Cockpit window crack forces Boeing aircraft of Japan’s All Nippon Airways to turn back to airport

Flight 1182 was en route to Toyama airport but headed back to Sapporo-New Chitose airport after crack found

A domestic flight of Japan’s All Nippon Airways returned to its departure airport on Saturday after a crack was found on the cockpit window of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft midair.

Flight 1182 was en route to Toyama airport but headed back to the Sapporo-New Chitose airport after the crack was found on the outermost of four layers of windows surrounding the cockpit, a spokesperson said, adding there were no injuries reported among the 59 passengers and six crew.

The aircraft was not one of Boeing‘s 737 MAX 9 airplanes. These have been in the spotlight after a cabin panel broke off a new Alaska Airlines jet in mid-air last week.

“The crack was not something that affected the flight’s control or pressurisation,” the ANA spokesperson said.

Last week, a panel of the plane – called a door plug – flew off in the middle of an Alaska Airlines flight forcing the passenger jet to make an emergency landing. Both United Airlines and Alaska Airlines later said they found multiple loose parts on Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft.

The US aviation regulator on Friday extended the grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 9 airplanes indefinitely for new safety checks and announced it will tighten oversight of Boeing itself.

Amid chaos over a panel flying off a Boeing 737 Max 9 airplane mid-flight, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also said it planned to increase oversight of the production and manufacturing of the aircraft.

Following the incident, the FAA immediately launched an investigation into Boeing and grounded all 171 Boeing 737-9 Max planes.

Additional reporting by agencies