Contrary to popular belief, this is a line in the sand for the aviation industry that has not been crossed until now, when it was forced to happen to save lives. Not many lives, but lives nonetheless.

On December 20, a Beechcraft Super King Air 200 flying over Colorado experienced a sudden loss of cabin pressure. Garmin’s Emergency Autoland system took over, flew the aircraft, talked to air traffic control, and landed safely at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport near Denver.

Operated by charter company Buffalo River Aviation, the flight had no passengers on board, just two pilots who willingly relinquished control while still maintaining control of the situation.

When the cabin altitude exceeded safe levels, the pilots put on oxygen masks. At that point, Autoland automatically engaged, as designed. Rather than disengaging it, the pilots decided to just let it do its thing while keeping their hands close just in case something went wrong. A real “Jesus, take the wheel” kind of moment.

Autoland isn’t the same thing as the autoland systems airlines use in foggy conditions. This technology is built specifically for emergencies where pilots might be incapacitated or overwhelmed. Once it’s activated, either automatically or via a very literal, very conspicuous big red button, the system takes full control. It chooses an appropriate airport based on distance and runway length, communicates with air traffic control using an automated voice, avoids terrain, and lands the plane without human input.

In this case, the system announced to controllers that it had taken over due to “pilot incapacitation,” which, as you can imagine, sparked a little bit of concern at first. Buffalo River Aviation later clarified that this was just how the system reports emergencies, not a literal interpretation of the conditions in the cockpit. The first responder video shows both pilots exiting the craft unharmed after safely landing.

Garmin says Autoland is currently installed on around 1,700 aircraft, mostly smaller private and charter planes. This was the first real-world proof that a fully autonomous emergency landing system can work exactly as intended, under pressure, without a safety net.

The FAA is investigating, but the outcome is promising. The aviation industry might finally have a true failsafe plan that, one hopes, will not panic in an emergency when there are no other options.

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The space… thing cracked the upper-right corner of the cockpit windshield, breaking only one of the laminated sandwiched-layered panes. No official injuries were reported, though images floating around online suggest a pilot may have suffered some minor cuts.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. They’re analyzing the wrecked windshield in their lab and combing through radar, weather data, and flight recorder info. The working theory from unnamed sources who spoke with the aviation news site AvBreif.com suggests that the object may have been a rogue weather balloon payload.

Other theories include a meteorite and a possible bird strike, though birds don’t usually fly that high.

Space junk is another viable and realistic possibility. We’ve been polluting the Earth’s orbit with satellites for a while now. It seems every month there’s a new story of some small or huge chunk of space debris plummeting to the Earth.

United Flight Hit With Mystery Object at 36,000 Feet

Until the investigations land on a more concrete explanation, all we are stuck with our theories. One thing that is clear at the moment is that whatever it was, it was much tougher and traveling faster than your average bird would, especially at that altitude.

Passenger Heather Ramsey spoke with FOX 11 about what it was like on the plane during the moment of impact.

“One flight attendant raised her voice and told the other, ‘Get back. Get to the back of the aircraft, stop service,'” Ramsey stated.

“I was just looking out the window thinking, ‘We could go down at any time.’ It was really scary,” she continued. “We were all holding our breath until the very end. You could definitely feel the tension on the entire aircraft.”

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The project, called REBIRTH, is a finalist for the James Dyson Award, which celebrates inventions that could change how we live. Its creators, Eshel Wasim and Dharsan Srinivasan of the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Dubai, describe it as “the first AI-powered crash survival system.”

The system watches everything from altitude to engine health to pilot response. If disaster becomes unavoidable below 3,000 feet, airbags explode from all sides in under two seconds. The fuselage balloons outward until the plane looks like an enormous inflatable bouncy house barreling through the sky.

Reverse thrust or gas boosters then kick in to slow the fall, while impact-absorbing fluids inside the cabin stiffen on cue to protect passengers from trauma.

A ‘Crash-Proof’ Airplane? Engineers Are Working on It.

