A U.S.-bound plane took off from London last month with four damaged window panes, including two that were completely missing, according to U.K. air accident investigators.

No one was injured by the window malfunctions, which appear to have been caused by high-power lights used in a film shoot, the U.K.’s Air Accident Investigation Branch reported in a special bulletin published Nov. 4.

  • Gamers_Mate@kbin.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    11
    ·
    1 year ago

    The missing windows weren’t discovered until the plane was climbing at an altitude of 13,000 feet, according to the AAIB report.

    “Several passengers recalled that after takeoff the aircraft cabin seemed noisier and colder than they were used to,” investigators wrote. A crew member walked towards the back of the aircraft, where he spotted a window seal flapping on the left side of the aircraft.

    Wait wouldn’t there also be a lot more pressure that you would feel from the suction of the missing window or would that only be felt by people at the back of the plane?

    • cruspies@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      18
      ·
      1 year ago

      From the photo it looks like the inner window panes were still intact. That would be enough to keep the plane pressurised, I’m guessing. For a while at least.

      • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        1 year ago

        Those windows are really thin plastic and are supported by the plastic trim and panels on the aircraft interior. They are highly unlikely to support much pressurization. Air would have escaped around them via under the panels and through panel seams.

        • Raxiel@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          Sure, but the engine bleed air would have been constantly replacing it, so it’s plausible the cabin altitude lagged behind the aircraft altitude.

    • Khanzarate@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      1 year ago

      Less pressure, pretty sure, and if the lowering was gradual enough, you might not feel it. Dunno for sure.

        • ImpossibilityBox@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          20
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          Planes have multiple panes in each window. Only the outside pane was missing. There wasn’t a giant hole in the side of the plane. Give some credit to passengers at least, they would have noticed a literal hole in the plane when they sat down.

          Silly.