We start the new week with these stories from over the weekend...
Of note, check out the pictures in the first story
showing how they stabilized the aircraft, good thinking! I would just add to be cautious using an antennae mount for supporting a lot of weight, there is not much holding that mount to the aircraft.
showing how they stabilized the aircraft, good thinking! I would just add to be cautious using an antennae mount for supporting a lot of weight, there is not much holding that mount to the aircraft.Be safe out there!
Tom
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San Jose small plane crash injures 2 adults, 1 child
Tor Smith
(KRON) — The San Jose Police Department said a small
plane crash Saturday near Capitol Avenue and Excalibur Drive injured two adults and one child on board. People are urged to avoid the area.
SJPD said officers responded to the crash at 3:09 p.m. and learned that a small propeller plane had made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff.
Two adults and one child were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries as a precaution, according to the San Jose Fire Department.
San Jose police confirmed to KRON4 that no other vehicles were involved in the incident, and no pedestrians were injured.
SJFD said the “crash resulted in minor fuel spill which was absorbed,” in an update posted on social media around 3:40 p.m.
Police said drugs and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the crash at this time.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan commented on the incident in a social media post, writing, “Thank you @SJFD and @SanJosePD. Grateful that everyone made it out of this situation alive.”
This remains an active investigation.
Reports of downed aircraft in Gun Barrel City, police say
By Hesston Woodlock
GUN BARREL CITY, Texas (KLTV) - An aircraft crashed on the 900 block of Harbor Point Road in Gun Barrel City Sunday.
According to a release from the Gun Barrel Police Department, they received reports about a downed aircraft on Harbor Point Road around 2:16 p.m. Sunday.
According to the FAA registry, the downed plane is a Cessna 182Q, a fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft.
The release said no injuries had been reported.
The department said the incident remains under investigation and they asked residents to avoid the area.
https://www.kltv.com/2026/10/18/reports-downed-aircraft-gun-barrel-city/
American Airlines plane makes emergency landing at Lambert Airport
By First Alert 4 Staff
LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Passengers on an American Airlines flight had to deplane after an emergency landing at St. Louis Lambert International Airport on Saturday morning. 
The airport confirmed that a plane called to make an emergency landing. A passenger on the flight spoke to First Alert 4 and said it was “terrifying.”
The passenger said they boarded around 5:30 a.m., but the flight was delayed and took off around 8. The passenger said after about 15 minutes in the air, the oxygen masks fell and the plane soon began to make an emergency landing.
In a statement to First Alert 4, American Airlines stated the following:
“American Eagle flight 5089, operated by PSA Airlines, returned to St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) shortly after takeoff after an odor was reported. The aircraft landed safely at STL and was taken out of service to be inspected by our maintenance team. We apologize to our customers for their experience and thank our team members for their professionalism.”
The airline said first responders met the flight once it arrived per procedure and the airline has reaccommodated customers to depart on flights later today.
First Alert 4 is working to learn more.
This is developing news and will be updated as details become available.
https://www.firstalert4.com/2026/10/17/american-airlines-plane-makes-emergency-landing-lambert-airport/
Seaplane overturned on Lake Bailey
By Ethan Desjardine
LAKE BAILEY, Mich. (WLUC) - A seaplane overturned on Lake Bailey on October 17th, according to the Keweenaw County Sheriff’s Office. 
The Keweenaw County sheriff arrived at the scene at 1:15 p.m. and estimated the incident happened at 12:45 p.m.
Two pilots were operating the plane when it overturned. The plane was stationary on the water when it was caught by a gust of wind and flipped over.
Most of the damage happened to one of the wings.
“Both the pilot and the copilot and the plane were alright; they were safe on top of the plane. We were able to get our jet ski out and we got them both safely to land, no injuries, very minor damage to the seaplane itself,” said Darren Jurmu, a corporal with the Keweenaw County Sherif’s Office.
The plane was removed from the water using trucks around 5 p.m. No one was injured.
https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2026/10/18/seaplane-overturned-lake-bailey/?outputType=amp
Donnie Wahlberg on board plane that skidded off runway at Las Vegas airport
A Ground Stop has been lifted, and runways have reopened following an inspection after the incident.
By Justine Verastigue and Rachel Zalucki
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A plane holding Donnie Wahlberg and multiple others skidded off a runway at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on Sunday morning, prompting a ground stop and multiple delays at the airport. 
The FAA issued a ground stop for the airport and two runways were closed after officials say a general aviation aircraft skidded off Runway 1L upon departure around 11 a.m. and made contact with a perimeter fence.
The ground stop has since been lifted and runways 1R and 1L have reopened after inspections were completed. Officials added that there were no injuries.
On Sunday night, actor Donnie Wahlberg posted a social media video clarifying that he was aboard the plane involved in the incident.
