Here are the stories for today...
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Captain Jess Grigg
1965-2026
I am stunned and saddened to announce that my friend, and friend to so many ARFF professionals, Retired UPS Captain Jess Grigg, passed away yesterday morning at his home in Louisiana. 
I knew Jess for close to 20 years, since he started attending our ARFF Working Group conferences and sharing his story as the First Officer on UPS Flight 1307 and then working with UPS and the Independent Pilots Association (IPA) to establish their specialized ARFF training partnership, where UPS crews and IPA safety representatives conduct hands-on cargo aircraft familiarization and tactical rescue courses for municipal and airport fire departments across North America. Jess gave generously of his time and talents to assist firefighters and emergency responders in training for the unexpected. Through countless training exercises and emergency simulations, he played an important role in helping those who protect and rescue others prepare for the moments when preparation can mean the difference between life and death. Over the years, he became a trusted and dedicated friend to the firefighters, rescuers, and aviation community with whom he worked.
As a retired ARFF Training Instructor, I will forever be thankful to Jess for all he did to make ARFF personnel smarter, and therefore safer in their profession. We
shared the same belief that the better the training, the better the chance of going home to your family after your shift. The respect and camaraderie he shared with all of us was a reflection of the kind of man he was—dependable, generous, humble, and always willing to lend a hand.
As a friend, I will remember him for his down-to-earth conversations providing advice for ARFF related and personal matters, and his guidance and stories regarding our shared passion for flying and aviation.
Once arrangements are announced I will share them with you all.
My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Sherry and their daughter, Rachel on their loss. May they know that Jess really did make a difference!
May He Rest in Peace…
American Airlines flight makes emergency landing after bird strike sparks engine flames
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- An American Airline Boeing 737 hit birds while taking off from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Monday, leading to flames shooting from an engine and an emergency landing. 
"Mayday, mayday, mayday. We've got a engine problem here," the pilot reported shortly after takeoff according to a recording from LiveATC.net.
181 people were onboard American flight 1760 which was originally headed to Charlotte, North Carolina, the pilot told air traffic control.
"I saw he took up birds, it looked like, at least in the left side engine," another pilot who saw the bird strike said on the radio.
Patrick Gotwalt was a passenger on the flight and recorded a video showing flames coming from the engine as the flight appears to be flying over water.
Lindsey Mackey told CNN she was on the beach, heard several loud popping noises and see the orange flashes coming from the left wing.
As the plane circled and prepared to return to the airport and emergency crews assembled, operations workers found the remains of the birds on the runway.
"We've got a lot of bird debris out here. We're going to grab as many big pieces as we can," they said on the radio.
Bird remains recovered from airplane strikes, called snarge, are sent to the Smithsonian Institution's lab in Washington DC, where they are analyzed to determine the species. The data gathered can help understand what animals are being hit and help prevent future strikes.
In 2025 more than 24,000 wildlife strikes were reported in the United States, according to the Federal Aviation Administration's database.
The plane which hit the birds Monday eventually landed back in Myrtle Beach.
"The aircraft landedsafelyand has beentaken outof serviceto be inspectedbyour maintenanceteam," American Airlines said in a statement to CNN. "Ourteam is working toget customersontheirway toCharlotteas soon as possible,"
The flight crew reported striking a bird while departing, the FAA said. The agency will investigate the incident.
https://abc7.com/post/american-airlines-flight-makes-emergency-landing-bird-strike-sparks-engine-flames/19667462/
Fire crews battle grass fire near Will Rogers International Airport
by:Â Mario Gonzalez/KFOR
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Firefighters are battling a grass fire Tuesday afternoon near the Will Rogers International Airport. 
According to Will Rogers Airport officials, the fire is on the north side of the airport. One lane is closed on eastbound Highway 152, westbound SW 54th Street between Portland Avenue and Meridian Avenue is closed, including one lane that is closed westbound SW 54th between Meridian Avenue and Portland Avenue.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. News 4 has a crew on the scene and will provide more information as it comes in.
https://kfor.com/news/local/fire-crews-battle-grass-fire-near-will-rogers-international-airport/
NTSB Prelim: Portzline Joan M Flight Star II SC
Suddenly, The Airplane Started To Descend. (Pilot) Described The Feeling Like Being On An Elevator.
Location: Mulberry, FL Accident Number: ERA26LA258
Date & Time: July 4, 2026, 11:21 Local Registration: N432JP
Aircraft: Portzline Joan M Flight Star II SC Injuries: 2 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On July 4, 2026, about 1121 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Flight Star II SC airplane, N432JP, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Mulberry, Florida. The private pilot and a passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot stated that he fueled the airplane, performed a preflight inspection, and completed a safety briefing with the passenger. He started the engine and taxied to the runway where he completed an engine runup and a flight control systems check, noting that all instrument indications were normal. He communicated his intentions to take off on runway 14 and began his takeoff roll. The pilot rotated the airplane at 60 mph and established a positive rate of climb. Suddenly, the airplane started to descend. He described the feeling like being on an elevator. The pilot stated that he had felt this before at a neighboring airport during landing.
