Regulations & Safety
Four Killed in Tennessee-Registered Plane Crash Near Steamboat Springs
A Tennessee-registered Epic E1000 turboprop crashed near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, killing four. NTSB and FAA investigations are underway.
This article summarizes reporting by WSMV 4 Nashville and Caleb Wethington.
A single-engine turboprop Commercial-Aircraft registered to a Tennessee limited liability company crashed near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, early Friday, February 13, 2026, resulting in the deaths of all four individuals on board. While initial headlines described the location as “near Denver,” the incident occurred approximately 165 miles northwest of the capital, in the rugged terrain of the Rocky Mountains.
According to reporting by WSMV 4 Nashville, the flight originated in the Nashville area. Local authorities in Colorado have confirmed that the crash site is located on Emerald Mountain, a peak immediately west of downtown Steamboat Springs. The crash occurred shortly after midnight Mountain Standard Time as the aircraft was on approach to Bob Adams Field (KSBS).
The Routt County Coroner, Mitch Locke, indicated that officials are currently working to positively identify the victims. As of Friday afternoon, the names of the deceased have not been released pending notification of next of kin.
The aircraft involved has been identified as an Epic E1000, a high-performance, six-seat single-engine turboprop. Data indicates the plane departed from Nashville, Tennessee, and made a scheduled stop in Kansas City before proceeding toward the Colorado ski resort town.
Public records link the aircraft to ALS Aviation LLC, an entity based in Brentwood, Tennessee, a suburb south of Nashville. WSMV reports that the plane is registered to this local company, suggesting a private flight rather than a commercial charter. The address listed for the LLC appears to be residential, consistent with private aircraft ownership structures.
Routt County Search and Rescue teams recovered four bodies from the wreckage on the south-facing side of Emerald Mountain. The recovery operation was conducted in challenging winter conditions, with temperatures hovering near freezing and cloud cover obscuring the terrain.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have launched a formal investigation into the Accident. An NTSB investigator was scheduled to arrive at the scene on Friday afternoon to begin documenting the wreckage and gathering data. Regarding the status of the victims, the local sheriff provided a brief update on the coroner’s progress:
“The sheriff said the coroner is working to identify the victim and notify their next of kin.”
, Reporting via WSMV
At this stage, the cause of the crash remains listed as “unknown circumstances.” Investigators will likely examine weather data, pilot communications, and engine performance logs. Automated weather reports from Steamboat Springs around the time of the crash indicated visibility between 5 and 10 miles with low cloud layers and potential patchy snow.
While the specific cause of this tragedy has not yet been determined, the approach to Bob Adams Field (KSBS) in Steamboat Springs is known within the Airlines community as technically demanding. The Airports is surrounded by mountainous terrain, requiring precise navigation, particularly during night operations or instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
The Epic E1000 is a capable, modern aircraft designed for speed and altitude, often compared to the TBM series or the Pilatus PC-12. However, single-pilot operations into high-altitude mountain airports at night present significant workload challenges. The crash site on Emerald Mountain lies roughly three nautical miles south of the destination airport, an area where aircraft would typically be maneuvering for final alignment with the runway.
We will continue to monitor updates from the NTSB and local authorities regarding the identification of the victims and the preliminary findings of the investigation.
Sources: WSMV 4 Nashville
Four Killed in Crash of Tennessee-Based Aircraft in Colorado
Flight Path and Aircraft Details
Ownership and Registration
Investigation Underway
AirPro News Analysis: The Challenges of Mountain Approaches
Sources
Photo Credit: Epic Aircraft
Regulations & Safety
Jet2 Flight Diverts to Brussels After Violent Midair Altercation
Jet2 flight LS896 diverted to Brussels due to a violent passenger altercation involving racist abuse and intoxication, resulting in lifetime bans.
A routine flight from Turkey to the United Kingdom descended into chaos on Thursday, February 12, 2026, when a violent brawl broke out between passengers, forcing the aircraft to make an unscheduled landing in Belgium. According to reporting by Fox News and other outlets, Jet2 flight LS896 was en route from Antalya to Manchester when the crew declared an emergency due to “appalling behavior” in the cabin.
Video footage circulating on social media captures the intensity of the incident, showing passengers exchanging punches and putting one another in headlocks while cabin crew attempted to intervene. The disturbance reportedly began with racist abuse and escalated after alcohol was denied to an intoxicated traveler. The flight eventually landed in Brussels, where police removed two individuals who have since received lifetime bans from the Airlines.
Witness accounts cited in media reports suggest the tension began early in the flight. A male passenger, who appeared to be intoxicated, reportedly directed racist remarks toward Pakistani passengers seated nearby. The situation deteriorated further when the individual attempted to purchase additional alcohol or cigarettes from the flight attendants and was refused.
The verbal confrontation quickly turned physical. Video footage of the incident shows a chaotic scene in the aisle, with one passenger placing another in a headlock while blows were exchanged. The violence occurred in close proximity to other travelers, including families with young children.
In the video recordings, the panic in the cabin is audible. A flight attendant can be heard shouting commands in an attempt to restore order.
