Big computer issues this morning just resolved so here are the stories for today, late, but published...
Be safe out there!
Tom
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Aircraft engine failure causes grass fire at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport
by: Sarah Smith
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — A mechanical issue
with an aircraft’s engine caused a Delta flight to return to the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport Sunday night shortly after takeoff, a spokesperson with Delta confirmed to WSAV.
Emergency personnel from Savannah Fire, Pooler Fire and Garden City Fire Rescue responded to a grass fire following the flight’s landing around 6:54 p.m., according to officials. The following statement was sent to WSAV by Delta.
“Delta flight 1067 from Savannah to Atlanta returned to the airport soon after takeoff Sunday evening, following a mechanical issue with the aircraft’s left engine. The Boeing 737-900 landed safely and was met by fire trucks, and customers deplaned normally at the gate. The safety of our customers and crew is our highest priority. We are working to reaccommodate all customers on alternate flights. We apologize to our customers for this delay in their travels.”
According to a spokesperson with the
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, incoming flights were impacted while fire trucks cleared the field. The airfield opened at 8: 41 p.m.
Melissa Johnson told WSAV she was a passenger on this plane, heading out of town on a work trip. She described what she heard during takeoff.
“During takeoff, it felt like within a couple seconds of when the wheels left the runway that we heard this loud boom, and we saw sparks flying,” Johnson said. “It was almost like the sound of a car engine that backfired, but ten times as loud. You could tell there was a lot of fear on the plane just from the passengers.”
“Thankfully, there are no reported injuries,” Mayor Van Johnson said in a post online. “We are grateful that everyone is safe.”
This is a developing story, and we’re working to learn more about the incident from airport officials. Stick with WSAV for updates.
https://www.wsav.com/news/grass-fire-reported-near-savannah-hilton-head-international-airport-runway/
One hospitalized after lithium-ion battery causes small fire onboard Wichita-departing flight
Cameron Burnett, Sydney Ferguson
WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) – An Alaska Airlines flight
from Wichita headed to Seattle had to make an emergency landing on Sunday afternoon after a passenger’s cellphone battery pack caused a small fire in the cabin.
Leana Stickler is one of 76 passengers onboard Flight 2117. She says a woman was using a lithium-ion battery-powered charger pack to charge her phone when it caught fire.
"I was right next to her, and it was just sitting in her lap, not being played with, not being touched, and it exploded," said Stickler.
Stickler says the flame was about a foot tall, and burned the woman's arms and legs before she tossed it into the aisle.
"Somebody threw a towel on it, and I hit it with my shoe," said Stickler.
Video captured by Melissa Harris Herrero shows flight attendants rushing in to the shoe and towel covered burn spot to stop a still-soldering fire.
Tracy Soom says the flight had only been in the air 15 minutes at the time.
"Terror. I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, we're gonna crash,' and I hate flying as it is," said Soom. "The flight attendants came running back with a fire extinguisher and put it out... the smoke was so bad I couldn't breathe."
The National Fire Prevention Agency reports the smoke from lithium-ion batteries is highly toxic. Passengers reported nausea and headaches after inhaling it.
In Harris Herrero's video, flight attendants could be heard telling people to cover their faces or put their faces in their shirts. Soom says this is because the oxygen masks only came down after the fire was fully out.
Stickler says her 6-year-old son got oxygen pretty quickly.
"He's good. I know my mom I'm traveling with, she has a headache and she's nauseous, but we're okay," said Stickler.
A spokesperson for Alaska Airlines said flight attendants placed the phone and power bank into a containment bag.
An Alert 2 was declared just after 2:30 p.m. It was canceled after the aircraft, an Embraer 175 jet, landed safely at 2:51 p.m.
Three passengers were evaluated and one was taken to a local hospital for treatment, Air Service Development & Marketing Manager Rachel Mayberry said.
"While external batteries are allowed in an airplane cabin, they can experience 'thermal runaway,' a dangerous chain reaction that can lead to fires," Mayberry said.
"It's scary. It's like one of those things that you always hear about, like airplane mode and be careful with batteries and yadda yadda, but never expect it to actually happen," said Stickler.
In a statement to KAKE News, Alaska Airlines said, "We are working to reaccommodate our guests on other flights to Seattle and appreciate their patience."
Passenger plane preparing for takeoff is attacked by a kamikaze drone at an Asian airport.
