- Broken engine fragments smashed a cabin window of a Ryanair plane last month causing a man's head and right shoulder to be sucked into the hole, US investigators have said.
- In a preliminary report, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said this happened after an engine fan blade broke shortly after takeoff on the 10 July flight from Greece to Germany.
- Serbian national Ljubisa Karović's head and right shoulder were sucked out of the plane's window, leaving him "seriously injured and in shock".
- The NTSB reported that the flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen "experienced a No. 2 (right) engine fan-blade-out (FBO) failure during climb out".
- The crew declared an emergency and returned to Thessaloniki International Airport where they made an uneventful landing.
- The NTSB was "delegated the investigation in full" by the Greek authorities in the days following the incident.
- Investigators found bird remains inside the engine, suggesting the plane may have struck birds during takeoff, though they haven’t determined what caused the fan blade to break loose.
- The 61-year-old passenger suffered neck and shoulder injuries and friction burns.
- Flight attendants reported hearing and feeling the vibrations, and seeing a small amount of smoke before the oxygen masks were deployed.
- The aircraft was operated by Ryanair's subsidiary Malta Air.
- The NTSB last month reprimanded Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary after he told investors the investigation was focused on foreign object damage rather than the plane’s age or maintenance history.
On July 10, a Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen faced a catastrophic incident when a fan blade in the right engine broke, sending fragments that shattered a cabin window.
Passenger Ljubisa Karovi7, 61, suffered severe injuries as his head and shoulder were partially sucked out of the aircraft. Fellow passengers managed to pull him back inside, but he was left "seriously injured and in shock."
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that the flight crew received a "high vibration" alert during the climb, which escalated to a loud bang, prompting an emergency descent back to Thessaloniki International Airport.25
Flight attendants reported feeling vibrations and seeing smoke before oxygen masks deployed.
Investigators found bird remains in the engine, suggesting a possible bird strike, but the exact cause of the fan blade failure remains undetermined.7
The NTSB noted that the engine had undergone ultrasonic inspections in May 2023, revealing no faults. However, the FAA had previously issued directives requiring airlines to strengthen engine coverings on Boeing 737s due to similar incidents.
The NTSB has not ruled out any factors, including maintenance history, despite Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary's comments suggesting a focus on foreign object damage.11
The incident raises serious safety concerns, especially as the required modifications to the aircraft had not been completed by the time of the accident.
“The 61-year-old passenger suffered neck and shoulder injuries and friction burns after being pulled back inside. Investigators found bird remains in the engine, and flight crews had reported four suspected bird strikes to the same engine over the previous year.”
BBC
