The plane is not one of Boeing's 737 MAX 9s that have been in the spotlight after the Alaska Airlines explosion.
A domestic All Nippon Airways (ANA) flight from Japan returned to its departure airport after a crack was found in the cockpit window of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft mid-flight.
Flight 1182 was headed to Toyama Airport in Japan but returned to Sapporo-New Chitose Airport after the crack was found on the outside of the four layers of windows surrounding the cabin, an airline spokesman said Saturday. airline.
No injuries were reported among the 59 passengers and six crew members, the airline added.
“The crack was not something that affected the control or pressurization of the flight,” the ANA spokesperson said.
This is the second incident involving a Boeing aircraft in a week.
The ANA plane, also a 737 model, is not, however, one of Boeing's 737 MAX 9 planes that have been in the spotlight since an Alaska Airlines flight suffered an explosion that left a huge hole in the side of the fuselage. last Saturday.
While the Alaska flight also landed safely with all 174 passengers and six crew members, flight data showed the plane climbed to 16,000 feet (4,876 meters) before returning to Portland International Airport.
Alaska Airlines has said it will ground its fleet of 737-9 aircraft.
Planes 'on the ground'
On Friday, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said all 737 MAX 9 planes would remain grounded until Boeing provides more data following the near-catastrophic Alaska Airlines incident.
“For the safety of American travelers, the FAA will ground the Boeing 737-9 MAX until extensive inspections and maintenance are performed and inspection data is reviewed,” the FAA said in a statement.
The regulator also launched a safety investigation into the incident, the first major in-flight safety issue on a Boeing plane since the fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 that led to a prolonged grounding of the plane.
“We are working to make sure nothing like this happens again,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said.
“Our only concern is the safety of American travelers and the Boeing 737-9 MAX will not return to the skies until we are completely satisfied that it is safe.”
In a statement Friday, Boeing welcomed the FAA's announcement and said the company would “cooperate fully and transparently.”
“We support all actions that strengthen quality and safety and we are taking measures throughout our production system.”
Boeing 737 Max planes have been grounded around the world in the past. In October 2018 they were not allowed to fly for almost two years after a crash in Indonesia killed 189 people, and another in Ethiopia five months later, which killed 157 people.
The plane was cleared to fly again after Boeing revamped its automated flight control system that had been mistakenly activated in both crashes.
