Broken engine components shattered a window on a Ryanair aircraft shortly after takeoff in Greece last month, resulting in a man’s head being pulled through the opening before fellow passengers managed to bring him back inside, according to U.S. investigators on Thursday. A fan blade in the right engine of the Boeing 737-800 broke off, causing fragments to damage the window and fuselage in multiple areas, as per a preliminary report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The investigation was handed over to the U.S. agency by Greece in accordance with international aviation regulations.
The incident occurred on July 10 after the departure of the flight from Thessaloniki in northern Greece. Investigators discovered bird remnants inside the engine, indicating a possible bird strike during takeoff, although the cause of the fan blade detachment remains undetermined. The 61-year-old passenger whose head was pulled through the window sustained neck and shoulder injuries along with friction burns.
Flight attendants reported hearing loud vibrations and observing smoke or fog filling the cabin before the emergency oxygen masks deployed from the ceiling. They noticed passengers standing and calling for help, with one man in a Row 11 window seat partially stuck in the damaged window, eventually being pulled back inside by other passengers. The injured passenger was relocated to Row 12 for medical attention, and passengers used a metal box to cover the opening until the plane could land.
Maintenance logs indicated that the fan blades on the failed right engine had undergone ultrasonic inspections in May 2026 and November 2025, showing no prior damage. However, the NTSB noted that flight crews had reported four suspected bird strikes on the same engine in the past year, with bird remains found after two incidents. Investigators will scrutinize the inspection procedures and assess if previous bird strikes contributed to the eventual failure.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary was rebuked by the NTSB for prematurely attributing the incident to foreign object damage rather than age or maintenance history of the aircraft. O’Leary’s comments were deemed unauthorized as the investigation remained open. Ryanair, Boeing, and CFM International, the engine manufacturer, refrained from further comments pending the completion of the NTSB investigation.
The FAA had issued directives in 2025 mandating airlines to reinforce engine coverings on Boeing 737s following previous fan blade failures. These changes aimed to prevent engine covering fragments from detaching and striking the aircraft in case of a fan blade detachment. Despite the directives, the necessary modifications had not been implemented on the Ryanair aircraft by the July 2028 deadline set by the FAA.
The FAA, without commenting on the ongoing investigation, affirmed its full cooperation with the NTSB and readiness to take safety measures based on the evidence. The 737-800 involved in the incident, capable of accommodating up to 189 passengers, was acquired new by Ryanair in 2008. Operated by Malta Air, a Ryanair subsidiary, the flight landed safely back in Thessaloniki, where passengers disembarked, and medical assistance was provided to one individual.