Carlos Ferreira
On the night of February 20, Myitkyina Airport in
Myanmar was the target of a suicide drone attack that struck a Myanmar National Airlines (MNA) passenger aircraft.
The aircraft, an ATR-72-600, was preparing to take off at approximately 8:12 pm local time (9:42 pm Singapore time) when, according to reports, armed groups from the Kachin Independence Organization (KIA) and the People's Defence Force (PDF) launched FPV drones against the aircraft, causing damage to the front, middle of the fuselage, and rear.
Security forces quickly evacuated the passengers and crew, providing emergency assistance. Fortunately, no one was injured or lost their life in the incident.
In an official statement, authorities classified the deliberate attack against a civilian aircraft, essential for public transportation and the flow of non-military goods, as a war crime under the Geneva Conventions and International Law.
Security operations in the region remain active,
with the government promising a firm and effective response. Meanwhile, KIA spokesman Naw Bu denied involvement in the attack in an interview with the BBC, stating that the group does not have a policy of attacking civilian aircraft.
Currently, Myitkyina Airport is an important hub for civil air transport and the rapid movement of cargo from northern Kachin to other regions, such as Yangon and Mandalay.
Helicopter crashes into home in Evergreen
by: Akievia McFarland, Kathryn Bruch
CONECUH COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) — A helicopter
crash is under investigation in Evergreen.
According to Evergreen Fire Rescue, responders went to the crash at a home on South Main Street around 3:12 p.m. Sunday.
News 5 is on scene. An officer there said the Life Saver helicopter was on its way back from a transport when it crashed. Evergreen Police Chief Allison Gessner told News 5 no fatalities occurred. We are working to find out how many may have been injured.
Several emergency agencies responded to the crash site but the investigation will be taken over by the Federal Aviation Administration.
News 5 spoke with one woman who said the helicopter crashed into her parents’ home.
https://www.wkrg.com/alabama-news/conecuh-county/helicopter-crashes-into-home-in-evergreen/
Small aircraft makes emergency landing on Johnson County roadway
By Sarah Motter
JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. (KCTV) - A small single-engine plane made a safe emergency landing on a
gravel road in Johnson County, according to fire officials.
The Overland Park Fire Department said emergency crews were called around 5 p.m. to the area of Quivera Rd. and 199th St. with reports of an aircraft emergency.
First responders indicated that they arrived to find the plane had already touched down safely on the gravel of Quivera Rd.
Johnson County MED-ACT confirmed that no injuries were reported.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a Sonex Onex fixed-wing, single-engine plane.
KCTV5 crews on the scene reported the landing did not disrupt traffic, and the aircraft appeared undamaged.
The cause of the emergency has not been released.
Pilot walks away from plane crash in Otisfield
by WGME Staff
PORTLAND (WGME) -- A pilot escaped injury
Friday after their aircraft flipped during an emergency landing.
It happened around 4:40 p.m. on Thompson Lake in Otisfield.
Oxford County officials say the pilot tried to land the plane on the lake because of mechanical issues, but then it flipped forward when the wheels hit the snow-covered lake.
The pilot was the only person on board and walked away from the incident.
There is no word on when the plane will be removed, but the FAA is now investigating.
https://wgme.com/news/local/pilot-walks-away-from-plane-crash-in-otisfield
An emergency landing in Barcelona due to smoke in the cabin leaves one person treated for anxiety.
Barcelona (EFE) - A Wizz Air plane with 239 passengers on board, which had departed from Barcelona today bound for Warsaw, turned around after detecting smoke in the cabin and made an emergency and controlled landing at El Prat airport, where medical teams treated one person for anxiety
According to sources from the Civil Protection of the Generalitat, at 11:26 a.m. the Josep Tarradellas airport informed them that the Wizz Air commercial aircraft had had an incident and that there was smoke in the cabin, so the airport activated its Aeronautical Emergency Plan in the General Alarm phase.
Destination Warsaw
The plane, with 239 passengers on board, had departed from Barcelona bound for Warsaw and turned around to make an emergency, controlled landing at Barcelona airport
Once the plane landed, the passengers and crew were able to disembark and were taken to a safe area, at which point the airport, which did not need the help of external services, deactivated its emergency plan.
Airport health services have treated a passenger for anxiety.
