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Flight Safety Information - January 20, 2026 No. 014

In This Issue

: “The ARGUS Corporate Aviation Audit is the fastest way to elevate your Part 91 operation to elite standards.”

: Incident: Jetblue A21N at Aruba on Jan 18th 2026, loud bang in cargo bay

: ProSafeT - First AI- and Machine Learning-powered SMS

: Incident: Singapore A359 at Sapporo on Jan 10th 2026, air conditioning problems

: Incident: United A21N at Orlando on Jan 18th 2026, dropped nose wheel on touch down

: Boeing 2011 Warning May Offer Clues into 2025 UPS Jet Crash

: Private Jet Diverts To Shannon Following Fuel Leak

: Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines Announce Order for Nine 787 Dreamliners

: IndiGo Ramps Up Pilot, Crew Strength To Comply With Rostering Norms By Feb 10

: Private jet owners rent out aircraft engines amid supply crunch

: Calendar of Events

: TODAY'S PHOTO

Incident: Jetblue A21N at Aruba on Jan 18th 2026, loud bang in cargo bay

A Jetblue Airbus A321-200N, registration N2086J performing flight B6-1058 from Aruba (Aruba) to New York JFK,NY (USA) with 180 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing out of Aruba's runway 11 when a loud bang occurred in one of the cargo bays prompting the crew to stop the climb at FL060 and enter a hold to trouble shoot. The crew subsequently decided to divert to Fort Lauderdale,FL (USA) at FL100, later 12000 feet, and landed safely on Fort Lauderdale's runway 28L about 2:10 hours after departure.

Passengers reported after landing and taxiing to the apron the crew announced, that a bag in the cargo bay had not been secured, slid past the cargo net and impacted the back of the aircraft.

A replacement Airbus A321-200N registration N2047J continued the flight and reached New York with a delay of 4.5 hours.

The occurrence aircraft returned to service after about 20 hours on the ground in Fort Lauderdale.

https://avherald.com/h?article=5334baf9&opt=0

Incident: Singapore A359 at Sapporo on Jan 10th 2026, air conditioning problems

A Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-900, registration 9V-SHO performing flight SQ-661 from Sapporo (Japan) to Singapore (Singapore), was climbing out of Sapporo's runway 19R when the crew stopped the climb at about 8000 feet and descended back to 7000 feet. The aircraft returned to Sapporo for a safe landing on runway 19L about 50 minutes after departure.

A passenger reported the air conditioning system in the cabin did not work. They were kept on the aircraft for several hours until they were able to disembark.

The airline reported a techncial issue. The passengers were taken to hotels.

The aircraft remained on the ground until Jan 12th 2026, then positioned to Singapore and returned to service.

https://avherald.com/h?article=53348e17&opt=0

Incident: United A21N at Orlando on Jan 18th 2026, dropped nose wheel on touch down

A United Airbus A321-200N, registration N14502 performing flight UA-2323 Chicago O'Hare,IL to Orlando,FL (USA) with 200 passengers and 6 crew, landed on Orlando's runway 36L. Upon nose gear touchdown the right hand nose wheel separated and rolled to the side of the runway. The aircraft rolled out without further incident and stopped on the runway. The runway was closed.

https://avherald.com/h?article=533482fe&opt=0

Boeing 2011 Warning May Offer Clues into 2025 UPS Jet Crash

Boeing Co. warned operators in 2011 that a key structural component found cracked in the plane involved in November’s fatal crash of a United Parcel Service Inc. freighter had failed on prior occasions.

The planemaker issued a service letter in February of that year notifying MD-11 operators of four past failures on three different planes to a part known as the spherical bearing race, safety investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board said on Wednesday. The component helps to relieve high loads and vibrations.

They included the information in a rare update released in between the agency’s preliminary and final reports. The 2011 letter said inspection of this component would be included in checks of a structure securing the engine on the MD-11.

Both Boeing and UPS said they continue to support the NTSB’s investigation but neither commented directly on Wednesday’s update. UPS said it couldn’t, citing its role as a party to the investigation.

The NTSB said it’s reviewing how inspection instructions were incorporated in Boeing maintenance documents and manuals, as well as UPS’ application.

In addition, the agency said it was reviewing any correspondence between Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration on the topic. Boeing at the time determined the issue “would not result in a safety of flight condition,” meaning it didn’t pose a serious risk to the plane’s integrity.

