On the evening of October 4th, flight CA4578 of China Airlines from Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport to Chongqing Jiangbei Airport reported a mechanical failure mid-flight, necessitating a return to Hangzhou. Upon disembarking, passengers discovered a cracked window on one side of the cockpit.
According to information from aviation travel apps like FlightAware and Flightradar24, the CA4578 flight on the evening of the 4th, scheduled to depart Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport for Chongqing Jiangbei Airport at 7:35 p.m., took off at 8:00 p.m. The aircraft encountered issues halfway and returned to Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport, landing around 9:15 p.m. Subsequently, the flight departed with a replacement aircraft around midnight and arrived at Chongqing Jiangbei Airport at 2:01 a.m. on the 5th.
It was reported that the flight was operated by a Boeing 787 aircraft, which was replaced with an Airbus A330 after the return to continue the journey to Chongqing.
A passenger who was on board the CA4578 flight posted online, sharing their experience of the mid-flight return and the cracked windshield of the cockpit observed upon landing, visible even from the shuttle bus.
A passenger on the same flight stated that about half an hour after takeoff, the flight attendants informed the passengers that the aircraft needed to return due to mechanical issues.
“There weren’t any noticeable turbulence during the process, but after landing, we saw a large crack on one side of the cockpit windshield, very noticeable when compared to the intact windshield on the other side.”
Another passenger mentioned that after the return to Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport, some passengers chose not to board the replacement aircraft and opted for alternative transportation such as high-speed rail.
This passenger expressed some lingering apprehension, as after the return, the aircraft was parked at the jet bridge, allowing for a clear view of the cracked windshield of the cockpit from the ground.
An employee at Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport confirmed that there was information about the return of flight CA4578 on the evening of October 4th, citing “airline-related reasons” as the cause for the return.
A customer service representative from China Airlines confirmed that indeed, the aircraft had to return due to reasons related to the airline, and passengers reached their destination on the subsequent replacement flight.