“Sit down! We’ve got kids on board!”
, Audio from witness video, via Fox News
Witnesses described the event as “traumatizing,” with some reports indicating that the physical struggle was severe enough to leave blood on the aircraft seats. The pilot, unable to ensure the Safety of the cabin, made the decision to divert the aircraft to Brussels Airports (BRU).
Upon landing in Brussels, Belgian law enforcement officers boarded the aircraft and removed the two men involved in the altercation. The flight was delayed by approximately two hours before continuing to Manchester, where it arrived around 10:00 PM local time. Jet2 has taken immediate and severe action against the individuals responsible for the diversion. In a statement regarding the incident, the airline confirmed that the passengers have been banned for life. Furthermore, the carrier intends to recover the financial losses associated with the diversion directly from the disruptors.
According to the airline’s official statement:
“We can confirm that the two disruptive passengers will be banned from flying with us for life.”
, Jet2 spokesperson
The pilot reportedly addressed the remaining passengers after the incident, stating that in three decades of flying, he had never witnessed such a severe disturbance.
This incident underscores the persistent operational challenge airlines face regarding “air rage,” particularly incidents fueled by pre-flight alcohol consumption. Jet2 has been an industry leader in combating this issue through its “Onboard Together” campaign, which advocates for stricter legal consequences for disruptive passengers.
We note that this event bears a superficial resemblance to a previous Jet2 Incident in December 2024, which also involved a diversion from an Antalya-bound route due to a fight. However, the February 12, 2026 incident is distinct due to the reported racial nature of the initial abuse and the specific diversion to Brussels. The recurrence of such high-profile altercations highlights the difficulty cabin crews face in managing intoxication and aggression in confined spaces, despite zero-tolerance policies.
By pursuing the passengers for costs, which can run into the thousands of dollars for fuel, landing fees, and crew hours, Jet2 is signaling that the consequences of midair violence will extend beyond travel bans to significant financial liabilities.
Sources: Fox News
Jet2 Flight Diverts to Brussels Following Violent Midair Altercation
Escalation at 30,000 Feet
From Verbal Abuse to Physical Violence
Operational Impact and Consequences
Jet2’s Zero-Tolerance Response
AirPro News Analysis
Sources
Photo Credit: Fox News
Regulations & Safety
SunExpress Boeing 737-800 Landing Gear Collapse at Antalya Airport
SunExpress Boeing 737-800 main landing gear collapsed during taxi at Antalya Airport. All passengers and crew evacuated safely; aircraft under inspection.
This article is based on an official statement from SunExpress and verified fleet data.
A SunExpress Boeing 737-800 experienced a significant structural failure on Friday, February 13, 2026, when its main landing gear collapsed while taxiing for departure at Antalya Airport (AYT). The aircraft, operating flight XQ7646 to Gaziantep (GZT), suffered a collapse of the landing gear strut, causing the left engine and wingtip to contact the tarmac.
According to an official statement from the airline, all 175 passengers and six crew members were safely evacuated without injury. The incident occurred at low speed prior to takeoff, preventing a more severe outcome on the runway.
The incident took place as the aircraft was maneuvering on the taxiway. Passengers reported a sudden tilt to the left side followed by the aircraft coming to a halt. Emergency services responded immediately, though the evacuation was conducted calmly, likely using stairs rather than emergency slides given the stable position of the aircraft on the ground.
In a statement regarding the event, SunExpress confirmed the technical nature of the failure:
“On our flight XQ7646, which will operate our Antalya-Gaziantep flight, a technical malfunction occurred in the landing gear strut during taxiing. All our passengers have been safely evacuated and the aircraft has been taken for technical inspection. Our flight will be carried out with a different plane in order not to victimize our passengers.”
Airport operations at Antalya continued with minimal disruption, as the immobilized aircraft was located on a taxiway rather than the active runway. SunExpress, a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, arranged for a replacement aircraft to transport the passengers to Gaziantep shortly after the evacuation.
The aircraft involved in the incident has been identified as TC-SOB, a Boeing 737-8HC (Next Generation). According to fleet data, the airframe is approximately 9 to 10 years old, having been delivered in 2016. The “HC” designation is the Boeing customer code specific to SunExpress.
The collapse resulted in the left engine nacelle scraping the ground. The aircraft has been grounded for a comprehensive technical investigation to determine the root cause of the strut failure. While the specific cause of this collapse remains under investigation, the Boeing 737 NG series has been subject to scrutiny regarding landing gear durability in the past. Industry data indicates that trunnion pins, critical structural components attaching the gear to the wing, have been a focal point for maintenance directives.
Recent regulatory actions have addressed similar risks. For example, FAA Airworthiness Directive 2025-19-12, effective November 2025, mandates inspections to prevent heat damage to main landing gear outer cylinders, noting that such damage could lead to “failure of a principal structural element… or collapse of the main landing gear.” Previous directives have also targeted corrosion and fatigue cracking in trunnion pins, which can result from excessive grinding during overhaul processes.
