10 January 2001TAIPEI – An Eva Airways flight to Singapore returned to Taipei yesterday half an hour after it was airborne following a crack in a window, airline officials said in a news wire report.
Although the cracked exterior of the three-layer window did not pose an immediate danger, the pilot of the Boeing aircraft decided not to take a risk, officials said.
The window was repaired at Taipei airport and the jet, with 119 passengers and 11 crew, later flew to Singapore.
The pilot made the right decision because if a plane loses a layer of glass protection, the aircraft is more likely to lose cabin pressure at a higher altitude, said Dr Yong Kay, managing director of Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council.