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Thursday the 30th of July, 2026

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3 dead in plane crash near McCarthy

By Hannah Lee and Lars Hanson

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Three people are dead following a plane crash near McCarthy, according to Alaska State Troopers. 

The first report came in Monday evening around 9:36 p.m. when troopers received a report of a plane crash at the Dan Creek airstrip about 15 to 20 miles east of the remote town of McCarthy in the Wrangell-St. Elias mountains.

Randy Elliott, the father of passenger Anadyr Elliott, identified two of the three people killed in the crash as local pilot Jason Lobo and his 23-year-old son. The third passenger, identified as Anadyr Elliott’s girlfriend, has not been named.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, when the plane landed, it banked to the left and impacted terrain. The accident and incident notification states there was a post-crash fire.

Troopers responded early the next morning in a state aircraft. They discovered the remains of three people in the wreckage shortly after 6 a.m.

Their remains are being transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy and positive identification.

The NTSB states it is investigating the crash and that the plane involved was a Piper PA-22-150, a four-seat, single-engine aircraft.

https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/07/29/3-dead-plane-crash-near-mccarthy/

Seven dead after helicopter crashes during firefighting mission in Argentina

By Cristian Caraballo

Seven people, including four senior officials from San Juan, were killed when a Bell 412 helicopter crashed during wildfire training en route to La Rioja.

Seven people were killed on Wednesday in a helicopter crash in Argentina's province of San Juan.

"With profound sorrow, we received the news of the helicopter accident that occurred in our province, in which seven people sadly lost their lives," San Juan Governor Marcelo Orrego wrote on X.

Fatalities included firefighters, police officers and civil protection personnel, he said. The causes of the accident were under investigation and a rescue team had been deployed, emergency services stated.

The Bell 412 aircraft had been training before heading to a neighbouring province to help put out days-long fires when it crashed in Ischigualasto natural park.

The aircraft lost contact with control teams at 10:26 am, according to the Federal Emergency Agency (AFE).

Another aircraft operating in the area managed to locate the crash site and alerted the authorities, who launched an emergency operation. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Argentine Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva expressed her condolences on X, writing "I stand with each of the families and their fellow officers in this moment of profound grief."

San Juan's local government declared three days of mourning following the accident, during which the national and provincial flags will be flown at half-mast.

As a consequence of the accident, the Ischigualasto Provincial Park announced on its social media accounts the suspension of all activities planned for Wednesday "for reasons beyond its control".

https://www.euronews.com/2026/07/30/seven-dead-after-helicopter-crashes-during-firefighting-mission-in-argentina

SWISS plane makes emergency landing due to smoke

Swissinfo.ch

A Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) flight between Zurich and New York was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangor, in the US state of Maine, due to smoke developing on board.

The aircraft landed safely and without incident, the airline confirmed on Monday evening in response to an enquiry from the Swiss News Agency Keystone-ATS, after numerous Swiss media outlets had reported the news. SWISS also stated that the smoke originated from an unknown source at the front of the business class cabin.

Local firefighters were on standby as a precaution and, after the aircraft landed, inspected it without finding any signs of fire or heat, meaning the source of the smoke remains unknown. Experts are now examining the aircraft.

All 208 passengers and the crew were unharmed. The Swiss national airline said it was assisting the passengers and working diligently to ensure they could continue their journey.

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/various/united-states-swiss-aircraft-makes-emergency-landing-due-to-smoke/91808284

Preparing for the worst: Volusia crews train to respond to plane crashes

Pamela Comme - Reporter

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. —

Smoke rose from the water before a 911 call reported a plane crash off the Volusia County coast.

The emergency turned out to be a training exercise.

The Volusia Sheriff's Office joined the U.S. Coast Guard and several local agencies for a full-scale airplane crash simulation designed to test how first responders would work together during a major emergency.

"We got a response from the Coast Guard and every other East Volusia County city that has a marine unit," Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said.

Chitwood said it had been years since the county last held a full-scale exercise based on an aircraft crashing into the ocean.

"Obviously, with the airport two miles away, this is a completely possible scenario that we've seen happen before. So it makes sense to train this way, right?" Chitwood said.

During the exercise, rescue crews pulled simulated victims from the water while a helicopter airlifted those with the most serious injuries.

Officials said the goal was to strengthen coordination among agencies and improve their ability to respond when a real emergency happens.

"You can train for anything in the world. You can't train for the unexpected. But what you can do is hone your skills so that when something from a scenario completely comes out of that, you wouldn't worry. You're able to just adapt and overcome and utilize everything you have," Chitwood said.

