Latest / Aviator Daily Briefing / Aviator Daily Briefing — Sunday, September 13th, 2026
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- Aviator Daily Briefing — Sunday, September 13th, 2026 [Breaking News Headlines] • Amerijet Boeing 767 Freighter Damaged in Hard Landing at Guatemala City [In Other News] • NTSB Probes Flight Data in Fatal Amazon Cargo Jet Runway Overrun • NTSB: Systemic Hiring Failures Contributed to Fatal Atlas Air Cargo Crash • easyJet Italy Strike Sept. 13, 2026 Halts Flights Nationwide • EasyJet France Pilot Strike Disrupts Flights Sept. 13–14 Amerijet Boeing 767 Freighter Damaged in Hard Landing at Guatemala City An Amerijet International Boeing 767-338ER(BDSF) freighter, registration N373CM, sustained substantial structural damage following a hard landing at Guatemala City-La Aurora International Airport (GUA) on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. No injuries were reported among the crew. The aircraft was operating as flight M68743, reportedly routing from Miami International Airport with a planned stop in San Juan, Puerto Rico, before diverting to Guatemala City for unspecified reasons. The aircraft touched down nose-gear first on runway 02 at approximately 11:30 p.m. local time. Although the plane rolled out normally and taxied to the apron without apparent incident, subsequent inspections revealed significant buckling and creasing in the forward upper fuselage. A service difficulty report filed with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Sept. 9 detailed that the structural damage extended beyond the fuselage skin to include several bent or broken frames and stringers. The aircraft remains grounded (AOG) at La Aurora Airport. Amerijet and Boeing engineers are coordinating a temporary repair to enable a ferry flight to a specialized maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility for permanent structural restoration. The airframe — a converted freighter originally built in 1990 — is approximately 36 years old. Aviation safety analysts note that nose-low hard landings can impose extreme compressive loads on the upper fuselage, a known structural failure mode for widebody aircraft of this type. The cause of the hard landing remains under investigation by relevant authorities. The Aviation Safety Network (ASN) has classified the damage as substantial. Sources: Aviation Safety Network, The Aviation Herald, FAA service difficulty report NTSB Probes Flight Data in Fatal Amazon Cargo Jet Runway Overrun MIAMI — The National Transportation Safety Board is analyzing flight recorder data from a deadly crash in which an Amazon Prime Air cargo jet overran a runway at Miami International Airport on Sept. 6, 2026. The accident involved a Boeing 767-300F operated by 21 Air; the aircraft struck a ground-service van, killing five people and injuring five others. Both pilots survived. Preliminary data from the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder indicate the crew may have recognized the aircraft was approaching at excessive speed. Cockpit alarms sounded, and evidence suggests the crew attempted a late go-around or aborted landing, according to NTSB notes cited by CNN and other outlets. Investigators also found no indication that speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed during the landing sequence. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said the investigation will examine crew performance, flight crew experience, and runway safety infrastructure — specifically the absence of an Engineered Materials Arresting System at the runway end. The crash has drawn renewed scrutiny of 21 Air's safety culture and Amazon's broader outsourced cargo model; NPR has noted this is the third major accident involving a Boeing 767 operating on behalf of Amazon. The company says it is cooperating fully with investigators. NTSB: Systemic Hiring Failures Contributed to Fatal Atlas Air Cargo Crash An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board into the crash of Atlas Air Flight 3591, operating for Amazon Prime Air, found that systemic deficiencies in pilot hiring and performance measurement played a critical role in the disaster. The Boeing 767-375BCF, registration N1217A, crashed into Trinity Bay, Texas, on Feb. 23, 2019, killing all three crew members aboard. The NTSB determined the accident was triggered by the inadvertent activation of go-around mode during approach to Houston, which caused an increase in power and a pitch-up. The first officer misinterpreted the automation response as an impending stall and reacted with aggressive nose-down control inputs. Investigators cited the first officer's inappropriate response and spatial disorientation — compounded by the captain's failure to intervene and take positive control — as the probable cause. Beyond the immediate cockpit errors, the NTSB highlighted a troubling history tied to the first officer's qualifications. Training records described the pilot as a "train wreck in training," noting significant deficiencies in basic instrument flying and a maladaptive response to stress. The first officer had repeatedly failed training at previous airlines and had concealed portions of his work history on his Atlas Air application — gaps the carrier's vetting process failed to catch. The NTSB explicitly pointed to "systemic deficiencies" in industry-wide pilot hiring and performance measurement, exposing how cargo and regional operators may rely on fragmented records and self-reported employment histories with limited cross-carrier transparency. The board recommended additional automation-mode awareness training for pilots and called for exploration of automatic ground collision avoidance technology and cockpit image recorders to prevent similar accidents. Atlas Air expressed "great sadness" and pledged full cooperation with regulators, but the NTSB's findings make clear the risk was not merely the product of individual error — it was a failure of the systems designed to select, evaluate, and supervise flight crews. easyJet Italy Strike Sept. 13, 2026 Halts Flights Nationwide easyJet Italy strike September 13, 2026: Cabin and cockpit crews across Italy launched a nationwide 24-hour work stoppage midnight to 11:59 p.m., organized by the USB Lavoro Privato union and acknowledged by the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. The action is disrupting departures and arrivals across easyJet's full Italian network, with major hubs including Rome, Pisa, Florence, Catania, and Palermo all affected. Passengers flying through Cagliari Airport (LIEE) face a narrower strike window — 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. — but should still expect disruption during those hours. The easyJet walkout coincides with a broader day of industrial unrest: security and ground-handling staff at several Italian airports are also striking, meaning compound delays are possible regardless of carrier, particularly in Rome. Industry analysts say the easyJet Italy cabin crew strike reflects continuing labor tensions over roster patterns and post-pandemic wage restoration. EasyJet is expected to pre-publish cancellations, and affected passengers are urged to monitor the airline's app and email notifications. Travelers with connections or time-sensitive itineraries should consider rebooking proactively. EasyJet France Pilot Strike Disrupts Flights Sept. 13–14 Pilots based in France launched a two-day strike against EasyJet beginning at 04:59 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, and running through 11:59 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14. The action, called by the SNPL (Syndicat National des Pilotes de Ligne), affects operations across six French bases: Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, Lyon, Nice, Nantes and Bordeaux. The SNPL cites "chronic instability" in pilot scheduling and inadequate fatigue management as the root causes, saying months of negotiations produced no written commitments on roster stability — an issue the union argues affects both crew well-being and operational safety. The dispute follows a separate cabin crew action in August 2026, which ended with agreements on fixed days off. No settlement was reached before the Sept. 13 walkout began, though the union says it remains open to talks. EasyJet has not released a comprehensive cancellation list, directing passengers to monitor bookings through its app and email alerts. Flights operated by non-French crews or other carriers at affected airports are expected to proceed normally, with EasyJet's Airbus A320-family fleet bearing the brunt of disruptions on France-linked routes. Passengers whose flights are canceled should note that compensation rules for carrier-initiated labor strikes differ from those that apply during air traffic control actions — EU Regulation 261/2004 entitlements for rebooking and refunds still apply, but claims for additional compensation may face a higher legal bar. You can get the latest aviation news at https://aviatordb.com