Windshield of cockpit cracks, Air India plane forced to land

A Mumbai-bound Air India flight with 162 passengers on board had to return to Bangalore international airport (BIA) 30 minutes after takeoff on Wednesday morning after the cockpit windshield developed cracks.

“It was a case of minor crack in the windshield when the plane was airborne. As a matter of utmost precaution, the pilot decided to land back at BIA,” said Venkatarangan Chandrasekhar, senior manager, corporate communications, Air India.

The cockpit windshield is made of two or three glasses with vacuum between each of them, so that if one cracks the others are intact.

“But cracks make the windshield weaker when the aircraft is flying at high speed,” said an aviation expert, adding that there is always a chance of the window giving way due to pressure. That’s why pilots decide to land in such cases.