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On 10 June 1990, British Airways Flight 5390, en route from Birmingham to Málaga, Spain, experienced a catastrophic event when the captain’s side cockpit windscreen blew out due to improperly installed, incorrectly sized screws, causing explosive decompression at an altitude of approximately 17,300 feet.

The sudden pressure differential violently sucked Captain Tim Lancaster halfway out of the cockpit, with his body partially exposed to the extreme conditions of high-speed winds and sub-zero temperatures, while his legs remained trapped under the control column.

In a remarkable display of teamwork and composure, the first officer, Alastair Atchison, managed the aircraft alone while two flight attendants, Nigel Ogden and Simon Rogers, held onto Lancaster’s legs to prevent him from being completely ejected, a situation that lasted for about 20 minutes.

Despite suffering severe injuries including frostbite, fractures, and shock, Lancaster survived and made a full recovery, returning to flying just five months later, while the aircraft made a successful emergency landing in Southampton.