“Yes, it was me and my team/friends onboard the aircraft. It was a rather intense few moments (which felt like a few long minutes),” his caption read. “Thankful to God, of course, and to our incredible pilots who did an amazing job of keeping us safe and avoiding a serious disaster. The airplane did take some lumps — but we did not.”
Prior to the stop being lifted, departure traffic destined for Harry Reid was experiencing delays averaging an hour and 10 minutes, according to the FAA.
“Travelers are encouraged to check with their airlines regarding flight status,” airport officials said.
WCSO: Part of plane hits vehicle during mechanical failure, seriously injuring driver
1 person seriously injured by plane experiencing mechanical failure
By Emalee Jones and Madelyn Hanes
BOONVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - The Warrick County Sheriff’s Office says one person was injured after getting hit by a part of a plane experiencing mechanical failure. 
According to the sheriff, crews arrived on scene around 3:05 p.m. after dispatch received reports of a person injured in a vehicle from an aircraft.
“Around three-oh-five this afternoon, our dispatch received a call of a potential aircraft having some type of mechanical failure, striking a vehicle,” said Warrick County Sheriff Michael Wilder. “As officers arrived on the scene, there was a vehicle that had been involved, as well as the aircraft.”
He says the person in the car was seriously injured and transported to the hospital.
Despite the damage, the aircraft was able to stay airborne. Sheriff Wilder said the pilot coordinated with responding fire agencies to plan an emergency landing.
“The aircraft was able to still lift off and go into flight,” Wilder said. “The pilot came in contact with some of the fire agencies that responded, and they developed a plan for its emergency landing, and it landed a little bit after five o’clock, with the pilot being safe.”
Boonville Fire Department Chief Steven Byers said the plane had broken landing gear, though it remains unclear whether that’s what struck the vehicle.
“We don’t know if it clipped the vehicle or came off of the plane and hit the vehicle,” Byers said. “That’ll all be determined over the next day or two during the investigation.”
Byers said the pilot also had to burn off fuel before attempting the landing, to reduce the risk of further danger.
“I think he had about twelve gallons of fuel on the plane,” Byers said. “He wanted to burn that fuel down to about two gallons, to help eliminate that risk as he landed, to where if there were any further damage to the plane, it didn’t cause a bigger issue with the amount of fuel that was on it.”
Several agencies responded to the scene, including the Warrick County Sheriff’s Office, Boonville City Police, Boonville Fire Department, and a truck from Evansville Regional Airport.
Both officials said the investigation is in its early stages, and federal agencies are expected to assist in the coming days.
Crews on the scene say this was matching broken landing gear of the plane at the airport.
This is a developing story. 14 News will update as more information becomes available.
https://www.14news.com/2026/10/18/1-person-injured-by-debris-plane-emergency-landing-boonville-sheriff-says/
NTSB Prelim: Zenith CH 750 STOL
The Engine Started To Run Rough, And The Pilot Initiated A Turn Back To His Departure Airport
Location: Spring Creek, NV Accident Number: WPR26LA356
Date & Time: September 24, 2026, 09:58 Local Registration: N750WZ
Aircraft: Zenith CH 750 STOL Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On September 24, 2026, about 0958 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Zenith CH750 STOL airplane, N750WZ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Silver Creek, Nevada. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot reported that shortly after he reached his planned altitude he pulled the throttle back to level off. He noticed that he had lost the indications for the No. 1 cylinder head temperature and exhaust gas temperature. Subsequently, the engine started to run rough, and the pilot initiated a turn back to his departure airport. After the pilot made a radio call he lost all power and the propeller seized. The pilot initiated a forced landing on a highway and subsequently opted to land in a field to avoid vehicular traffic. During the landing roll the nose landing gear impacted an embankment and the airplane pitched up onto its nose, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage.
The pilot reported that at the time of the accident the engine had accrued about 540 hours of operation and 15 hours since the last inspection, which was completed on August 25, 2026.
The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
NTSB- Pilot's Failure To Maintain Control Cited In Helicopter Accident
Southern Utah University Aviation Bell 206-L4 Heavily Damaged And Instructor And Student Injured
The National Transportation Safety Board has released its findings regarding a helicopter accident at Cedar City Regional Airport in May involving a Southern Utah University Aviation helicopter.
Both the instructor pilot and student were injured and the aircraft was heavily damaged. 
The NTSB report says, “The flight instructor, who was flying from the left seat, reported that during the initial hover, the helicopter's engine governor reference rpm indicated about 104%. To adjust the governor, reference rpm, the instructor reached across to the right-seat collective-mounted governor INCR/DECR switch. As he contacted the switch the instructor failed to maintain helicopter control, and the helicopter pitched nose up, moved aft and descended.