Due to this incident, the Catalan Civil Protection Agency temporarily activated the Aerocat Plan alert, but deactivated it once the situation was under control and because the Catalan emergency teams did not need to intervene. EFE
NTSB Final Report: Zenith STOL CH701
Non-Instrument-Rated Pilot... Did Not Obtain A Weather Briefing, Nor Did He Obtain A Weather Briefing From Any Other Flight Service Provider
Location: Marienville, Pennsylvania Accident Number: ERA24FA077
Date & Time: December 29, 2023, 21:57 Local Registration: N4209W
Aircraft: Zenith STOL CH701 Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: VFR encounter with IMC Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis: Prior to departing on the night visual flight rules (VFR) flight, the non-instrument-rated pilot accessed a flight planning application to plot a route for the cross-country flight, but did not obtain a weather briefing, nor did he obtain a weather briefing from any other flight service provider. ADS-B data showed the pilot departed and established the airplane at an altitude of about 3,100 ft mean sea level (msl). Weather reporting along the route of flight showed the airplane flying through areas of cloud cover with bases ranging between 1,700 and 3,300 ft msl, and a weather model estimated that cloud bases were about 3,000 ft msl near accident site around the time of the accident.
About 90 seconds before the last recorded ADS-B data, weather radar indicated that the airplane, flew into an area of developing light snow. About this time, the airplane began a left turn while flying at 2,900 ft msl. The left turn tightened, and the airplane climbed to about 3,350 msl, before it entered a steep descent in a tight left spiral. The airplane then impacted trees and terrain. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would preclude normal operation.
The circumstances of the accident—visual flight in dark night lighting conditions under an overcast cloud ceiling into an area of deteriorating visibility due to snow by a non-instrumentrated pilot, which culminated in a steep, turning, un-arrested descent—are consistent with the pilot experiencing a form of spatial disorientation known as the somatogyral illusion or graveyard spiral. After encountering the reduced visibility conditions, the pilot likely did not perceive that the airplane was turning and pulled back on the flight controls, tightening the spiral and increasing the descent rate, which ultimately continued to ground contact.
Postmortem toxicological testing indicated that the pilot had used methamphetamine, which has substantial potential to result in impairment. The degree to which the effects of methamphetamine contributed to the pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into deteriorating visibility conditions at night, could not be determined with certainty.
Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- The pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into deteriorating visibility conditions at night, which resulted in spatial disorientation and subsequent descent that continued to ground contact.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
NTSB Prelim: N126C LLC CCX-1865
The Left Main Landing Gear Separated From The Underside Of The Fuselage And Was Located Nearly Underneath The Power Distribution Lines
Location: Montour, ID Accident Number: WPR26FA091
Date & Time: January 27, 2026, 11:00 Local Registration: N126C
Aircraft: N126C LLC CCX-1865 Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On January 27, 2026, about 1100 mountain standard time, an amateur-built, experimental CCX1865 Carbon Cub, N126C, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Montour, Idaho. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
According to a friend of the pilot and the pilot-rated passenger, he observed the pilot pulling the airplane out of his hangar. He spoke briefly with the pilot and learned that the pilot was meeting the pilot-rated passenger at 1000 for a flight. The pilot refueled his airpalne 20-gallons of fuel and made one circuit in the traffic pattern. While the pilot was conducting the short flight, the pilot-rated passenger arrived at the airport and parked his airplane.
ADS-B data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed the airplane departed S78 about 1022, travelled to the northwest for about 5 miles and climbed to a maximum altitude of about 3,075 ft mean sea level (msl) then returned to the airport about 1032, consistent with the pilot’s first flight around S78. The airplane then departed S78 about 1042 and proceeded to the east. The airplane maneuvered near the east side of Lanham Field, a private airport. The airplane’s altitude varied from about 3,850 ft msl to about 4,325 ft msl and circled once in a counterclockwise direction then turned and circled a second time in a clockwise direction. The airplane then headed to the northeast and flew an eastward path that paralleled the south side of Black Canyon reservoir. Upon nearing the east end of the canyon, the airplane began to descend from about 4,400 ft msl to about 3,950 ft msl. The last ADS-B data point recorded the airplane about 1.5 miles west of Montour, Idaho. Additional ADS-B data, provided from a thirdparty service provider showed the airplane continue to descend before it turned left about 180° over Montour. The ADS-B data temporarily ended when the airplane was over Montour.
