Contributor - Safety

David Jack Kenny

<h2>Preliminary Reports</h2>
<h3>Two Survive Galveston Bay Medevac Crash</h3>
Beechcraft B300, Dec. 22, 2025, Galveston, Texas
Rescuers located two survivors after a medical transport flight operated by the Mexican Navy crashed on final approach to Scholes International Airport in Galveston, Texas (KGLS). The remaining six occupants, including both pilots, two medical crew members, and two passengers, were killed. Among the survivors was a two-year-old burn victim who was transported to Shriners Children’s Texas Hospital in Galveston.
The flight departed from Mexico’s Merida International Airport (MMMD) shortly before 18:50 CST, climbing to an en route altitude of 27,500 feet, and then began a descent to 3,000 feet at 20:34. At 20:48 the flight checked in with Houston approach control, and communications were largely routine as the approach controller provided vectors to the final segment of the RNAV (GPS) approach to Runway 14. At 20:59, the King Air crew were cleared for the approach and handed off to the KGLS control tower. The approach controller subsequently issued multiple low altitude alerts, which went unanswered.
ADS-B track data showed that after turning onto the final approach course, the King Air began to descend; the last report showed it was three miles from the airport at an altitude of 275 feet. A witness reported hearing its engines “pull back,” then briefly go to full power before the sound ended. The prevailing weather included 5-knot winds from 100 degrees, one-quarter mile visibility in fog, and vertical visibility of 200 feet.
<h3>‘Holdover Time’ Confusion Preceded Bangor Disaster</h3>
Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 650, Jan. 25, 2026, Bangor, Maine
Comparison of the cockpit voice recording (CVR) and the FAA Holdover Time Guidelines for Winter 2025-2026 suggests that the flight crew may have overestimated how long the anti-ice treatment applied before takeoff would remain effective in preventing airframe icing. Both pilots and all four passengers were killed when the jet rolled right just after takeoff, striking the wingtip. Airport CCTV cameras captured images of multiple explosions as the airplane crashed off the right side of the runway, and rescue efforts were impeded by the prolonged post-impact fire.
The aircraft, on a Part 91 business flight, stopped for fuel at Bangor International Airport (KBGR) en route from Houston’s William P. Hobby International Airport (KHOU) to Châlons Vatry Airport (LFOK) in Châlons-en-Champagne, France, remaining on the ramp for just over an hour as it was refueled to a total load of 19,872 pounds. At 19:18, the jet taxied to the deicing pad. Over about eight minutes, an estimated 41 gallons of Type I deice fluid were applied, followed in the next three minutes by 28 gallons of Type IV anti-ice fluid. The prevailing weather included three-quarter-mile visibility in light snow, a temperature of -16 C, and 6- to 8-knot winds from 040 degrees.
The Challenger remained on the deicing pad for four minutes 51 seconds. As it taxied to Runway 33, the CVR captured the pilot’s comment that “standard” holdover time was 14 to 18 minutes, and that they’d need a second deicing if the wait exceeded 30 minutes. The copilot concurred. They began their takeoff roll at 19:44, 13 minutes after the anti-icing application ended. The stick shakers activated about one second before the right roll began, at a radar altitude of 11 feet.
FAA holdover guidelines indicate that three-quarter-mile visibility in snow at temperatures below -1 C is considered “moderate” snowfall; in moderate snowfall at -16 C, holdover times ranged from two to nine minutes.
<h3>No 'Ballistic Punctures' Found in DPS Helicopter Wreckage</h3>
Bell 407, Feb. 5, 2026, Flagstaff, Arizona
Investigators found “no evidence of ballistic punctures” in the wreckage of an Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter that crashed while supporting ground units responding to a shooting in progress. The pilot and tactical flight officer (TFO) were killed after the aircraft apparently departed controlled flight and entered a rapid spinning descent. Video and ADS-B data showed that their closest proximity to the suspect during the shooting was about 7,500 feet.
The flight departed Kingman about 21:10 MST in communication with ground units. At about 22:05, it orbited the vicinity of the shooting between 300 and 500 feet above ground level. After maneuvering to avoid a helicopter inbound to the hospital, the pilot began “a gradual climbing left turn, consistent with aligning for an out-of-ground--effect hover to maintain visual contact [with] the suspect.” There were no indications of abnormalities in the TFO’s communications with ground personnel.
Video recordings showed the helicopter in a slow climb until 22:16:43, when it began “a rapid rotation to the right,” At the same time, an unidentified verbal sound on the radio was followed by “two loud banging sounds from the helicopter.” At 22:16:51, the TFO transmitted, “We’re going down.” Periodic flashes of the ship’s spotlight during the descent confirmed its continued rotation.
Wreckage was found along a 6,150-foot debris path. The tailboom was fractured, with remnants of its upper-right attachment fittings showing outward bending. Angular cuts were found in the tail rotor drive shaft, and the surrounding skin had deep grooves with blue paint transfer marks “consistent with contact with a main rotor blade.” There was no record of recent maintenance to the tail boom or tail rotor assemblies.
<h2>Final Report</h2>
<h3>Departure Crash Traced to Snow and Landing Gear Anomaly</h3>
BAE Jetstream 3212, Jan. 23, 2024, Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada
Concern that snow might have accumulated on the aircraft after the passengers boarded led the captain to fly an unusually shallow climb profile to build airspeed in an attempt to blow off any snow that might have adhered to the wings. The operator’s only compatible deicing truck had been inoperable for several months before the accident. However, the increased air load prevented one leg of the landing gear from retracting completely, a problem that had been intermittently observed in the accident airplane’s left main gear at temperatures below -20 C and airspeeds in excess of 140 knots. Shortly after the first officer called for a reduction in airspeed, the captain reduced power, and the twin-engine turboprop began an inadvertent descent from an altitude of about 140 feet. Both pilots and four of the five passengers were killed when the Jetstream struck trees 15 seconds after takeoff, igniting a post-crash fire. One passenger was ejected from the airplane and survived with only minor injuries.
The aircraft departed on a scheduled flight from Fort Smith (CYSM) to Diavik (CDK2), both in the Northwest Territories, before dawn from Runway 30. Due to falling snow, the airplane was “cold-soaked” in an unheated hangar for 35 minutes before being fueled to its 3,200-pound capacity. No snow was found adhering to the aircraft during pre-flight checks, but some was observed on the left wing’s outboard leading edge while the pilots ran the after-start checklist. ADS-B data showed a shallower climb than on the three previous takeoffs from the same runway. Eight seconds after takeoff, the first officer reported an abnormal gear indication and called for the captain to reduce airspeed; six seconds later, he called out “descending.” One second after that, the terrain awareness and warning system issued an alert just as it struck trees half a mile from the departure end of the runway, igniting a fireball.

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