With Daytona Beach International Airport located just a few miles from the coast and thousands of flights using the airport each year, officials say exercises like this help ensure first responders are prepared for a real aircraft emergency.

https://www.wesh.com/article/volusia-crews-train-to-respond-to-plane-crashes/73297885

NTSB Prelim: Piper PA-32R-300

Pilot Was About To Enter A Left Turn To West When The Airplane Had A Sudden Reduction In Engine Power

Location: Comanche, TX Accident Number: CEN26LA202
Date & Time: May 22, 2026, 18:40 Local Registration: N4556Q
Aircraft: Piper PA-32R-300 Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Business 

On May 22, 2026, about 1840 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-300 airplane, N4556Q, was substantially damaged during an accident near Comanche, Texas. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight.

The pilot reported that the airplane fuel system contained about 94 gallons of fuel before the flight and there were no issues with engine operation during a before takeoff engine runup. The pilot stated that the airplane was configured for takeoff with wing flaps at 25°, the fuel selector positioned to the left tank, and the auxiliary fuel pump turned on. The takeoff was conducted on runway 17.

After an uneventful takeoff roll and liftoff, the pilot established a positive rate climb, retracted the landing gear, and retracted the wing flaps. The pilot was about to enter a left turn to west when the airplane had a sudden reduction in engine power. The pilot immediately turned left to enter a left traffic pattern for runway 17 as he verified that the engine throttle was full forward, the mixture control was full rich, the auxiliary fuel pump was on, and he  selected the right fuel tank. The airplane was unable to maintain altitude and eventually there was a total loss of engine power.

The pilot conducted a forced landing in a field on a heading of north. The pilot was able to extend the landing gear and wing flaps before landing in the field, but the airplane struck a barbed-wire fence and descended a hill. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the empennage during the accident.

The airplane wreckage was recovered to a secure location where an examination will be conducted.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov

Today in History

55 Years ago today: On 30 July 1971 All Nippon Airways flight 58, a Boeing 727-200, crashed following a mid-air collision with a JASDF North American F-86F fighter jet near Shizukuishi, Japan, killing all 162 occupants.

Date: Friday 30 July 1971
Time: 14:02
Type: Boeing 727-281
Owner/operator: All Nippon Airways - ANA
Registration: JA8329
MSN: 20436/788
Year of manufacture: 1971
Total airframe hrs: 865 hours
Engine model: P&W JT8D-9
Fatalities: Fatalities: 162 / Occupants: 162
Other fatalities: 0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off
Category: Accident
Location: near Shizukuishi -    Japan
Phase: En route
Nature: Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport: Sapporo-Chitose Airport (CTS/RJCC)
Destination airport: Tokyo-Haneda Airport (HND/RJTT)
Confidence Rating:  Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
All Nippon Airways flight 58, a Boeing 727-200, crashed following a mid-air collision with a JASDF North American F-86F fighter jet near Shizukuishi, Japan, killing all 162 occupants.

Flight NH58, a Boeing 727-200, departed Sapporo-Chitose Airport at 13:33 hours local time for a domestic flight to Tokyo-Haneda Airport, Japan. The flight was cleared to follow airway J11L and climb to FL280.
About the same time, at 13:28, two North American F-86F fighters of the Japan Air Self Defense Force took off from Matsushima Air Base for a formation training flight. The instructor in one aircraft and a student in the other aircraft (92-7932) were going to practice several formations in training airspace located 9 km from airway J11L.
While maneuvering during the formation sequence, the instructor inadvertently flew outside the training airspace. He crossed the airway J11L and then performed a 180 degree turn back towards the training area. In order to do so, the formation had to cross J11L again. The formation was flying about the same altitude as flight 58, causing a conflict.
The trainee was following the instructor and did not watch out for traffic when the 727 approached. The instructor ordered him to break away from the 727. The trainee banked to the left but the leading edge of the right wing of his F-86F struck the left horizontal stabilizer of the ANA plane. The fighter's right wing broke off, causing the plane to crash out of control, but the pilot ejected safely. The Boeing 727 sustained damage to the stabilizer and entered an uncontrolled descent. It passed the sound barrier and subsequently broke up.

Cause:
The first reason was that the instructor continued the training flight without noticing that he had left the training airspace and entered the jet route J11L.
The second reason was:
- It is estimated that the All Nippon Airways pilots saw the training aircraft at least 7 seconds before the collision, but the avoidance operation was not performed until just before the collision. This is probably because the ANA pilot did not anticipate the collision.
- For the instructor, the trainee's instruction to avoid a collision was shortly given to the trainee immediately before he saw the ANA aircraft, and he could not avoid the trainee's collision. This is probably because the instructor was unable to see the ANA aircraft.
- About two seconds before the collision, the trainee visually recognized the ANA aircraft slightly to the right of the accident aircraft, and immediately performed an avoidance operation, but was unable to avoid the collision. It is considered that this is because the trainee had little experience in this manoeuvre and was mainly devoted to maintaining the relative position with the instructor aircraft, and it was delayed in observing the ANA aircraft.

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