“NTSB is checking to see if UPS appropriately acted on the information, and also if Boeing and the FAA placed the proper emphasis on the 2011 finding,” said Jeff Guzzetti, a former accident investigation chief for the FAA.

After the UPS crash, the FAA grounded all MD-11F cargo jets, pending inspections and certain corrective actions by operators. It’s since expanded that directive to other aircraft with similar engine-pylon designs.

A preliminary report into the UPS freighter crash revealed evidence of fatigue cracks in several sections that secured the turbine.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F lost its left engine during takeoff from the courier’s main hub in Louisville, Kentucky, and didn’t climb higher than 30 feet before crashing, the report said. Those killed included the crew and people on the ground.

Dramatic images in the preliminary report show the engine and its pylon detaching and rocketing into the air in a fireball almost immediately after takeoff.

The MD-11 is long out of production and only flown for cargo operations today. The last passenger flight took place more than a decade ago.

https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/national/2026/01/20/335139.htm

Private Jet Diverts To Shannon Following Fuel Leak

A private jet has diverted to Shannon Airport this afternoon after the crew reported a fuel leak over the North Atlantic.

The Bombardier Global 7500 jet had departed Luton Airport in England at around 12.55pm with four persons on board. The flight was destined for an airport in the United States.

The aircraft had climbed to an altitude of 43,000 feet and was about an hour into its journey, around 200 kilometres northwest of Donegal, when the crew contacted air traffic controllers in Shannon.

The crew advised controllers that they had an issue on board which they were discussing with their company but confirmed it was likely they would need to divert to Shannon.

It’s understood the crew detected a fuel leak from the jet’s left wing which had lasted for about 15 minutes. By the time crew had commenced their diversion to Shannon, the leak had ceased.

The crew later confirmed they wished to divert to Shannon and advised controllers they would need to burn off aviation fuel before commencing their approach. This was to ensure they touched down within safe landing weight limits

The flight descended to 14,000 feet and entered a holding pattern over East Clare for around 50 minutes.

The crew commenced their approach to Shannon and landed safely at 3.33pm. Shannon Airport’s fire and rescue crews were placed on standby as a precaution.

After the jet had landed, an inspection of the runway determined that there had been some contamination as a result of the fuel leak. Airport crews carried out a cleaning operation to clear the fuel and just a few departing aircraft faced a short delay.

https://www.clare.fm/news/private-jet-diverts-to-shannon-following-fuel-leak/

Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines Announce Order for Nine 787 Dreamliners

East African airline will leverage more 787-9 jets to expand international network

Ethiopian also completes purchase of 11 more 737 MAX jets

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Ethiopian Airlines announced today Africa's largest carrier ordered nine 787 Dreamliner airplanes as demand for long-haul travel continues to rise. Ethiopian Airlines will leverage the 787-9 jets to grow its route network, which currently serves 145 international destinations.

The airline's latest 787 purchase follows its commitment for 11 737 MAX jets announced at the Dubai Airshow. Both orders were finalized in December 2025 and boosts Ethiopian Airlines' order book by a total of 20 fuel-efficient Boeing airplanes.

"We are pleased to confirm the order for nine Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to further expand our existing fleet. This order underscores our continued commitment to enhancing our fleet with modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, thereby further strengthening our customer service," said Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO. "We will continue to acquire more aircraft and adopt the latest technologies as part of our strategic vision to advance sustainable aviation."

Ethiopian Airlines operates Africa's largest 787 Dreamliner fleet, flying its 787-8 and 787-9 jets on intercontinental routes from Addis Ababa to high-demand destinations across Europe, Asia and North America as well as key intra-African routes spanning the world's second-largest continent.

"The 787 Dreamliner family has proven to be a game-changer for airlines around the world, and we are proud to support Ethiopian Airlines in their mission to connect Africa with the global community," said Anbessie Yitbarek, Boeing vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing for Africa. "Together, we look forward to shaping the future of air travel with advanced, efficient and comfortable airplanes to serve their passengers."

The capacity and efficiency of the 787 Dreamliner, which reduces fuel use and emissions by 25% compared to the airplanes it replaces, enables Ethiopian Airlines to transport passengers point-to-point across Africa while accommodating cargo in the belly of the airplane for high-demand trade lanes.

Since 2011, the 787 Dreamliner family has helped airlines open more than 520 new nonstop routes between city pairs that were never previously served and carried more than 1 billion passengers.

Ethiopian Airlines operates the largest Boeing airplane fleet in Africa and has the continent's largest backlog of 737 MAXs, 777X and 787 Dreamliner airplanes.

