Incredible Mid-Air Survival: Pilot Gets Sucked Out of Cockpit Window

This was one of the strangest flights ever.

During a flight from Birmingham, England, to Malaga in 2015, two of the six cockpit windows suddenly shattered, and Captain Tim Lancaster was pulled through the window at 23,000 feet.

"It was a terrifying and heart-stopping moment," recalled the flight crew who later recounted the event.

Nigel Ogden, a flight attendant, was the first to react. The cockpit door came loose and nearly hit him. "As soon as I realized what was happening, I ran into the cockpit. I saw the windshield was gone and the pilot was fighting for his life outside the window. He was gripping the window frame tightly, with his entire body outside, but all I saw were his legs."

"I'll Never Forget It"

At that point, Ogden jumped onto the plane's control column to reach the pilot. "I grabbed his waist to prevent him from flying out completely, but his legs were stuck at the front, disconnecting the autopilot. That's how we ended up flying at 650 km/h."

Eventually, Ogden began to weaken and lose his grip on the pilot. Then, another miracle occurred when crew member John Heward pulled them both in, just as co-pilot Alastair Atkinson regained control of the plane. "How he did it, only Hashem knows, because the pressure on him was immense. But he shouted 'Mayday' and landed us perfectly," the crew recalled.

Heward, who watched Tim Lancaster fight for his life, said he'll never forget the sight. "His face was repeatedly thrown against the window, with blood streaming from his head and nose. But the scariest part was the look in his eyes, wide open. I'll never forget it," he said.

Upon landing, Captain Lancaster was rushed to the hospital. Amazingly, the damage for someone who had been outside the plane for a full 20 minutes was relatively small. Not only did he survive, but his injuries were limited to fractures and frostbite.