A Sichuan Airlines co-pilot was ‘sucked halfway out’ of the cockpit when its windshield blew out during a flight.
A Sichuan Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after the co-pilot was ‘sucked halfway out’ of the cockpit after the windshield broke in mid-air.
Captain Liu Chuanjian had just reached an altitude of 32,000 feet when the windshield smashed.
Speaking to the Chengdu Economic Daily, the captain said: “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.”
“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.”
The co-pilot, Xu Ruichen, was saved by his seat belt as the sudden change in air pressure was pulled back in, only suffering scratches and a sprained wrist.
An unnamed passenger told China News Service: “The crew were serving us breakfast when the aircraft began to shake. 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 airplane anymore. But I’m also happy I had a narrow escape.”
The incident occurred Monday on Sichuan Airlines flight 3U8633 departing the Chinese municipality of Chongqing for the Tibetan capital of Lhasa.
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