A leading global aerospace company and top U.S. exporter, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. Our U.S. and global workforce and supplier base drive innovation, economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing is committed to fostering a culture based on our core values of safety, quality and integrity.

https://www.morningstar.com/news/pr-newswire/20260120cg66501/boeing-and-ethiopian-airlines-announce-order-for-nine-787-dreamliners

IndiGo Ramps Up Pilot, Crew Strength To Comply With Rostering Norms By Feb 10

DGCA slapped IndiGo with a Rs 22 crore penalty for failure of conforming to the new rostering norms which led to large scale cancellations of flights.

In light of the FDTL exemptions given to IndiGo coming to an end on Feb. 10, 2026, the airline has stregthened its crew and pilot capacity, a press note by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed on Tuesday.

IndiGo now has 2,400 Airbus pilots in command against the required 2,280 for smooth operations. India's largest airline also added more Airbus first officers, lifting its total to 2,240, whereas the requirement is of 2,050, as per the press note.

The press note added that IndiGo assured operational stability and no flight cancellations after Feb. 10, and the sustained regulatory oversight and corrective measures undertaken by IndiGo have resulted in stabilisation of operations.

"DGCA continues to closely monitor the airline's operations, with particular emphasis on roster integrity. DGCA also closely monitoring crew availability, buffer adequacy, system robustness, and adherence to FDTL requirement," the note stated.

Last week, DGCA had slapped IndiGo with a Rs 22 crore penalty for the failure of conforming to the new rostering norms, which led to large scale disruptions and cancellations of flights.

The critics questioned the regulator on social media, asking why stricter action was not taken against the airline. IndiGo commands over 60% of India's domestic aviation market and posted Rs 19,600 crore revenue in Q2FY26.

In the beginning of December, IndiGo's failure to adapt to new crew-rostering rules triggered widespread flight disruptions, leaving lakhs of travellers stranded at airports across the country.

At the centre of the crisis were regulations requiring pilots and cabin crew to get more rest, including 48-hour weekly breaks instead of 36 hours earlier and stricter limits on night landings.

The airline has been accused of failing to make arrangements to comply with the new rules. As a result, IndiGo was left short of crew, forcing it to ground more than half its fleet.

https://www.ndtvprofit.com/business/indigo-ramps-up-pilot-crew-strength-to-comply-with-rostering-norms-by-feb-10-10792507

Private jet owners rent out aircraft engines amid supply crunch

Some travellers prefer to borrow engines to use with their own customised jets

Private jet owners are cashing in on a supply chain crunch by leasing their engines to people facing long waits for their own aircraft to be repaired.

The aerospace industry has been plagued by labour and parts shortages since the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to protracted delays in deliveries of engines and aircraft for both private and commercial jets.

Wealth advisers and industry experts said some owners wanted to rent just the engine because they were attached to their customised jet interiors, which can include gold and marble bathroom fixtures and large cinema spaces.

Laura Uberoi, head of private wealth finance at law firm Addleshaw Goddard, said: “It’s the first time in my career I have seen families turning a profit on their private jets, which are usually a depreciating liability.”

To hire a mid-size jet engine for a couple of days would cost about $50,000, and the engine could be removed fairly quickly, even overnight.

“Typically people didn’t do that in private jets, the jets are in busy use,” but the practice has been increasing for the past five to eight years as the commercial incentive has made it worthwhile, Uberoi added.

Kevin Michaels, managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory, said there was “a well-known issue with small propulsion engine supply chain” which was delaying maintenance and repairs. Business aviation operators typically had small fleets and few stocked spare engines, he added.

“Turnaround times are averaging four to six months and sometimes eight to 10 months versus two to three months typical,” he said. “This adds to the demand for exchange engines.”

Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce and Honeywell are the biggest makers of business jet engines.

Increased demand is worsening the situation. “The number of flights in business aviation is up more than 30 per cent compared to pre-Covid levels,” Michaels said. This had taken some aircraft manufacturers “by surprise” and “their supply chains are trying to catch up”.

Daniel Hall, senior valuation consultant at Cirium Ascend Consultancy, said business aviation was suffering from the same problem as commercial jets — supply chains, parts, facility capacity — but also “a dwindling supply of aviation maintenance professionals . . . a sector which young people are no longer entering”.

https://www.ft.com/content/d97e30cf-ac15-40a6-a630-86a50745c28b