ANA Boeing flight in Japan forced to return due to crack in cockpit window

An All Nippon Airways (ANA) flight in Japan had to return to its departure airport after a crack was discovered on the cockpit window during the flight. The crack was located in the outermost layer of the four-layered cockpit window. While the incident was not considered severe, an aviation expert stated that if left unrepaired, it could have posed a significant risk. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported among the passengers and crew. The flight was traveling from Sapporo to Toyama and was operated by a Boeing 737. It safely landed back at Sapporo's New Chitose airport. ANA confirmed that the crack was detected as the flight passed over Hakodate, but clarified that it did not affect the aircraft's control or pressurization. The cause of the crack remains unknown, according to aviation expert John Strickland. He suggested that the window may have been struck by a bird or a large hailstone, or it could be an occasional stress fracture resulting from wear and tear. To ensure the safety of the aircraft, the entire window, not just the broken layer, will need to be replaced. This incident comes shortly after the grounding of all Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) due to safety concerns following a blowout incident with an Alaska Airlines plane. The FAA has extended the grounding of the 737 MAX 9 planes indefinitely for further safety checks and announced plans to increase oversight of Boeing.