Co-pilot partially sucked out of a broken cockpit window
A Sichuan Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a co-pilot was “sucked halfway out” of the cockpit when the windshield broke.
Captain Liu Chuanjian was dubbed a hero on social media following the incident – as he had to land the Airbus A319 manually.
According to The Guardian, the pilot told the Chengdu Economic Daily that at 32,000 feet, there was a sudden drop in temperature and pressure after a deafening bang.
“There was no warning sign. Suddenly the windshield just cracked and made a loud bang. The next thing I know my co-pilot had been sucked halfway out of the window,” he said.
“Everything in the cockpit was floating in the air. Most of the equipment malfunctioned … and I couldn’t hear the radio. The plane was shaking so hard I could not read the gauges.”
Luckily, the co-pilot was wearing a seatbelt and was pulled back into the aircraft.
According to The Guardian, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said that there were no serious or life-threatening injuries – the co-pilot came away with scratches and a sprained wrist. One other cabin crew member was injured, but none of the 119 passengers were. Nonetheless, a full investigation is underway.
The plane left central Chinese municipality Chongqing on Monday morning and was headed to Lhasa, Tibet, when it made an emergency landing in Chengdu. The windshield cracked and shattered around half an hour after the plane took off.
“The crew were serving us breakfast when the aircraft began to shake,” a passenger told the Chengdu Economic Daily.
“We didn’t know what was going on and we panicked. Then the oxygen masks dropped… We experienced a few seconds of free fall before it stabilised again.
“I’m still nervous. I don’t dare to take an aeroplane anymore. But I’m also happy I had a narrow escape.”
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
chengdu civil aviation administration of china shattered windshield Sichuan AirlinesLatest News
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