CVR Archives - Aviation Today

Taiwan Probes EVA Air Pilots Over Mayday Distress Calls After Taoyuan Runway Closure

Aviation Today News Desk / February 19, 2026

Taoyuan City, Taiwan: Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) has launched an investigation into two EVA Air flight crews after they […]

Galveston, United States: New federal investigative findings reveal critical communication misunderstandings and extremely limited visibility as major factors immediately preceding the December 22, 2025, crash of a Mexican Navy medical flight in Galveston Bay that killed six people and left two seriously injured, according to the preliminary report released by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The Beechcraft B300 aircraft, registered ANX1209 and operated by the Mexican Navy, was on a humanitarian medical mission coordinated with the Michou y Mau Foundation. The flight was transporting a severely burned pediatric patient from Mérida, Mexico, to Shriners Children’s Hospital in Galveston, Texas, when it crashed into West Bay during its approach to Scholes International Airport shortly before 3:15 p.m. local time. According to the NTSB preliminary report, Houston Approach Control cleared the flight crew for an RNAV (GPS-based) approach to Runway 14 but did not clear the aircraft to land. The flight crew’s initial readback mistakenly stated they were “cleared to land,” prompting controllers to twice clarify that the aircraft was cleared only for the approach and not for landing. Controllers then directed the crew to contact the tower. Despite repeated clarifications, the crew’s responses indicated persistent misunderstanding. During the final stages of the approach, air traffic controllers issued multiple low-altitude alerts, but received no further communication from the flight crew before radar contact was lost. The preliminary report and weather observations confirmed dense fog and severely restricted visibility during the aircraft’s final descent. Controllers advised the crew that cloud ceilings near the airport were approximately 300 feet, a condition that significantly limits visual reference and places heavy reliance on instrument procedures. Local weather data and witness accounts indicate visibility at times was as low as approximately a quarter mile with heavy sea fog common along the Texas Gulf Coast under certain conditions further complicating the approach. The aircraft impacted the waters of West Galveston Bay approximately half a mile from the shoreline. Six occupants including the pilot, co-pilot, two flight crew members and two passengers were fatally injured. Two passengers, reported to be a flight nurse and the mother of the pediatric patient, survived with serious injuries. Search and rescue operations immediately following the crash involved the U.S. Coast Guard, Texas Department of Public Safety, Galveston County Sheriff’s Office and local first responders. The wreckage was located in shallow water, facilitating recovery efforts. The NTSB’s preliminary report is part of an ongoing investigation to determine all contributing factors. These factual reports do not assign probable cause but document the circumstances surrounding the accident based on available data, including air traffic control communications and radar information. Federal investigators will continue to analyze cockpit voice recordings, flight data, maintenance records and meteorological data. A final report typically released 12–24 months after an accident will include a probable cause determination and safety recommendations aimed at preventing similar tragedies.

Investigation

NTSB Preliminary Report Cites Miscommunication, Low Visibility In Galveston Bay Crash

Aviation Today News Desk / February 5, 2026

Galveston, United States: New federal investigative findings reveal critical communication misunderstandings and extremely limited visibility as major factors immediately preceding

Investigation

NTSB Preliminary Report Cites Unqualified Second-In-Command In Greg Biffle Plane Crash

Aviation Today News Desk / February 3, 2026

North Carolina, United States: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a preliminary investigative report on the December 18,

Jakarta, Indonesia: Indonesian authorities confirmed on Friday that all 10 victims from the fatal crash of an Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) ATR 42-500 turboprop aircraft have been recovered, concluding a seven-day search and rescue operation on the steep slopes of Mount Bulusaraung in South Sulawesi. The aircraft, registered PK-THT, disappeared from radar on January 17 while on a maritime surveillance mission for the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. It was en route from Adisutjipto Airport, Yogyakarta, to Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar when contact was lost during its final approach. Rescue teams, comprising personnel from the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), military, police, and volunteers, faced rugged terrain, steep ravines, dense fog, and volatile weather throughout the operation. Bodies were found in scattered locations on the mountainside and transported to forensic specialists in Makassar for Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) procedures. By Friday morning, the 10th and final victim had been located, marking the official end of the recovery phase. Authorities expressed condolences to the families of the victims and reiterated support for identification and repatriation processes. A key breakthrough in the investigation came with the recovery of the aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) from the wreckage. A joint SAR team located both units intact in the tail section of the aircraft on January 21, despite adverse weather delaying initial access. Following extraction from the crash site, the devices were secured and transported to a checkpoint in Tompobulu village, before being handed over to the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), Indonesia’s official air accident investigation authority. Basarnas Chief Air Marshal Mohammad Syafii confirmed that the recorders will be analyzed to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the crash. Earlier in the response, the KNKT classified the crash as a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) incident, indicating the aircraft was under control when it impacted the mountain slope although classification does not imply pilot intent or assign fault. The investigation team has not yet publicly disclosed a definitive cause, citing the ongoing analysis of flight recorder data and other evidence. The ATR 42-500 turboprop was conducting a routine surveillance mission in support of fisheries and maritime resource monitoring when it vanished. Initial reports indicated 10 people on board, including seven crew members and three passengers from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. The mountainous crash zone spans portions of Maros and Pangkajene and Islands regencies, complicating early rescue efforts and driving a multi-agency coordinated response.

Investigation

Search Ends After All 10 Victims Are Found In Indonesia ATR-42 Crash In Sulawesi Mountains

Aviation Today News Desk / January 25, 2026

Jakarta, Indonesia: Indonesian authorities confirmed on Friday that all 10 victims from the fatal crash of an Indonesia Air Transport

CVR

Taiwan Probes EVA Air Pilots Over Mayday Distress Calls After Taoyuan Runway Closure

NTSB Preliminary Report Cites Miscommunication, Low Visibility In Galveston Bay Crash

NTSB Preliminary Report Cites Unqualified Second-In-Command In Greg Biffle Plane Crash

Search Ends After All 10 Victims Are Found In Indonesia ATR-42 Crash In Sulawesi Mountains

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