Heroic BA flight attendant’s actions as captain ‘sucked out of cockpit window’

A chilling story of one of the most memorable airline disasters ever is being retold with brand new details about the ordeal which saw a captain sucked out of his cockpit window while thousands of feet in the air.

Less than 15 minutes into a routine flight from Birmingham to Malaga, British Airways flight captain Tim Lancaster and co-captain Alistair Atchison’s were at the forefront of one of the most horrific events in British aviation history.

At an altitude of 23,000ft, two out of the six cockpit windows burst open, leaving a gaping hole in the jetliner that was travelling at a speed of 400mph. It was thanks to the heroic actions of the crew that the captain and everyone on board survived as tragedy was narrowly avoided.

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The harrowing case has just been retold as part of a Channel 5 docuseries. Last night (August 30), the penultimate episode of Terror at 30,000 feet aired, going over the unfortunate events of flight BA5390.

It tells how, on June 10, 1990, captain Tim Lancaster was instantly yanked from his seat and sucked out through the open window, his torso and head violently colliding with the plane’s exterior.

Solihull-based flight attendant Nigel Ogden’s swift response in the following moments would earn him national hero status, as he clung to his captain’s legs. Miraculously, captain Lancaster suffered only from frostbite, fractures and bruising.

Nigel has previously described hearing an “enormous explosion” that shook him up before he entered the cockpit to serve tea to the pilots. Within seconds the quick-thinking steward found himself gripping his captain’s legs as his body vanished out the gap left behind by the smashed windows.

During the chaos, co-pilot Alistair Atchison had no choice but to take control of the stricken plane. Aware letting go of captain Lancaster could be deadly and risk further damage to the already distressed airliner, he encouraged the crew to hold fast.

Flight attendant Simon Rogers firmly positioned himself in the pilot’s chair to help keep their makeshift chain intact. Nigel Ogden once recalled: “All I can remember is looking at Alastair struggling to get the plane under control and shouting ‘Mayday! Mayday!’.

“God knows how, but while all this was happening, Alastair managed to get the plane under control.”

Amid the chaos, co-pilot Atchison succeeded in this task and declined to a lower altitude where the air was breathable. He also prepared for an emergency landing with the captain still partially ejected. Against all odds, Flight BA5390 ultimately made a safe touchdown at Southampton Airport.

Reflecting on the event, Nigel said: “The pressure on Alastair must have been tremendous.” He added, “everybody’s life was in his hands – but he brought the plane down perfectly.”

Incredibly, Tim Lancaster was pictured all smiles, recovering in hospital only a few days later.

You can watch episode six of Terror at 30,000 Feet now on My5, Channel 5’s catch-up service.

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