Regulations & Safety
NTSB Report: Envoy Airlines Wrong Runway Landing at Chicago O’Hare
NTSB final report details how pilot bias and ATC oversight led Envoy Airlines flight 3936 to land on the wrong runway at Chicago O’Hare.
NTSB Final Report: “Plan Continuation Bias” Led to Envoy Airlines Wrong Runway Landing at O’Hare
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published its final report regarding a serious incident involving an Envoy Airlines passenger jet at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). The investigation concludes that a combination of pilot error, technical mismanagement, and air traffic control (ATC) deficiencies led an Embraer 170 to land on the wrong runway on September 25, 2024.
According to the report, released on February 25, 2026, Envoy Airlines flight 3936 (ENY3936) landed safely on Runway 10L despite being cleared for and assigned to Runway 10C. While no injuries or damage occurred to the aircraft (registration N772MR), the NTSB highlights the event as a significant example of “wrong-surface landing” risks, a top safety priority for federal regulators.
The investigation identifies “plan continuation bias” and “expectation bias” as primary psychological factors that caused the flight crew to continue an unstable approach despite lacking critical instrument guidance.
Sequence of Events: Changing Plans and Cognitive Load
The NTSB investigation details a complex arrival phase where the flight crew faced a rapid series of runway assignment changes. These changes likely contributed to a high cognitive workload and “expectation bias” as the crew prepared for landing.
According to the final report, the crew prepared for four different runways in succession due to shifting weather conditions and airport operations:
- Initial Plan: Runway 27R
- First Update: Runway 9L
- Second Update: Runway 10R
- Final Assignment: Runway 10C
The NTSB noted that this sequence of changes forced the crew to repeatedly reprogram the Flight Management System (FMS) and briefing protocols, setting the stage for the errors that followed.
Technical Mismanagement in the Cockpit
Once cleared for a visual approach to Runway 10C, the crew attempted to back up their visual flight path with an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach to ensure precision. However, the aircraft’s systems failed to “autotune” the correct ILS frequency for Runway 10C.
In an effort to correct the automation failure manually, the captain tuned the navigation radios himself. The investigation revealed a critical error in this process:
“The flight crew’s decision to continue the approach without the correct ILS frequency in the FMS [Flight Management System].”
The report states that the captain manually tuned 108.4 MHz, which was an incorrect frequency, instead of the required 108.95 MHz for Runway 10C. Furthermore, the second radio was tuned to 113.0 MHz, a VOR frequency that provided no vertical or lateral guidance for the landing. Deprived of valid instrument data to verify their alignment, the crew relied entirely on visual cues and inadvertently lined up with Runway 10L, which runs parallel to their assigned runway.
Air Traffic Control Deficiencies
While the primary error originated in the cockpit, the NTSB assigned significant weight to the failure of Air Traffic Control to intervene. The approach controller observed that Envoy flight 3936 was aligned with Runway 10L rather than the assigned 10C.
Under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directives, controllers are required to notify pilots immediately if they observe an aircraft aligning with a wrong surface. However, in this instance, the controller did not issue a safety alert or order a go-around. Instead, the approach controller coordinated with the tower controller responsible for Runway 10L to ensure the strip was clear, effectively allowing the error to proceed to a landing.
The NTSB described this decision as “deficient,” noting that it bypassed critical Safety layers designed to prevent collisions.
“Air traffic control’s failure to notify the flight crew that they were lined up with the incorrect runway contrary to FAA directives.”
Probable Cause and Safety Findings
The Board’s final report formally identifies the probable cause of the incident as the crew’s failure to identify the correct runway, driven by psychological biases.
“The flight crew’s misidentification of the intended landing runway, which resulted in an approach to and landing on the wrong runway due to their planned continuation bias.”
The report emphasizes “plan continuation bias”, a phenomenon where pilots continue with an original plan (landing) despite emerging cues that suggest the plan is no longer safe or valid (such as the failure to receive positive ILS guidance). The NTSB also reiterated that wrong-surface landings remain a “top 5” safety focus for the FAA, noting that while this specific incident ended without damage, similar errors have historically led to near-misses and catastrophic collisions.
AirPro News Analysis
This incident serves as a textbook example of how “Swiss Cheese” failure models manifest in modern Aviation. While the pilots made the initial errors, mis-tuning a radio and visually misidentifying a runway, the safety net that is supposed to catch these errors also failed. The ATC decision to silently accommodate the wrong runway landing rather than correct it suggests a potential normalization of deviance in busy terminal environments.
