U.S. aviation safety investigators said they found evidence of metal fatigue in a broken engine fan blade on a Ryanair flight last month, which sent debris into the passenger cabin and shattered a window, partially pulling a passenger outside.
According to a preliminary report from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), about 37% of the fracture surface of the failed fan blade showed characteristics consistent with metal fatigue. Investigators determined the crack originated near the blade root, with signs of high-cycle fatigue from repeated stress. The agency has not yet identified the root cause of the failure.
The incident occurred on July 10 aboard a Boeing 737-800 operated by Malta Air, a Ryanair subsidiary, flying from Thessaloniki, Greece to Memmingen, Germany. According to the NTSB, the aircraft was climbing through 16,000 feet when the pilots received a strong vibration warning from the right engine. The vibration increased rapidly before the crew heard a loud bang and the cabin lost pressure.
Debris from the engine struck the fuselage and entered the cabin, breaking a window in row 11. A flight attendant responding to cries for help found a 61-year-old male passenger in seat 11F partially lodged in the broken window opening. Other passengers pulled the man back into the cabin.
The passenger suffered injuries to his neck and shoulder, along with friction burns. A doctor on board provided first aid while the pilots returned to Thessaloniki. Passengers also used metal trays from the galley to cover the hole temporarily.
Investigators recovered feathers and bird remains in various engine parts, but the NTSB has not concluded that a bird strike caused the blade failure. Maintenance records show the engine had four suspected bird strike incidents in the past year, with bird remains found on two occasions. The engine's fan blades underwent ultrasonic inspections in November 2025 and May 2026, with no damage detected. The NTSB said the investigation is ongoing.