The invention was born from tragedy. In June, Air India Flight 171 crashed in Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 people aboard. Srinivasan’s mother could not stop imagining the terror in the cabin during those final 30 seconds. “That helplessness haunted us. Why isn’t there a system for survival after failure?” he explained in the Dyson Award submission.

That question became months of design and prototyping. “REBIRTH is more than engineering,” the pair explained. “It is a response to grief. A promise that survival can be planned, and that even after failure, there can be a second chance.”

For now, the invention exists only on paper and in concept models. Wasim and Srinivasan say the airbags could be retrofitted to current fleets or built into new aircraft, and they plan to partner with aerospace labs for testing. If they win the Dyson Award in November, the prize money will help, but they maintain that their goal is not profit or prestige.

“This competition is our first step in bringing our vision forward,” they wrote. “Not for recognition, but with the hope that one day, it may help save lives when all else fails.”

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During the trial, prosecutors Michael C. Shepherd, Zachary A. Keller, and Andres E. Chinchilla presented evidence that showed how, from 2018 to 2024, Alexander posed as a flight attendant to get free trips.

According to the press release, Alexander booked free flights on an airline carrier’s website that were only available to pilots and flight attendants.

On the online application required to book those flights, Alexander claimed that he worked for seven different airlines. He further alleged that he had approximately 30 different badge numbers and dates of hire.

Using that method, Alexander wound up flying for free 34 times. He did so by pretending to be a flight attendant for other airlines.

On top of that, he repeated the fraudulent steps on three other airlines, ultimately booking more than 120 free flights.

The Transportation Security Administration investigated the case.

Alexander, 35, will be sentenced on Aug. 25. He faces up to 30 years in federal prison.

Recent Incidents during flights

While Alexander was apparently eager to travel via plane, the skies have not been so friendly as of late. From pigeons on board to evacuations, travel via air has been incident-filled as of late.

Just last month, a woman was arrested after she allegedly repeatedly hit a child who called her “fat” and “Miss Piggy” when she couldn’t fit into the seat on a plane.

The woman is accused of hitting the child with her fist, striking the kid on their head with a water bottle, and of slamming the little one’s head into the airplane’s window.

This all happened while the woman, who was traveling with the child is question, was heading home from a Disney World vacation.

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After Vishwash Kumar Ramesh inexplicably survived the crash that killed the other 251 people on board, he spoke out about the tragedy in a conversation with DD News.

“I don’t know how I survived,” Ramesh said from his hospital bed, according to The Hindustan Times. “I saw people dying in front of my eyes – the air hostesses, and two people I saw near me… I walked out of the rubble.”

“Even I can’t believe how I came out of it alive,” he continued. “For a moment, I felt like I was going to die too. But when I opened my eyes and looked around, I realized I was alive. I still can’t believe how I survived.”

Ramesh, a British man, was visiting family in India with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, in the days before the crash. The men were heading back home to the U.K. when tragedy struck.

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh Recalls Deadly Plane Crash

As for what happened before the plane went down, Ramesh recalled, “When the flight took off, within 5 to 10 seconds it felt like it was stuck in the air. Suddenly, the lights started flickering – green and white – then the plane rammed into some establishment that was there.”

That establishment was a hostel for doctors. While parts of the plane rammed into that building, the section where Ramesh was sitting did not.

“When I saw the exit, I thought I could come out,” he said. “I tried, and I did. Maybe the people who were on the other side of the plane weren’t able to.”

Ramesh didn’t make it out totally unscathed. The Hindustan Times reported that he sustained impact injuries as a result of the crash. Ramesh told DD News that he also suffered burns on his left hand.

In the wake of the tragedy, Ramesh’s brother, Nayan Ramesh, spoke out.

“When the crash happened my brother video called us and all he could say was ‘I have no idea how I survived or exited the plane,'” he said, per The Times. “He kept saying, ‘I can’t see my brother or anybody else.’ All he was worried about on the phone was telling us, ‘Find Ajay, you must find Ajay.'”

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

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During a recent Delta flight, chaos ensued when two pigeons flew onto the plane before it departed from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Passenger Tom Caw took to Instagram to recount the ordeal.