Furthermore, the “expectation bias” noted by the NTSB highlights the vulnerability of human performance during high-workload phases of flight. When runway assignments change four times in a short window, the mental model of the arrival becomes fragmented. For operators, this underscores the importance of “stopping the line”, or initiating a go-around, when automation (like the ILS autotune) behaves unexpectedly, rather than attempting manual workarounds at low altitudes.
Sources
Sources: NTSB Final Report (ID 195210)
Photo Credit: NTSB
Regulations & Safety
Bridger Aerospace Integrates TracPlus Data into IGNIS Platform
Bridger Aerospace partners with TracPlus to stream real-time wildfire aircraft data into its IGNIS incident management platform.
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. has partnered with aviation data provider TracPlus to integrate real-time aircraft tracking and drop event data directly into Bridger’s IGNIS software platform. Announced on July 20, 2026, the collaboration aims to provide wildland firefighters and incident management teams with a unified operational picture of aerial suppression efforts.
In a press release issued from its Belgrade, Montana headquarters, Bridger Aerospace stated the integration is designed to break down information silos between disparate systems. The move directly responds to recent federal directives, specifically the June 2025 Executive Order 14308, which mandated the modernization of wildfire firefighting technology and improved data sharing across agencies.
Integrating aviation intelligence for ground crews
TracPlus currently manages approximately 2,500 wildfire suppression Commercial-Aircraft and processes 800,000 flight hours annually for over 700 customers in more than 40 countries. Under the new partnership, this extensive aviation intelligence, including real-time aircraft positioning and specific drop event data, will stream directly into the IGNIS platform.
The integration allows ground crews, aviation teams, and incident managers to view exact aircraft operating locations and suppression activity impacts within the broader incident environment. By connecting these specialized platforms, the companies intend to shift aerial firefighting response from a reactive model to a proactive one.
“Trying to do everything yourself isn’t the best way in modern wildfire response,” said Todd O’Hara, CEO of TracPlus. “Our industry moves forward when specialists each perform what they do best and connect their work. By delivering our expertise in bringing aviation data together from every source and streaming it directly into the IGNIS platform, we are empowering the people on the frontline with a more complete operational picture to do their jobs better and help keep their communities safe.”
Aligning with federal modernization directives
The Partnerships aligns with the federal government’s ongoing push for connected, interoperable wildfire technology. In 2025, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy called for a national roadmap to modernize firefighting technology and improve data sharing between systems under Executive Order 14308.
Bridger Aerospace CEO Sam Davis noted that the combined solution will enhance situational awareness for both the company’s own aerial firefighting operations and incident management teams nationwide.
“Technology is the new frontier in our mission to protect lives, property, and the environment and we just got stronger with TracPlus as a strategic partner,” Davis said.
The announcement follows Bridger Aerospace’s recent expansion in federal contracting, including a Department of the Interior task order secured on July 16, 2026, for the deployment of its multi-mission wildfire aircraft.
AirPro News analysis
We view the Bridger-TracPlus integration as a direct commercial response to the interoperability mandates outlined in Executive Order 14308. Historically, aerial firefighting has suffered from fragmented data, with ground crews, dispatchers, and pilots relying on separate, non-communicating systems. By embedding TracPlus’s massive data feed into the IGNIS platform, Bridger Aerospace is positioning its Software not just as an internal operational tool, but as a comprehensive incident management solution. This strategic alignment with federal modernization goals likely strengthens Bridger’s competitive posture for future government Contracts as agencies prioritize unified operating pictures.
Sources: Bridger Aerospace
Photo Credit: TracPlus
Regulations & Safety
AIAA Calls for Faster FAA Certification Path for AAM Aircraft
AIAA urges the FAA to adopt predictable AAM certification timelines as bipartisan legislation targets the 5-9 year type certificate process.
This article summarizes reporting by Aerospace America by Ryan Cooperman, J.D.
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is calling for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish a more predictable certification pathway for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft, warning that regulatory uncertainty threatens United States aerospace leadership.
In a July 2, 2026, policy article published in Aerospace America, the AIAA outlined the critical balance between maintaining rigorous safety standards and fostering innovation. The publication notes that while traditional amended type certifications typically require three to five years, certifying entirely new aircraft types like AAM platforms currently takes five to nine years under existing FAA processes.
Legislative push for regulatory predictability
To address these extended timelines, bipartisan lawmakers introduced the Aviation Innovation and Global Competitiveness Act on February 13, 2026. The legislation seeks to mandate standard expected timelines for the FAA type certification process regarding AAM aircraft. It also aims to clarify the specific conditions under which the agency must require an issue paper, a regulatory step that often introduces variability into the certification timeline.
