Ryanair Passenger Partially Ejected After Engine Fan Blade Detaches

A Ryanair Boeing 737 aircraft suffered an engine failure during flight from Greece to Germany. A fan blade detached and was ejected, causing significant damage to the engine structure.

The detached blade spun at high speed and damaged the outer part of the engine, breaking a window near the passenger cabin. This sudden drop in cabin pressure partially ejected a male passenger through the broken window.

Preliminary investigation by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that under normal circumstances, even if a fan blade detaches, the engine is designed to keep it within control with its strong structure. However, in this incident, the fan blade detached and caused significant damage.