eng
Українська
русский

British Airways pilot sucked out of plane window at 5 km altitude but managed to escape (photo)

Maria Tsikhotska

British Airways pilot sucked out of plane window at 5 km altitude but managed to escape (photo)
Pilot sucked out the window. Source: dailystar.co.uk.

In June 1990, during a British Airways flight from Birmingham to Malaga, two cockpit windows broke due to poorly secured windshield bolts, causing Captain Tim Lancaster to be sucked out of the cockpit window at an altitude of over 5 km. He managed to survive thanks to a flight attendant who held his ankles.

This was reported by dailystar.co.uk.

Over time, Nigel's hands weakened and he began to get frostbite. Fearing that he might lose control of Tim, co-pilot John Heward entered the cockpit and grabbed hold of Tim's belt.

Co-pilot Alastair Atchison flew and guided the plane to an altitude where the crew and passengers could breathe. He then prepared for an emergency landing while his colleagues still held the captain's legs.

Read also: A huge cemetery almost 4.5 thousand years old was excavated in Britain

The plane landed at Southampton Airport, and Tim was taken to the hospital with multiple fractures, bruises and severe frostbite.

No other passengers on the flight were injured.

According to the Air Accident Investigation Board, 27 hours before the flight, a mechanic used the wrong bolts to fix the windshield.

 
The pilot was sucked out the window. Source: dailystar.co.uk.
 
The pilot was sucked out the window. Source: dailystar.co.uk.

As a reminder, 10,000-year-old pits were found in the heart of Stonehenge.

If you want to get the latest news about the war and events in Ukraine, subscribe to our Telegram channel!