Latest / Aviator Daily Briefing / Aviator Daily Briefing — Thursday, September 17th, 2026
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- Aviator Daily Briefing — Thursday, September 17th, 2026 [Today's Top Stories] • Wisconsin Congressman Recounts Swimming to Shore After Lake Wausau Plane Emergency • News Helicopter Crashes in Chatsworth, Killing Three People • Gatwick Assisted Travel Strike September 2026 Suspended After New Pay Offer • National Championship Air Races Find New Home in Roswell, NM Wisconsin Congressman Recounts Swimming to Shore After Lake Wausau Plane Emergency U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany is recounting his escape from a aviation emergency that forced a Beechcraft Bonanza to ditch in Lake Wausau on Sept. 13. In media appearances Sept. 17, Tiffany described how pilot Leonard Boltz warned him to buckle up seconds before the aircraft struck the water. The two men climbed onto the fuselage as the plane began to sink; Tiffany then forced open the door and swam approximately 100 to 150 feet to shore. Both men sustained minor injuries. Tiffany required 12 stitches above his right eye. The single-engine Bonanza K35 had lost power on final approach to Wausau Downtown Airport. Aviation experts noted that Boltz, a retired Air Force pilot, likely averted a more catastrophic outcome by retracting the landing gear before impact — a technique that reduces the risk of the aircraft flipping during a water landing. Following recovery of the aircraft from the lake, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it is investigating the cause of the power loss. An FAA inspector is scheduled to examine the Bonanza K35 for mechanical or structural failures. The National Transportation Safety Board is monitoring the FAA's preliminary findings to determine whether the damage warrants a full independent investigation. News Helicopter Crashes in Chatsworth, Killing Three People A news helicopter crashed in a commercial area of Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley on Tuesday evening, Sept. 15, 2026, killing three people. The aircraft, operating as NewsChopper4 for NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52, was conducting an electronic newsgathering flight to cover a fatal collision between a Los Angeles Metro bus and an SUV when it went down around 7 p.m. local time. Officials identified the deceased as pilot George Marciniw and aerial photojournalist Eliana Moreno, along with one person on the ground. The aircraft struck a commercial property in the 9100 block of North Mason Avenue, igniting a post-crash fire that destroyed the helicopter and caused structural damage to nearby buildings. At least one other person was hospitalized following the impact. The National Transportation Safety Board has launched a formal investigation into the accident. Senior air safety investigator Fabian Salazar said investigators plan to analyze live broadcast audio and video from the flight to reconstruct the sequence of events and crew communications prior to the crash. The aircraft — a 2004 Eurocopter AS350 B2, registration N358TV, owned by Tiny Bubbles Aviation and operated by Angel City Air — will also be examined as part of the probe. The NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration are coordinating the investigation; no probable cause has been determined. Gatwick Assisted Travel Strike September 2026 Suspended After New Pay Offer A planned Gatwick assisted travel strike in September 2026 has been suspended after contractor Wilson James tabled an improved pay offer to workers represented by Unite the Union. The industrial action had been scheduled in two blocks — Sept. 17–21 and Sept. 23–26, 2026 — before the parties reached a tentative breakthrough. More than 220 employees providing special assistance to passengers with reduced mobility, wheelchair users, and unaccompanied minors had voted to walk out over a pay dispute. Unite said members had previously rejected a two-year package comprising a 3.4% pay increase and a 0.6% one-off bonus. While no direct flight cancellations were anticipated, union officials warned the walkout would have slowed aircraft turnarounds at Gatwick Airport (EGKK), lengthening boarding and disembarkation times and creating knock-on delays across short- and long-haul schedules. A Gatwick Airport spokesperson welcomed the suspension, saying assisted-travel passengers would now receive the standard of service they expect. Unite has agreed to pause the action in good faith while members vote on the revised proposal by ballot. The late-stage resolution follows a pattern seen in previous disputes at the airport, including a similar standoff called off in July 2024, and reflects broader tensions over pay in outsourced ground-handling and passenger-services contracts at major London hubs. National Championship Air Races Find New Home in Roswell, NM The National Championship Air Races (NCAR) have officially found a new home at the Roswell Air Center in Roswell, New Mexico, following a lengthy site selection process led by the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA). The 2026 event, scheduled for Sept. 16–20, will headline with a performance by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds — marking a high-profile debut for the venue on the national airshow circuit. Building on the 2025 proof-of-concept event, the 2026 schedule expands to include all seven major racing classes: Formula One, Biplane, T-6, Sport, Jet, Unlimited and STOL Drag. The event will also debut a new 11-mile "Mach Course" designed specifically for the jet class, engineered to maximize safety and performance within the Roswell airspace. Tickets are expected to go on sale in March 2026. The relocation closes a chapter spanning roughly 60 years of racing at Reno-Stead Airport. RARA officials say the Roswell Air Center — which encompasses approximately 5,000 acres — provides the expansive ramp space and uncongested airfield environment needed to sustain the "Fastest Show on Earth" tradition. City officials are projecting an attendance of approximately 100,000 spectators, a figure that would deliver a significant economic boost to southeastern New Mexico. You can get the latest aviation news at https://aviatordb.com