Loganair flight declares emergency due to cockpit windscreen crack

A Loganair flight traveling from London Heathrow to City of Derry Airport declared a mid-air emergency on Thursday, August 27, 2026, after a crack was discovered in the outer pane of the front right cockpit windscreen.

During the incident, the aircraft initiated a controlled descent over the Blackpool area. Passengers reported being instructed to adopt the brace position as the plane descended rapidly while crossing the Irish Sea. Approximately fifty passengers were on board Flight LM652. The aircraft landed safely at Derry Airport following the emergency.

Passengers described a distressing experience, with some noting the sudden drop in altitude and the urgency of the cabin crew's instructions to prepare for an emergency landing.