The Amazing Tale of a British Airways Pilot Who Hung On Outside a Flying Plane for 20 Minutes!

The subsequent investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) revealed a chillingly simple cause for the near-tragedy. The windshield had been replaced just twenty-seven hours before the flight. The maintenance shift manager had used the wrong bolts to secure the window—bolts that were slightly too thin and slightly too short. He had relied on a “like-for-like” visual comparison rather than consulting the official parts manual, and because the workspace was poorly lit and he was under pressure to complete the job, he didn’t notice the discrepancy. The eighty-four bolts holding the window in place were simply unable to withstand the pressure of the climb.

This incident remains a cornerstone of aviation safety training, frequently cited in discussions regarding human factors in maintenance and the importance of CRM (Crew Resource Management). It was famously dramatized in the series Mayday, bringing the harrowing visuals of Lancaster’s survival to a global audience. The story of Flight 5390 is more than a tale of a mechanical failure; it is a tribute to the extraordinary resilience of the human body and the heroic tenacity of a crew that refused to let go. It serves as a permanent reminder that in the high-stakes world of aviation, the difference between a miracle and a tragedy often rests in the hands of those who refuse to succumb to panic when the impossible occurs.