Powerlines obstructed the direction of flight, and unable to climb above the obstruction, the pilot turned the airplane to the right attempting to fly between the poles. The right wing contacted a wire, before the airplane descended and impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest on a roadway on its side and incurred substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage.
A witness, who was also a pilot, observed the takeoff. He stated that the airplane appeared to maintain a reduced rate of climb relative to its observed pitch attitude. As the airplane passed abeam his position, it began to descend. Throughout the observed sequence, he did not perceive any changes in engine sound.
The wreckage was recovered and retained for further examination.
FMI:Â www.ntsb.gov
Today in History
41 Years ago today:Â On 12 August 1985 Japan Air Lines flight JL123, a Boeing 747SR, crashed near Ueno, Japan, following a pressure bulkhead failure, killing 520 occupants; 4 survived the accident.
| Date: | Monday 12 August 1985 |
| Time: | 18:56 |
| Type: | Boeing 747SR-46 |
| Owner/operator: | Japan Air Lines - JAL |
| Registration: | JA8119 |
| MSN: | 20783/230 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1974 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 25030 hours |
| Cycles: | 18835 flights |
| Engine model: | Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 520 / Occupants: 524 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 26 km SW of Ueno Village, Tano district, Gunma Prefecture -Â Â Â Â Japan |
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Tokyo-Haneda Airport (HND/RJTT) |
| Destination airport: | Osaka-Itami Airport (ITM/RJOO) |
| Investigating agency:Â | AAIC |
| Confidence Rating: | Â Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:
Japan Air Lines flight JL123, a Boeing 747SR, crashed near Ueno, Japan, following a pressure bulkhead failure, killing 520 occupants; 4 survived the accident.
JA8119 was a Japan Air Lines Boeing 747SR, a short range variant of the Boeing 747 Series 100. The was aircraft specifically configured for domestic flights with a high density seating arrangement.
On June 2, 1978 the aircraft operated on a flight to Osaka (ITM). It floated after touchdown and on the second touchdown the tail struck the runway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the rear underside of the fuselage. The rear pressure bulkhead was cracked as well. The aircraft was repaired by Boeing. Engineers replaced the lower part of the rear fuselage and a portion of the lower half of the bulkhead.
Seven years later, on August 12, 1985, JA8119 had completed four domestic flights when it landed at Tokyo-Haneda (HND) at 17:17. The next flight was to be flight 123 to Osaka (ITM). The aircraft took off from Tokyo-Haneda at 18:12. Twelve minutes later, while climbing through 23900 feet at a speed of 300 knots, an unusual vibration occurred. An impact force raised the nose of the aircraft and control problems were experienced. A decompression had occurred and the crew got indications of problems with the R5 door. In fact, the rear pressure bulkhead had ruptured, causing serious damage to the rear of the plane. A portion of its vertical fin, measuring 5 m together with the section of the tailcone containing the auxiliary power unit (APU) were ripped off the plane. Due to the damage, the hydraulic pressure dropped and ailerons, elevators and yaw damper became inoperative. Controlling the plane was very difficult as the airplane experienced dutch rolls and phugoid oscillations (unusual movement in which altitude and speed change significantly in a 20-100 seconds cycle without change of angle of attack).
The aircraft started to descend to 6600 feet while the crew tried to control the aircraft by using engine thrust. Upon reaching 6600 feet the airspeed had dropped to 108 knots. The aircraft then climbed with a 39 degree pitch-up to a maximum of approx. 13400 feet and started to descend again. At 18:56 JAL123 finally brushed against a tree covered ridge, continued and struck the Osutaka Ridge, bursting into flames.
CAUSE: "It is estimated that this accident was caused by deterioration of flying quality and loss of primary flight control functions due to rupture of the aft pressure bulkhead of the aircraft, and the subsequent ruptures of a part of the fuselage tail, vertical fin and hydraulical flight control systems.
The reason why the aft pressure bulkhead was ruptured in flight is estimated to be that the strength of the said bulkhead was reduced due to fatigue cracks propagating at the spliced portion of the bulkhead's webs to the extent that it became unable to endure the cabin pressure in flight at that time.
The initiation and propagation of the fatigue cracks are attributable to the improper repairs of the said bulkhead conducted in 1978, and it is estimated that the fatigue cracks having not be found in the later maintenance inspection is contributive to their propagation leading to the rupture of the said bulkhead."