“The flight crew reported that the helicopter contacted the ground, bounced, and began to spin out of control. Airport surveillance video showed the helicopter moving aft while descending before contacting the taxiway. The helicopter subsequently became airborne, rotated to the right, and impacted the ground. During the impact sequence, the tail boom and main rotor system separated from the helicopter.
“The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical functions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
“The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause of the accident to the flight instructor's failure to maintain helicopter control while manipulating the engine governor reference rpm adjustment during hover operations, which resulted in the loss of control and impact with the ground.”
Photo credit NTSB.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
NTSB Preliminary Report: Runway Overrun Of 21 Air Flight 7598 Miami
First Officer Warned Pilot Several Times Plane Was Coming In Too Fast
An Amazon-branded cargo plane came in for a fast and late landing at Miami International Airport last month, killing five people on the ground as it overran the runway and crossed over two roads, according to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board. (NTSB). 
The first officer warned the pilot several times that the plane was coming in too fast during its approach, the NTSB said. The report found that the plane's captain called for a go-around after the plane had landed and was moments away from going off the end of the runway.
It said it was the first day that the two pilots, the captain and first officer, had flown together, and there were strong winds during landing because of thunderstorms in the area.
The report said the Boeing 767 touched down 3,750 feet past the runway’s usual landing zone with a 184-mph ground speed and then made a late, aborted attempt to go around. The pilots then resumed braking and idled the plane’s engine throttle with just 415 feet of runway left.
The plane hit an airport perimeter fence, crossed a street and came to rest about 1,200 feet from the end of the pavement, the report said.
The NTSB report said data showed the pilots never deployed the plane’s speed brakes or thrust reversers.
The report also found the Miami air traffic controller cleared Flight 7598 to land without providing wind information. The captain and first officer, the only two people aboard, escaped with minor injuries.
The preliminary report did not state a cause of the accident.
Photo credit NTSB.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
22 Years ago today: On 19 October 2004 AmericanConnection flight 5966, a BAe Jetstream 32, crashed while on approach to Kirksville Regional Airport, Missouri, USA, killing 13 occupants; 2 survived the accident.
| Date: | Tuesday 19 October 2004 |
| Time: | 19:37 |
| Type: | British Aerospace 3201 Jetstream 32EP |
| Owner/operator: | AmericanConnection, lsf Corporate Airlines |
| Registration: | N875JX |
| MSN: | 875 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1990 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 21979 hours |
| Cycles: | 28973 flights |
| Engine model: | Garrett TPE331-12UAR-704H |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 15 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 2,2 km S of Kirksville Regional Airport, MO (IRK) - United States of America |
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Saint Louis-Lambert International Airport, MO (STL/KSTL) |
| Destination airport: | Kirksville Municipal Airport, MO (IRK/KIRK) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:
AmericanConnection flight 5966, a BAe Jetstream 32, crashed while on approach to Kirksville Regional Airport, Missouri, USA, killing 13 occupants; 2 survived the accident.
American Connection flight 5966 departed Saint Louis (STL) at 18:42 on a flight to Kirksville (IRK). When 23 minutes from Kirksville, the weather report included a 4 mile visibility in mist with an overcast ceiling at 300 feet. Kirksville does not have an ILS, but the crew decided to continue. A few minutes later the flight was cleared to descend from FL120 to 8000 feet in preparation for a localizer DME approach to runway 36. At 19:20 the weather report now indicated that the visibility had decreased to 3 miles. After reaching 8000 feet ARTCC cleared the crew further down to 3000 feet after which the captain briefed the approach. After receiving some vectors for runway 36 the captain levelled off at 3100 feet. At 19:30 the flight was 11 miles from the final approach fix (FAF) and the crew cleared for the approach. Flaps and landing gear were selected down and descent was started, tracking the localizer. At 19:36 the flight descended through 1450 feet. The GPWS sounded: "five hundred." When reaching the minimum descent altitude the GPWS sounded: "minimums, minimums", and the captain stated: "I can see the ground there." The first officer could not see the ground. Descent was continued and a few seconds later the captain reported having the approach lights in sight. The decision was made to continue the descent. The airplane suddenly contacted trees at an elevation of 996 feet msl. The aircraft crashed and caught fire.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the accident was the pilots' failure to follow established procedures and properly conduct a non-precision instrument approach at night in IMC, including their descent below the MDA before required visual cues were available (which continued un-moderated until the airplane struck the trees) and their failure to adhere to the established division of duties between the flying and non-flying (monitoring) pilot.
Contributing to the accident were the pilots' failure to make standard callouts and the current Federal Aviation Regulations that allow pilots to descend below the MDA into a region in which safe obstacle clearance is not assured based upon seeing only the airport approach lights.
The pilots' failure to establish and maintain a professional demeanor during the flight and their fatigue likely contributed to their degraded performance. "