According to a witness, who was at his home near the Payette River in Montour, he and his wife observed a red and gray airplane flying across the river at a low altitude from south to north and then again from north to south. He stated that the airplane was about 50 ft or less above the ground and then lost sight of it as it disappeared behind trees. The witness reported that he lost power to his house about 1105.
A second witness, located in a private residence about 0.7 mile from the accident site, reported that she saw the airplane fly past her house at a very low altitude. The airplane then nosed over into the water, at which time she also lost power to her house. The third-party ADS-B data reappeared and recorded the airplane about 2,125 ft msl and about 550 ft east of the accident site and about 440 ft east of a set of power distribution lines that crossed the reservoir from north to south about 150 to 200 ft above the water.
The airplane came to rest inverted, in ice covered shallow water near the middle of the reservoir. The first point of probable impact was a large, fractured circle of ice directly in front of the wreckage. All major components of the airplane, except for the main landing gear, remained attached to or were collocated with the fuselage. The left main landing gear separated from the underside of the fuselage and was located nearly underneath the power distribution lines. The left main landing gear exhibited impact marks and striations to the leading edge of the forward strut and the left-side landing gear shock absorber. Law enforcement reported a brief period of power interruption to local homes about the time of the accident.
The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for further examination.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
NTSB Prelim: Sonex Aircraft Onex
The Witness Reported That The Airplane Rapidly Rolled To The Right And Then Descended Out Of His Field Of View
Location: Caldwell, ID Accident Number: WPR26FA101
Date & Time: February 6, 2026, 10:50 Local Registration: N362DZ
Aircraft: Sonex Aircraft Onex Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On February 6, 2026, about 0945 mountain standard time, a Sonex Onex airplane, N362DZ, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Caldwell, Idaho. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
A witness reported that he observed the accident airplane depart runway 12 at Caldwell Executive Airport (EUL) Caldwell, Idaho. The airplane transitioned into an initial climb and reached an altitude of about 200–300 ft above ground level. The airplane then entered a shallow right turn followed by a left turn that suddenly steepened to a bank angle of about 90°. During this maneuver, the witness reported that the airplane rapidly rolled to the right and then descended out of his field of view.
The airplane impacted a field about 850 ft southeast of the runway departure end at an elevation of about 2,435 ft mean sea level. All major structures were located at the accident site. Flight control continuity was traced from the cockpit to the elevator, aileron, and rudder flight control surfaces. The main wreckage, consisting of the fuselage, wings, engine, and empennage, was oriented to the northeast. Impact signatures were consistent with a near wings-level attitude at a shallow descent angle. The impact ground scar was confined to the immediate wreckage area.
A handheld GPS unit was retained for data recovery. The wreckage was recovered and transported to a secure facility for further examination.
This information is preliminary and subject to change.
FMI: www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
81 Years ago today: On 23 February 1945 American Airlines flight 9, a Douglas DC-3, struck a mountainside near Rural Retreat, Virginia, killing 17 occupants; 5 survived the accident.
| Date: | Friday 23 February 1945 |
| Time: | 02:25 |
| Type: | Douglas DC-3-277 |
| Owner/operator: | American Airlines |
| Registration: | NC18142 |
| MSN: | 2138 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1939 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 17296 hours |
| Engine model: | Wright R-1820-G102 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 17 / Occupants: 22 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 9 km SW of Rural Retreat, VA - United States of America |
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA/KDCA) |
| Destination airport: | Nashville-Berry Field, TN (BNA/KBNA) |
| Investigating agency: | CAB |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:
American Airlines flight 9, a Douglas DC-3, struck a mountainside near Rural Retreat, Virginia, killing 17 occupants; 5 survived the accident.
Flight 9, a trip from New York to Los Angeles, departed at 21:39 on February 22, 1945. Departure from Washington had been at 00:11 on February 23. The last radio message from the flight was at 02:05 at 4,000 feet over Pulaski, Virginia. The DC-3 continued, passing through rain and clouds and encountering considerable turbulence. The airplane flew over mountainous terrain and struck the wooded summit of Glade Mountain at approx 3910 feet amsl.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's failure to properly plan the flight and remain at a safe instrument altitude under existing conditions. A contributing cause of the accident was the company's laxity in dispatching and supervising the flight."