Timing Averted Disaster: While any structural failure is concerning, the timing of this incident was fortunate. A landing gear collapse during the high-speed takeoff roll or upon landing impact could have resulted in a catastrophic runway excursion, fuel leaks, or fire. The fact that the strut failed during low-speed taxiing suggests the component was already critically compromised and unable to bear the aircraft’s weight even under minimal stress.
Maintenance Scrutiny: We anticipate that investigators will focus heavily on the maintenance records of TC-SOB. Specifically, they will likely examine whether recent overhaul procedures involved grinding techniques that could have introduced heat damage to the metal, a known precursor to the type of brittle fracture seen in previous 737 NG gear collapses.
SunExpress maintains a strong safety record, with no fatal accidents in its history. This event is currently classified as a technical malfunction rather than a systemic operational failure, pending the final report from civil aviation authorities.
SunExpress Boeing 737-800 Landing Gear Collapses During Taxi at Antalya
Incident Overview and Airline Response
Aircraft and Technical Specifications
Industry Context on Landing Gear Failures
AirPro News Analysis
Summary of Key Facts
Sources
Photo Credit: X
Regulations & Safety
Porter Airlines Flight Slides Off Tarmac at Halifax During Snowstorm
Porter Airlines Flight PD209 slid off the tarmac at Halifax Airport amid heavy snow. No injuries reported; runway closure impacted operations.
This article summarizes reporting by CBC News and data from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
A Porter Airlines flight carrying 64 people slid off the tarmac at Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) on the evening of Wednesday, February 11, 2026. The incident occurred amidst a severe winter storm that brought heavy snow and near-zero visibility to the region. While the aircraft was disabled in deep snow for several hours, officials confirmed there were no injuries among the passengers or crew.
According to reporting by CBC News, the incident involved Flight PD209, an Embraer E195-E2 arriving from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ). The runway excursion took place shortly after 8:21 PM AST, following what passengers described as a standard landing. The aircraft reportedly lost traction while attempting to turn from the active runway onto a taxiway, sliding laterally into the snow.
Flight PD209 landed on Runway 14/32 during a period of intense winter weather. Data cited in research reports indicates that the aircraft completed its landing roll successfully. The loss of control occurred specifically during the low-speed maneuver to exit the runway. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) characterized the event as a “lateral slide” rather than a high-speed overrun.
The aircraft carried 59 passengers and 5 crew members. Porter Airlines confirmed in a statement that the plane “became disabled in snow off of the taxiway after landing due to weather conditions.”
Passengers on board described a sudden shift in the aircraft’s movement after the initial landing. Speaking to CBC News, passenger Samuel Gaboury noted that the plane attempted to turn before losing traction.
“It really was sliding and tried to take a turn and the plane decided it wasn’t going… and we got stuck.”
, Samuel Gaboury, via CBC News
Following the excursion, the aircraft remained upright but lodged in deep snow, requiring a complex evacuation process. The severe weather conditions complicated efforts to deplane the passengers. According to reports, those on board were stranded for approximately 2.5 hours. Ground crews initially struggled to secure stairs to the aircraft due to ice and snow accumulation on the tarmac.
Witnesses reported that equipment, including the stairs, was “spinning out of control” due to the slick surfaces. Eventually, airport crews cleared a safe path, allowing passengers to disembark and board buses to the terminal. Despite the delay and the frightening nature of the slide, passengers reportedly praised the flight crew for maintaining calm and professionalism throughout the ordeal.
Halifax Stanfield International Airport (HIAA) confirmed that Runway 14/32 was closed immediately following the incident to facilitate the removal of the aircraft. However, the airport’s primary runway, 05/23, remained operational. The closure and the ongoing storm caused delays and cancellations for other flights arriving and departing Halifax on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
Contextualizing Runway Excursions
It is important to distinguish this event from a runway overrun. A taxiway excursion, as described in this incident, typically occurs at much lower speeds than a landing overrun. While less likely to result in catastrophic structural damage, these incidents highlight the extreme challenges of winter operations in Atlantic Canada. The rapid degradation of runway friction, even minutes after plowing, can render steering ineffective during turns, a known hazard for pilots operating in active snowstorms.
As of Thursday, February 12, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada is collecting information regarding the event. While a full Class-1 investigation has not been declared, the TSB is monitoring the recovery of the aircraft. Porter Airlines has dispatched resources to tow the aircraft to a hangar for a thorough inspection to ensure no hidden damage occurred during the slide.
Was anyone injured on Flight PD209? What caused the plane to slide? Is Halifax Airport open?
Incident Overview and Flight Details
Passenger Accounts of the Slide
Evacuation and Operational Impact
Airport Operations
AirPro News Analysis
Investigation Status
Frequently Asked Questions
No. All 59 passengers and 5 crew members evacuated safely with no reported injuries.
Preliminary reports and airline statements attribute the slide to severe weather conditions and a loss of traction while the pilot attempted to turn the aircraft off the runway onto a taxiway.
Yes. While the secondary runway (14/32) was closed for aircraft recovery, the primary runway (05/23) remained open. Travelers should check with their airlines due to weather-related delays.
Sources
Photo Credit: X
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