“When I boarded Delta Flight 2348 at MSP tonight, I overheard another passenger tell a flight attendant there was a pigeon on the plane,” Caw wrote. “The pilot got on the mic and confirmed a pigeon was on the plane, and said he had no experience with this situation.”

According to Caw, baggage handlers soon boarded the plane and took the pigeon off. Afterwards, Caw wrote, “People applauded. A young girl asked if she could pet it.”

A Second Pigeon Emerges on the Plane

The situation didn’t end there, though. As the plane began taxiing away from the gate, a second pigeon made its presence known when it flew down the aisle of the plane.

Caw posted a video of that pigeon’s time on the flight, which showed passengers screaming as the bird flew around the plane. The pigeon was eventually caught and the plane made its way back to the gate.

“Pilot said when he radioed the control tower about us coming back due to a pigeon, the guy said that was a first for him,” Caw wrote. “Pilot told him it was the second time for him—the first being half an hour earlier.”

Another baggage handler came aboard to take care of the second pigeon, which was trying to hitch a ride to Madison, Wisconsin.

“My guess is the pigeons were tired of flying and wanted snacks,” Caw quipped. “They didn’t know this flight to MSN is too short for Delta to offer beverage/snack service.”

Delta reacted to the wild situation in a statement to NBC News.

“Delta appreciates the careful actions of our people and our customers to safely remove two birds from the aircraft prior to departure,” the airline said. “We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel.”

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Per the FAA, passengers aboard Delta flight 1213 were forced to evacuate the aircraft using slides amid the engine fire.

“There was a fire on the engine,” passenger Kyle Becker told CBS News. “[It] was a little scary…just never had happened to me before. Start thinking, like, OK, what are the next steps. Trying to remain calm.”

Another unnamed passenger told the local CBS affiliate that “It sounded like a large thump.”

“We thought it was probably someone who was putting luggage under the plane or something like that,” the passenger said. “And then we saw an orange flash.”

Indeed, Dylan Wallace, a passenger in the terminal, recorded video of the incident, which CNN obtained. The video showed a large ball of orange flames coming out of the plane’s right engine.

What Happened After the Plane Caught Fire

The airline told the outlet that 282 passengers were aboard the plane when the fire broke out. No one was injured during the fire or the resulting evacuation, the outlet reported.

“Delta flight crews followed procedures to evacuate the passenger cabin when flames in the tailpipe of one of the aircraft’s two engines were observed,” the airline told the outlet in a statement. “We appreciate our customers’ cooperation and apologize for the experience. Nothing is more important than safety and Delta teams will work to get our customers to their final destinations as soon as possible.”

The outlet further reported that Delta planned to get passengers to their final destinations on other aircrafts, while maintenance teams examine the plane on which the fire broke out.

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Bird strikes make sense. Planes are in the sky. Birds are in the sky. The two are bound to meet. Rabbits, on the other hand, are not skybound. They are rather terrestrial, as far as I’m aware.

Yet, this past Sunday, April 13, a United Airlines flight out of Denver International Airport had to emergency land soon after takeoff when a rabbit got sucked into the engine, causing the engine to catch fire.

The plane was a Boeing 737-800. It was loaded with 153 passengers and six crew members. It was on the way to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It had just taken off when suddenly, Engine Two started malfunctioning. Describing the scene to Good Morning America, passenger Scott Wolff said, “There was a loud bang, and a significant vibration in the plane. Every few moments, there was a backfire coming from the engine, a giant fireball behind it.”

A United Airlines Flight Was Forced to Land After A Rabbit Got Sucked Into the Engine

The pilot gets on the radio with air traffic control and, according to LiveATC audio documents obtained by ABC News, rather confidently informs them that the plane is heading back and should be inspected for an engine fire because, and he was rather confident about this, a rabbit had been sucked into the engine. “Rabbit through the number 2, that’ll do it,” the pilot said.

