That doesn’t include the 400-gallon capacity tanks aboard each of the department’s three trucks, which more resemble military vehicles than a traditional fire truck with oversized tires that allow for off-road maneuvering because airfield aviation accidents aren’t limited to paved surfaces.
Although two of the department’s three trucks have already been converted and their tanks filled with fluorine-free foam (FFF) — with work on the third, older truck scheduled — the process is not as simple as draining the legacy material and replacing it with the new.
“You have to drain the tank, clean it, dry it out and do multiple flushes,” Hackley said. “We have to change all the valves, the gaskets, all of the nozzles, most of the hosing. It all has to be changed out because PFAS can stay in those.” 
Following the truck overhaul, the conversion contractor sends components for testing to ensure the level of parts of PFAS per trillion falls within prescribed ranges, “because you're never going to eliminate it completely,” Hackley said. If they fail, those parts must be replaced.
Of the upwards of 3,000 gallons of firefighting foam now on site, Hackley said about one-third is legacy foam.
Once the last remaining truck is converted to dispense fluorine-free foam, what becomes of the 1,000 gallons stored in totes at the fire station?
There are vendors who can take the material off the department’s hands, Hackley said, and dispose of it via deep well injection or incineration, or sell it to the military, which still uses the material.
As for the new material, in exchange for environmental and human protection, there are minor performance differences. That meant airport firefighters had to travel to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to undergo training.
“The old the legacy foam, when you applied it, creates basically a moisture barrier above the fuel,” Hackley said. “The newer foam is same concept. You’ve just got to apply it more frequently to get that same result. It wasn't really that big of a difference.”
More than fuel fires
The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport Fire 
Department is responsible for more than just aviation-related fires. The agency is also the first responder to emergency situations in any of the facilities on airport property. Those include private hangars, flight schools, manufacturing facilities, fixed-base operators and elsewhere, including the passenger terminal itself.
“It’s us initially, and then we’ll determine if we need extra assistance,” Chief Jason Hackley said. “If it's the terminal or a larger building, it's an automatic mutual aid dispatch, so we'll go and then other units will come after.”
The foam, though, — either legacy or new — is not deployed indoors.
“We wouldn't use foam for that application,” Hackley said. “It’s designed for aircraft fuel, so it’s really only been used for fuel farms or things like that.”
https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2026/aug/07/srq-airport-pfas-foam-mandate/
NTSB Found Flight Control Component Separated In Fredericksburg Crash
Preliminary Report On Experimental Montana Coyote Accident
Federal investigators found a separated flight-control component in the wreckage of an experimental airplane that crashed near Shannon Airport in Fredericksburg, Virginia last month, killing 78-year-old pilot Rowland "Rolly" Babcock Jr.
Family members told investigators the pilot was conducting a flight test after completing repairs related to a ground loop during an earlier test flight.
Surveillance video showed the plane enter a descending spiral while returning to Shannon Airport.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) preliminary report said “the left aileron torque tube was found separated from the fuselage bellcrank with no bending or witness marks observed on the tube or bellcrank attachment housing. The right aileron torque tube remained secure in the bellcrank attachment housing. The torque tube was attached to the housing using four equally spaced rivets around the circumference of the tube.”
The experimental Montana Coyote airplane crashed around 11:05 a.m. July 14 near Fredericksburg. The aircraft was substantially damaged, and the pilot was fatally injured.
Babcock led the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles program and supported Shannon Airport’s Harvest Festival, according to a tribute shared by airport officials.
"Year after year, he generously gave of his time, his talents, and his heart to help introduce young people and families to the joy and wonder of aviation," airport officials said.
The NTSB’s findings are preliminary and could change as the investigation continues.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
NTSB Looking Into Plane Downed In Utah Lake
One Dead, One Injured As Pilot Lands In Shallow Part Of Lake
A small private plane crashed into Utah Lake, near Utah Lake State Park, south of Provo Utah Airport, leaving one person dead and another injured, according to the Utah County Sheriff's Office.
The crash happened on Utah Lake, where the Utah County Sheriff's Office led the response. Provo police said officers assisted with recovery efforts.
The Utah County Sheriff’s office said the aircraft that just taken off from the Provo Airport.
“The pilot was able to put the aircraft down in shallower water, which did aid in the rescue/recovery efforts,” the sheriff’s office said.
“We would like to offer our condolences to the family of the deceased,” the sheriff’s department said. The names of the female pilot and the sole male passenger were not released pending notification of family members. The pilot suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital.
The north side of Utah Lake State Park remained closed Friday evening, according to the sheriff’s office.
The National Transportation Safety Board was notified about the crash and will handle the investigation.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
23 Years ago today: On 11 August 2003 A Mesco Airlines Mil Mi-172 crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from the Sagar Kiran oil rig off the coast of India, killing 27 occupants; 2 survived the accident.
| Date: | Monday 11 August 2003 |
| Time: | c 12:15 |
| Type: | Mil Mi-172 (Mi-8MTV-3) |
| Owner/operator: | Mesco Airlines |
| Registration: | VT-MAF |
| MSN: | 356C04 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1995 |
| Engine model: | Klimov TV3-117 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 27 / Occupants: 29 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Arabian Sea, 35 km off Mumbai, Maharashtra State - Indian Ocean |
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Offshore |
| Departure airport: | Sagar Kiran Offshore Installation |
| Destination airport: | Sagar Jyoti Offshore Installation |
| Confidence Rating: | Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
Narrative:
A Mesco Airlines Mil Mi-172 crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from the Sagar Kiran oil rig off the coast of India, killing 27 occupants; 2 survived the accident.
The Mi-172 Helicopter VT–MAF owned and operated by M/s Mesco Airlines was operating ONGC chartered flight Juhu – Sagar Kiran – Sagar Jyoti – Juhu on 11th August 2003. The helicopter was released after major maintenance on 11.8.2003. It took off at 1137 Hrs and operated Juhu – Sagar Kiran sector uneventfully. After dropping the ONGC personnel at Sagar Kiran it took off at 1215 hrs with 25 passengers and 4 crew members onboard for Sagar Jyoti. Immediately after take off the helicopter started loosing height with spinning movement. The pilot did regained some height but could not control the helicopter from spinning and crashed into the sea. There was no evidence of fire.
Probable Cause:
Loss of Directional control and lift immediately after take off leading to helicopter hitting the sea water and crashing into sea. The combined effect of maladjusted rudder controls and improper technique used for take off from the helideck in the prevailing wind conditions led to the loss of the directional control and lift after take off. Hasty actions by the crew to meet the call out and a non-confirming helideck in respect of obstructions requirements were the contributory factors.
