KLM Boeing 787 returns to Tokyo after windshield cracks after take-off
A KLM Boeing 787 Dreamliner was forced to return to Tokyo after cracks appeared in the captain’s windshield. The aircraft, heading for Amsterdam, returned to Tokyo where it made a safe landing.
The flight involved in the incident was KL862 heading from Tokyo-Narita Airport (NRT) and heading to Amsterdam on June 17, 2024. The flight was being operated by one of the Dutch carrier’s 13-strong fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners with registration PH-BHA.
Having taken off from Narita at 11:18 local time, the flight climbed to 25,000ft as it headed northeast tracking the Japanese coastline. However, having been flying for around 50 minutes and having reached 25,000ft in its climb, the aircraft made an abrupt turn to the west before heading back towards Tokyo. Having flown an indirect route to dump excess fuel to avoid an overweight landing, the plane touched down back at Narita Airport at 13:25, two hours and seven minutes after departure.
Flightradar24Images posted on social media show the lefthand-side front cockpit window completely shattered (although still intact), rendering it virtually impossible to see through.
Although an unusual occurrence, such incidents are known to happen. Although they pose no immediate safety risk to the aircraft, as the glass panels on cockpit windshield panes are multi-layered, crew tend to return to their point of origin through both an abundance of caution and in accordance with standard airline operating procedures.
Bedankt! @KLM voor de snelle service en omboeking vanuit Tokyo. We kunnen met een kleine omweg door naar Amsterdam. Btw de crew van #KL862 was super! Sturen jullie snel een nieuw raampje? pic.twitter.com/eS6U403xLD— Cristian Schrik (@CristianSchrik) June 16, 2024According to ch-aviation, the aircraft involved (PH-BHA) is 8.7 years old, having first been delivered to KLM in December 2015. It has the capacity for 275 passengers in a three-class configuration and is powered by two General Electric GEnx engines.
According to data obtained from Flightradar24, the aircraft remains on the ground at Narita Airport at the time of writing.
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The post KLM Boeing 787 returns to Tokyo after windshield cracks after take-off appeared first on AeroTime.
A KLM Boeing 787 Dreamliner was forced to return to Tokyo after cracks appeared in the captain’s windshield.…
The post KLM Boeing 787 returns to Tokyo after windshield cracks after take-off appeared first on AeroTime.
