A Boeing 737-800 in Japan carrying 59 passengers and six crew members was forced to turn back mid-flight after a crack developed in the cockpit window.
The plane, with Japan’s All Nippon Airway, was headed to Toyama airport but was forced to return to Sapporo-New Chitose airport after the crack was discovered. The crack was found in the most outward of four cockpit windows, Reuters reported. The accident comes as airlines face increased scrutiny over safety concerns amid an uptick in crashes and airplane malfunctions.
“The crack was not something that affected the flight’s control or pressurization,” an airline spokesperson said.
Aviation expert John Strickland said the crack may have been caused by the plane hitting a bird or also could have been a stress fracture.
“These things do sometimes happen, something may have struck the window, for example a bird, a large…
