FlightGlobal
• David Kaminski-Morrow
A Southwest 737 Max was released to service after an operational test failed to identify impairment to its fin and rudder unit. The case highlights a maintenance-procedure lapse that left gust damage undetected.
Aviation Safety & Regulation
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A Southwest 737 Max was released to service after an operational test failed to identify impairment to its fin and rudder unit. The case highlights a maintenance-procedure lapse that left gust damage undetected.
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Investigators found three pieces of the Learjet 60’s left elevator between 1.3 and 3.8 miles from the Palm Beach County crash site, where nine people died on Nov. 1, 2026. The debris, along with tail components, recordings and weather data, is among the evidence being examined to determine why the jet crashed.
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U.S. investigators believe the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan pilot deliberately began a steep descent after releasing skydivers, then failed to recover before exceeding the aircraft’s speed limit. The aircraft initially followed the post-jump profile seen on earlier flights, before diverging from it.
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A second wave of bomb threats on Nov. 5 targeted at least 25 passenger flights across Europe, including aircraft operated by easyJet and Finnair. Diversions, emergency landings and fighter escorts disrupted travel, while the episode prompted an EU-wide aviation-security response.
A senior NTSB official says the Safety Board, FAA and aviation industry must work collaboratively and use data to carry lessons from accident investigations into future safety improvements. The remarks emphasize that investigation findings are most valuable when agencies and operators work together to act on them.
The TBM Owners and Pilots Association made flight safety a stronger focus at its 2026 annual convention in Phoenix. The gathering underscores the association’s role in engaging TBM aircraft owners and pilots on safety, though the available report does not specify particular initiatives or outcomes.
Texas-based Part 145 repair station SkyWay Group has received FAA parts manufacturer approval for SkyFlush lavatory upgrade kits covering the Cessna CitationJet/CJ1, CJ2 and CJ3 series. The approval lets the company offer the modification for these business jets as an approved replacement-parts solution.
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The Transportation Department’s inspector general will examine how the FAA oversees commercial helicopter tours and whether it knew of a regulatory loophole allowing some operations under Part 91. The audit follows a history of accidents involving helicopter tours and will assess the agency’s safety oversight.
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