A turbulent first half of the year has put airline safety under the microscope.
Flying remains one of the safest forms of transportation in the world, a statistical truth that provides comfort to millions of passengers. Yet, the illusion of a perfectly smooth system is occasionally shattered by unsettling events that remind us of the immense complexities involved in air travel. The first half of 2025 has seen a series of such incidents, from terrifying mid-air plunges to critical mechanical failures.
These events, while thankfully rare, serve as crucial learning opportunities for the industry and highlight the constant vigilance required to maintain an incredible safety record.
1. A cracked cockpit window forces an ANA flight to turn back.
In early January, passengers on an All Nippon Airways domestic flight in Japan experienced a tense return to their departure airport after a crack spontaneously appeared on the outer layer of the cockpit windscreen. The flight, a Boeing 737-800, was at cruising altitude when the four-layer window showed significant fracturing. While the pilots and aircraft landed safely with no injuries, the incident was a jarring start to the year for aviation safety, underscoring the immense stress that airframes are under.
A crack in a cockpit window is a serious event because it has the potential to compromise the structural integrity and pressurization of the aircraft. Investigators immediately focused on the window’s heating system or a potential flaw in the pane itself as the cause, according to Simple Flying. For passengers, the sight of a spiderweb of cracks on the very window shielding the pilots from the elements was a deeply unsettling reminder of the forces at play.
2. A United Airlines jet lands with a mysteriously shredded wing.
A United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Boston in February gave passengers a shock upon landing when they discovered a large portion of the plane’s wing had been mysteriously damaged during the flight. Photos taken after the Boeing 757 landed showed the forward slat on one wing was visibly peeling apart and shredded, looking as if it had been chewed up by an invisible force. The pilots reported no unusual indications or handling issues during the cross-country journey.
Aviation experts were disturbed by the extent of the damage and the fact that it went unnoticed until the plane was on the ground. The incident immediately raised questions about metal fatigue, pre-flight inspection procedures, and the maintenance of aging aircraft within the U.S. domestic fleet, based on CNN reports. The NTSB launched an investigation into the cause, looking into whether a structural failure or an undetected issue was to blame for the frightening damage.
3. A dramatic plunge on a LATAM flight injures dozens.
One of the most terrifying in-flight events of the year occurred in March on a LATAM Airlines flight from Sydney, Australia, to Auckland, New Zealand. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner experienced a sudden and violent nosedive mid-flight, sending unbelted passengers and crew members flying into the ceiling of the cabin. The “technical event,” as the airline initially called it, resulted in injuries to about 50 people, with over a dozen requiring hospitalization for their injuries.
The investigation quickly focused on the flight deck, where it was discovered that the movement of a pilot’s seat may have inadvertently pushed the control column forward, causing the abrupt pitch-down, as shared on The Economic Times. This bizarre and frightening scenario highlighted the potential for unforeseen interactions between pilots and increasingly complex cockpit systems. For the passengers who experienced a moment of weightlessness, it was a harrowing ordeal.
4. A near-catastrophe occurs on an Austin runway.
A disaster was narrowly averted at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in March due to the quick thinking of a flight crew. Federal investigators released a report on a runway incursion where a private jet was cleared for takeoff on the same runway where a Southwest Airlines 737, with 128 people on board, had been cleared to land. The two planes came within 100 feet of a collision.
The Southwest pilots, seeing the jet accelerating toward them through the fog, aborted their landing at the last possible moment and performed a go-around, preventing a catastrophic ground collision. The incident highlighted critical communication breakdowns between air traffic controllers and pilots, prompting an urgent FAA review of runway safety procedures at busy airports across the nation.
5. Extreme turbulence injures passengers on an Emirates flight.
The unpredictable nature of clear-air turbulence was on full display during an Emirates A380 flight from Dubai to Sydney in April. The massive double-decker aircraft encountered an area of unexpected and severe turbulence while cruising over the Indian Ocean, causing violent jolts throughout the cabin. Several passengers and crew members who were not in their seats at the time were thrown around the cabin, suffering injuries.
The incident was a stark reminder that even in calm-looking skies, pockets of chaotic air can exist without warning. Airlines and pilots use sophisticated weather modeling to avoid turbulence, but clear-air events can still be impossible to detect with current technology. The event reinforced the importance of keeping your seatbelt fastened whenever you are seated.
6. A rare “Dutch roll” damages a Southwest 737 Max.
In a significant aerodynamic event in May, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX experienced a “Dutch roll” at 34,000 feet on a flight from Phoenix to Oakland. This unsettling motion, which involves a simultaneous tail-wagging (yaw) and wing-rocking (roll), is something modern airliners are designed to prevent. The incident was so severe it caused substantial damage to the standby rudder control unit.
Disturbingly, the damage was only discovered during a post-flight inspection, raising concerns about how such a serious event could occur without being detected by the crew. The NTSB’s investigation into the incident is focused on a potential malfunction in the rudder control system, as this type of aerodynamic instability is extremely rare and can pose a serious threat to the controllability of an aircraft.
7. A Korean Air flight makes a terrifying emergency descent.
Passengers on a Korean Air flight bound for Taiwan in late June endured a terrifying ordeal when the aircraft’s pressurization system malfunctioned shortly after takeoff. The pilots of the Airbus A330 were forced to initiate a rapid emergency descent, dropping more than 25,000 feet in just a few minutes to get to a safe altitude where passengers could breathe without assistance.
Oxygen masks deployed throughout the cabin as the plane plummeted, and passengers reported severe ear pain and hyperventilation. The flight returned to its origin airport in Seoul, where at least 13 people were taken to the hospital. A full investigation was launched into the cause of the critical system failure that turned a routine flight into a high-altitude emergency.
8. A counterfeit parts scandal rocks the aviation industry.
A deeply disturbing story emerged in June regarding the integrity of the aircraft supply chain. A major investigation by European authorities revealed that a UK-based company had been selling thousands of engine parts for the popular CFM56 engine—used on many Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft—with forged safety documentation. The scandal forced airlines worldwide to ground planes for immediate inspections.
The discovery sent shockwaves through the industry, which is built on a foundation of trust and verifiable documentation for every single component. The idea that unauthorized and potentially unsafe parts could have been installed on passenger jets raised serious questions about industry oversight and created a logistical nightmare as airlines scrambled to check their engines for the counterfeit components.
9. A drone causes a near-miss at a major European airport.
The growing threat of unauthorized drones to passenger aircraft was highlighted in early July when a passenger plane on final approach to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport had a close call with a large drone. The pilots were forced to take evasive action to avoid a mid-air collision with the device, which was flying illegally in controlled airspace near the runway threshold. The drone was not identified, and its operator was never found.
Aviation authorities expressed grave concern over the incident, noting that a collision, particularly with an engine, could have catastrophic consequences. The event intensified calls for more robust anti-drone technology around airports, including sophisticated detection systems and jamming capabilities, to counter the growing and reckless use of consumer drones near flight paths.4