Boeing 737 Forced To Turn Back In Japan After Crack Found In Cockpit Window

The All Nippon Airways passenger plane landed safely, with cabin pressure remaining normal throughout the flight, a spokesperson said.

An All Nippon Airways passenger plane in Japan was forced to return to its departure airport on Saturday after the cockpit window was found to be cracked, an airline spokesperson said.

The flight returned to the city of Sapporo in Hokkaido without issue after the crack was discovered on the outermost of the glass’ four layers. Cabin pressure within the Boeing 737-800 remained normal throughout the flight, the spokesperson said.

“The safety of our passengers and flight crew is our priority and we apologize for the inconvenience,” the airline, which is Japan’s largest, said in a statement shared with HuffPost. “None of the other aircraft in the fleet are affected.”

Aviation expert John Strickland told the BBC that window cracks like this one are “not unheard of,” and that it could have been caused by something striking the glass, like a bird or a piece of hail.

“You might occasionally get a stress fracture too, from wear and tear,” Strickland said, “but that’s very rare.”