A Ryanair flight FR1879 operated by subsidiary Malta Air from Thessaloniki, Greece to Memmingen, Germany experienced a right engine fan blade failure shortly after takeoff on July 10, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The broken fan blade caused debris to shatter a cabin window at row 11, seat 11F, where 61-year-old Serbian passenger Ljubisa Karović was partially sucked out of the aircraft [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Other passengers held and pulled Karović back inside the cabin before the flight crew returned safely to Thessaloniki International Airport [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Karović sustained head, neck, shoulder injuries and friction burns. A passenger doctor provided treatment on board [1, 2, 4, 5]. Karović said, "I was lucky to be alive after the incident on Ryanair flight FR1879" [1].
The flight crew reported a high vibration alert from the right engine during climb at about 16,000 feet, followed by increased vibrations and a loud bang before the cabin depressurized [1, 2, 4, 5]. The crew donned oxygen masks, declared an emergency, initiated immediate descent, and landed safely at Thessaloniki [1, 2, 4, 5, 6]. The plane carried 149 passengers and six crew members at the time [4].
Investigators found evidence of metal fatigue on the fractured fan blade near its root, with about 37% of the fracture surface showing fatigue features [2, 5]. The right engine had experienced four suspected bird strikes in the prior 12 months, with bird remains including feathers found inside the engine in some cases [1, 2, 3, 5, 6]. However, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has not concluded whether a bird strike caused the blade failure [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The engine fan blades passed ultrasonic inspections with no damage detected in November 2025 and May 2026 [1, 2, 5].
The NTSB's preliminary report says the flight crew "experienced a No 2 (right) engine fan-blade-out failure during climb out from Thessaloniki international airport" [1]. The incident resembles a 2018 Southwest Airlines fan blade failure that resulted in a passenger fatality, though FAA airworthiness directives designed to prevent such failures were not yet implemented on this Ryanair plane; compliance is required by July 2028 [4].
The NTSB released its preliminary report on August 13, 2026, outlining these findings [1, 2, 4]. Authorities continue investigating the root cause of the fan blade failure and safety measures to prevent recurrence.