How he knew it was a rabbit is anyone’s guess; rather than the much more likely bird is anyone’s guess. It’s not like rabbits it sucked into plane engines very often. According to the FAA, wildlife strikes are not rare. There are over 20,000 in 2024 alone. But how many of those are specifically caused by rabbits? More than you’d think!

The FAA makes it pretty easy for anyone to look up what animals are striking planes. The department has a nifty search tool on its website. All you’ve got to do is select “rabbits” from its extensive list of animals that have caused plane strikes, and you’ll see that in 2024, there were four plane strikes caused by rabbits.

One of them happened on August 2, 2024, at Denver International Airport. There have been 75 recorded rabbit strikes in the United States since 1992. Which, I guess, would be 76 after the Denver incident this past weekend.

Cottontail rabbits can be found all over Denver, and more broadly in the state of Colorado, just like how raccoons and possums are critters that commonly roam through other major American cities. Pilots must know that rabbits are a known threat, thus explaining why the pilot was so calm rather than shouting something like “CAN RABBITS FLY NOW!?”

The flight returned safely to Denver, and the passengers were transferred to a new plane

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After “extensive DNA testing,” the bodies were determined to be that of Jeik Lusi, 18, and Elvis Castillo, 16, the BCSO said.

The BSCO additionally stated that both teens were from the Dominican Republic, the local NBC affiliate reported.

The BCSO, however, did not provide details about how the teens wound up in the landing gear. Likewise, there was no information given about their cause of death.

The sheriff’s office is still gathering details, the NBC affiliate reported.

What Happened When the Teens’ Bodies Were Discovered

The situation unfolded on Jan. 6 when the JetBlue plane landed at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. During a routine maintenance inspection of the aircraft, the bodies were discovered.

At the time, sources told the local CBS affiliate that the “badly decomposed” bodies were both male.

At the time, JetBlue released a statement to multiple outlets that read, “This is a heartbreaking situation, and we are committed to working closely with authorities to support their efforts to understand how this occurred.”

Stowaways on Planes

The teens’ reason for being in the landing gear is unknown. However, Reuters reported that people attempting to stow away in unpressurized areas is not all that rare.

According to the outlet, many who attempt to stow away die due to hypothermia, a lack of oxygen, or being crushed by the plane’s gear. According to The Independent, out of 128 stowaway cases between 1947 and 2020, 75 percent ended in death.

Some have survived, though. Reuters cited four examples between 2014 and 2024 that saw stowaways survive their dangerous journey.

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The Independent reported that the incident occurred one hour after the plane’s departure. Despite crew members and passengers assisting in the mid-air search for the phone, it could not be located.

Thus, the aircraft was forced to turn around as a “precautionary measure,” per the outlet. The plane landed back in Paris two hours after it originally left, One Mile at a Time reported.

Once they touched down, ground personnel boarded the plane and conducted another search for the phone. Their efforts were apparently successful, as the aircraft once again departed Paris shortly thereafter, the outlet reported.

Plane Passenger Loses Phone Amid Flight, Forcing Aircraft to Turn Around

Air France did not clarify why turning the plane around was a necessary response to a missing phone. However, the outlets speculated that the device’s lithium-ion batteries were to blame.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, devices with such batteries can overheat and cause fires aboard planes. Between 2006 and 2025, there have been 600 verified lithium battery incidents on planes, the FAA reported.

Cell phones aren’t the only devices that use lithium batteries. Vapes, laptops, and portable battery packs also use flammable items, meaning that incidents have only increased in recent years.

As such, many Asian airlines have begun enacting stricter rules about lithium batteries aboard planes, CNN reported. According to the outlet, those rules include keeping lithium battery-containing items in the overhead compartment during a flight, not using power banks while aboard the plane, and not charging portable battery packs in the flight’s USB ports.

“Lithium batteries could act as an ignition source themselves, or as a source of fuel for a fire initiated elsewhere,” aerospace design expert Sonya Brown told the outlet. “The potential risk as an ignition source is increased when lithium batteries are damaged, swollen, include manufacturing defects, are over-charged or over-heated.”

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