In a recent incident that has raised concerns about aviation safety, a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 experienced a windscreen crack at an altitude of 40,000 feet during a flight from London Heathrow to San Francisco. The incident, which occurred on May 27, 2024, forced the flight to return to London. The Boeing 787-9, registration G-VCRU, was approximately three hours into its journey when the cockpit crew noticed damage to the outer layer of the cockpit windscreen. The crack penetrated the glass, which is made of multiple layers. The outer layer, which is partially cracked, is a non-structural layer, resistant to wear and tear.
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The flight was at an altitude of 40,000 feet, somewhere between Greenland and Iceland, when it had to turn back. The outside temperature at that time was -58 degrees Celsius. The exact cause of the crack remains unknown, but it was not a bird strike, as the high altitude ruled out such a possibility.
The incident left the cockpit crew frightened, but they remained calm, and the aircraft was able to return safely to London. Virgin Atlantic apologized to the passengers for the delay to their journeys and provided overnight accommodation for them. The passengers were then placed on another flight to San Francisco the following day.
This incident is just one in a series of recent issues for Boeing, which has faced scrutiny over its aircraft safety. In January, a United Airlines jet was forced to divert to Denver mid-flight due to a cracked windshield. Similarly, an American Airlines flight was forced to land just 250 miles into its journey after a crack was discovered in the windshield in February. As the aviation industry continues to face challenges and scrutiny, incidents like these serve as a reminder of the importance of safety and the need for continuous improvement and vigilance.