Ljubisa Karović, a 61-year-old airline passenger, survived being partially sucked headfirst out of a Boeing 737 window at 16,000 feet after an engine fan blade fractured and shattered the cabin glass, according to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The July 10 Ryanair flight, operating from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, was forced to make an emergency landing as a result of the structural failure.
NTSB Investigation into the Boeing 737 Engine Failure
According to the NTSB preliminary report, the 18-year-old aircraft experienced high engine vibrations roughly seven and a half minutes after takeoff in Greek airspace. The pilots heard a loud bang shortly thereafter as the No. 2 CFM-56 engine suffered a fan blade separation.
Investigators found that engine fragments struck the fuselage, punctured the metal surrounding the engine, dented the plane near row 8, struck the aircraft below the wing, and shattered the passenger cabin window at row 11. An examination of the fractured fan blade revealed evidence of gradual fatigue near the blade’s trailing edge. Bird remains were also recovered from the engine, though investigators have not yet determined whether a bird strike contributed to this specific incident, according to the NTSB.
Passenger Rescue and On-Board Emergency Response
Ljubisa Karović was sitting in seat 11F when the window blew out, leaving him partially lodged headfirst through the opening. His lawyer told The Guardian days after the incident that his client was hurled out from the chest up and immediately lost consciousness.
A flight attendant noticed passengers calling for help and realized Karović was trapped in the damaged window, the NTSB report stated. Fellow passengers grabbed his arm and pulled him back inside the cabin. He was then moved to row 12, where a doctor on board and a flight attendant using a first aid kit attended to him before the plane returned to Greece.
Did you know? Passenger Sofia Lavou filmed the emergency on her mobile phone because she believed the aircraft was crashing. “So I said, if I’m going down, at least I will have some proof of what happened,” she told 60 Minutes.
Dispute Over Public Statements and Investigation Rules
The NTSB report’s findings contrast with initial comments made by Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary. Shortly after the incident, O’Leary dismissed reports that a passenger had been halfway out of the window as “salacious,” stating during an earnings call covered by CNN that “nobody was out any window.”
NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy subsequently criticized O’Leary in a letter, stating that his public remarks violated international rules prohibiting accredited representatives and technical advisers from commenting on potential causes or conveying investigative information during an open inquiry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the window to shatter on the Ryanair flight?
According to the NTSB, a fan blade in the plane’s No. 2 engine fractured due to fatigue, breaking off and sending metal fragments crashing into the fuselage and shattering the window at row 11.
How was the passenger pulled back inside?
Nearby passengers grabbed Karović’s arm and successfully pulled him back into the cabin after a flight attendant realized he was lodged in the broken window, as documented in the NTSB report.
Is the investigation into the incident finished?
No. The NTSB investigation remains open.
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