NTSB Report Says Engine Fan Blade Failure Caused Window Breach on Ryanair Flight in Greece

U.S. investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a preliminary report indicating that a fan blade in the right engine of a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 detached shortly after the aircraft departed Thessaloniki on July 10. The blade fragments pierced the fuselage, breaking a window and exposing a 61-year-old passenger’s head to the outside. The passenger suffered neck and shoulder injuries and friction burns before fellow travelers pulled him back into the cabin.

Flight attendants reported hearing a loud vibration and seeing smoke or fog in the cabin before oxygen masks deployed. Passengers used a metal box supplied by crew members to block the damaged window until the aircraft could land. Video footage shared by local media showed passengers wearing oxygen masks after the cabin lost pressure and first responders assisting after landing.

Investigators found bird remains inside the engine, suggesting a possible bird strike during takeoff, though the exact cause of the blade failure has not been determined. Maintenance records show the fan blades underwent ultrasonic inspections in May 2026 and November 2025 without detecting damage. The NTSB noted four prior suspected bird strikes to the same engine over the past year, two of which left bird remains.

Ryanair said the flight returned to Thessaloniki shortly after takeoff when the window dislodged. The aircraft, delivered new to Ryanair in 2008, climbed to about 15,000 feet before descending to burn fuel and then landed safely about an hour after departure. Passengers were deplaned, and one passenger received medical assistance on the ground.

The NTSB cautioned against speculation about the aircraft’s age or maintenance history, noting that the investigation remains ongoing. Former NTSB and FAA investigator Jeff Guzzetti said the maintenance appears to have been performed at required intervals but that investigators will review how inspections were conducted and whether prior bird strikes contributed to the failure.

The incident adds to a small number of similar events involving CFM-produced engine components, including a 2018 Southwest Airlines accident in which a passenger was partially sucked out of a broken window.