British Airways Flight 5390

British Airways Flight 5390
Rob Hodgkins · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	British Airways Flight 5390
Date	6 June 1990
Type	Cabin window blowout caused by maintenance error
Site	Near Didcot, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Aircraft	BAC One-Eleven 528FL
Operator	British Airways
Tail number	G-BJRT
Origin	Birmingham Airport
Destination	Malta International Airport
Occupants	87
Passengers	81
Survivors	87

British Airways Flight 5390 was a scheduled Birmingham Airport–Malta International Airport passenger service operated by a British Airways BAC One-Eleven that suffered an explosive cockpit windscreen failure on 6 June 1990. The incident forced an emergency descent and diversion to Southampton Airport with all 87 occupants surviving; the captain was partially ejected from the aircraft but recovered. The event prompted investigations by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch and reforms affecting maintenance procedures across Civil Aviation Authority-regulated carriers.

Flight overview

The flight originated at Birmingham Airport and climbed en route to Malta International Airport over Oxfordshire airspace near Didcot, when the forward left cockpit windscreen panel detached at altitude. The sudden decompression led to an emergency descent and a diversion to Southampton Airport, where the aircraft conducted a successful landing without fatalities. Authorities including the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, the United Kingdom Department of Transport, and British Airways initiated immediate inquiries; the event drew attention from international bodies such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

Aircraft and crew

The aircraft was a BAC One-Eleven 528FL manufactured by the British Aircraft Corporation and registered G-BJRT. The flight deck crew comprised a commanding captain with extensive experience and a first officer; cabin crew included purser and cabin attendants trained under British Airways procedures. Maintenance work on the aircraft had been recently performed under contract with a third-party maintenance provider at Swanwick/Southampton facilities; documentation and parts procurement involved interactions with suppliers linked to the Civil Aviation Authority regulatory framework. The aircraft's type certificate and operator's manuals referenced standards originating from the Civil Aviation Publication lineage and British European Airways heritage.

Accident sequence

At cruise altitude, the left cockpit windscreen blew out after improperly fitted bolts failed, exposing the flight deck to extreme aerodynamic forces. The captain was partially ejected through the opening and sustained hypothermia and injuries; the first officer and cabin crew stabilized the aircraft while the purser and cabin attendants aided the captain and secured the cockpit. With communications preserved via radios and transponder squawk coordinated with Heathrow Air Traffic Control and Solent Radar, the crew declared an emergency and executed an emergency descent. The pilots managed aircraft control using control inputs and assistance from the cabin crew, diverting to Southampton Airport for an expedited approach and landing. On final approach, emergency services from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and South Central Ambulance Service were positioned; medical care was provided at Royal Hampshire County Hospital.

Investigation and findings

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch led the inquiry, assisted by experts from the British Aircraft Corporation lineage, component manufacturers, and international regulators such as the Federal Aviation Administration and Transport Canada. Investigators found that maintenance personnel had used incorrectly sized bolts during a windscreen replacement and had failed to follow approved procedures and documentation from the aircraft manufacturer. Contributory factors included inadequate quality assurance by the maintenance contractor, shortcomings in parts traceability within supplier chains, and organizational lapses in British Airways' oversight of contracted maintenance. The report referenced standards and guidance from the Civil Aviation Authority and led to recommendations on maintenance protocols, tooling, and certification practices reminiscent of reforms seen after prior incidents involving de Havilland and Rolls-Royce-powered platforms.

Aftermath and safety changes

Following the report, British Airways, the Civil Aviation Authority, and international aviation organizations implemented changes: tightened maintenance oversight, mandatory verification of critical fasteners, enhanced training for contracted ground staff, and revisions to airworthiness directives circulated by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Federal Aviation Administration. Operators revised cockpit procedures for rapid decompression and crew resource management influenced by models from Royal Air Force aviation medicine and civilian crew training programs at institutions associated with Imperial College London and other aeronautical research centers. The incident influenced subsequent regulations governing parts procurement and quality control across suppliers including those in the United Kingdom and European Community.

Media coverage and cultural impact

The dramatic nature of the incident—particularly images of the captain suspended partly outside the fuselage—and the successful human response drew wide coverage by outlets such as BBC News, The Times, Daily Telegraph, and international broadcasters. The story entered popular culture via documentaries and television programmes produced by ITV and the Discovery Channel, and contributed to public discussions on aviation safety, maintenance transparency, and corporate responsibility. The captain and crew received recognition in press profiles; the event is often cited alongside other notable survivals in aviation history such as incidents involving Aloha Airlines and the United Airlines cases, appearing in retrospectives at aviation museums and in academic case studies at institutions including Loughborough University and Cranfield University.

Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in the United Kingdom Category:1990 in aviation Category:British Airways