The AIAA has formally endorsed the legislation, aligning the bill with the institute’s designation of AAM and autonomous flight integration as a 2026 Aviation Priority Issue. According to Aerospace America, securing a predictable regulatory framework is vital not only for engineering progress but also for maintaining the capital investment required to bring hybrid and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to market.
Overcoming historical bottlenecks and workforce gaps
The push for modernization follows years of documented regulatory friction. On June 21, 2023, the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT OIG) released a report indicating that communication and management issues had hindered the FAA’s ability to certify AAM aircraft efficiently. Congress subsequently passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 on May 16, 2024, which included specific provisions targeting AAM integration.
Beyond statutory changes, Aerospace America highlights that certification modernization is fundamentally a workforce challenge. As aircraft designs incorporate more autonomous flight systems, the FAA must attract and retain technical specialists, software engineers, and flight-test experts capable of evaluating highly complex architectures.
“The challenge is ensuring that America’s certification system can efficiently evaluate increasingly novel aircraft and enabling technologies while preserving the world’s safest aviation system,” Cooperman wrote.
AirPro News analysis
We view the AIAA’s public policy push as a reflection of broader aerospace industry frustration with the ad-hoc nature of early eVTOL certification bases. While the FAA has made strides since the 2023 DOT OIG report, the five to nine year timeline for new type certificates remains a significant barrier for manufacturers relying on continuous venture capital funding. If the Aviation Innovation and Global Competitiveness Act passes, the mandated timelines could provide financial markets with the predictability they require. However, the FAA will still face the practical hurdle of staffing enough specialized engineers to meet those statutory deadlines without compromising its safety mandate.
Sources: Aerospace America
Photo Credit: Aerospace America
Regulations & Safety
FAA Awards L3Harris Contract to Modernize US Airspace Through 2045
The FAA awarded L3Harris a contract to upgrade 700+ ground stations and operate the US aircraft tracking network through 2045.
On July 1, 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded L3Harris Technologies a contract to upgrade and operate the United States aircraft tracking network through 2045. The modernization effort will overhaul ground infrastructure to support the integration of advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles and drones into the National Airspace System.
In a press release issued on July 1, 2026, L3Harris announced the agreement, which mandates the upgrade of at least 700 ground stations across the country. The enhanced network will provide real-time, satellite-based flight positioning data while bolstering cybersecurity measures to protect air traffic management systems. The exact monetary value of the contract was not disclosed.
Expanding surveillance for next-generation airspace
The contract extends the role of L3Harris in managing the FAA surveillance infrastructure for nearly two more decades. The upgraded ground stations are designed to handle increased network capacity, a requirement as the airspace becomes more crowded with non-traditional aircraft.
Kathy Crandall, President of Mission Networks, Space & Mission Systems at L3Harris, emphasized the operational impact of the upgrades.
“L3Harris is propelling the FAA’s modernization vision forward by delivering an advanced surveillance infrastructure that will define the future of our airspace system and ensure increased safety for all air travelers.”
Crandall added that expanding network capacity ensures the United States maintains its position in global air traffic management.
Alignment with broader FAA modernization initiatives
This surveillance contract aligns with ongoing FAA efforts to replace aging infrastructure across the National Airspace System. The agency has been executing its Facility Replacement and Radar Modernization (FRRM) strategy, which targets the replacement of over 370 air traffic control facilities and 618 radars that average 36 years of age.
L3Harris is already involved in parallel infrastructure projects for the FAA. The company is currently executing the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI) upgrade. That project replaces legacy copper wire connections with high-speed fiber optic networks across FAA facilities, providing the bandwidth necessary to support emerging aviation technologies like electric aviation vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and uncrewed aerial systems.
AirPro News analysis
The extension of the L3Harris mandate through 2045 highlights the reliance of the FAA on established defense and aerospace contractors to execute its long-term modernization goals. As the National Airspace System transitions to accommodate AAM and widespread drone operations, the data bandwidth and latency requirements for air traffic control will increase exponentially. We view the concurrent execution of the surveillance network upgrade and the FTI fiber optic rollout as a necessary synchronization. Without high-speed ground data transmission, the benefits of satellite-based, real-time tracking for low-altitude and autonomous aircraft would be severely bottlenecked.
Sources: L3Harris Technologies
Photo Credit: L3Harris Technologies
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