British Airways Flight 5390

The British Airways Flight 5390 best refers to the accident that occurred on 10 June 1990, which is one of maintenance-related failures in aviation.

Description

On 10 June 1990, British Airways Flight 5390 took off from Birmingham Airport in England and headed towards Málaga Airport in Spain. Shortly after takeoff, its windscreen panel separated from its frame, causing the explosive decompression of the cockpit. The plane's captain was sucked out of the cockpit and was blown partially out of the aircraft. The flight attendant succeeded to keep the captain's legs in the cockpit.

This flight attendant believed that the captain is dead, but the crew was afraid that the captain's body can destroy the engine if released.

With the captain pinned against the window frame for twenty minutes, the first officer managed to land at Southampton Airport. Although the captain was seriously injured, he survived. No loss of life occurred.

Causes

The investigation determined that the windscreen panel was not properly installed on the airplane one day before the accident.