737 MAX Engine Malfunction During Flight After Cockpit Visor Detaches

What began as an unlikely story of an in-flight emergency over Poland seems to have some factual basis. On December 8, 2025, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, flying as a Ryanair flight, experienced an engine shutdown shortly after taking off from Krakow. This incident followed the detachment of a cockpit sun visor during the aircraft’s ascent.

The plane, marked 9H-VUE, is operated by Malta Air under a wet-lease agreement with Ryanair. During this flight, designated as FR-3505, it was en route from Krakow to Milan Bergamo when the issue arose. According to FlightAware data, the aircraft took off around 06:25 local time and was climbing through approximately 8,000 feet when the crew decided to stop the ascent and stabilize.

According to reports, a sun visor detached and collided with one of the engine start levers, leading to the shutdown of a CFM LEAP-1B engine. The flight crew issued a “PAN PAN” call, which denotes an urgent but not distressing situation, and retained their current course while addressing the issue.

The crew managed to level off at 10,000 feet and successfully restarted the engine during the flight. They then canceled the “PAN PAN” call and continued to Milan Bergamo, landing safely about 90 minutes later, as per flight tracking records. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The aircraft remained grounded in Milan for approximately 50 hours before it was cleared to return to service.

The Maltese Bureau of Air Accident Investigation (BAAI) has categorized this event as an incident and has initiated an inquiry. A formal report is pending, with ongoing evaluations of the events surrounding the incident.

Experts in aviation have expressed doubts about the mechanism involved, primarily due to the significant separation between cockpit sun visors—typically mounted high and forward—and engine start controls, which are positioned low on the center pedestal and necessitate intentional handling. Investigators are expected to analyze data from the cockpit voice recorder, flight data recorder, maintenance logs, and cockpit hardware configuration as part of their examination.

Wet-lease arrangements for Ryanair flights are common, especially during busy travel seasons. In these situations, the marketing carrier sells tickets while another airline operates the flight under its own air operator certificate. The aircraft in question holds a Malta “9H” registration, aligned with Air Malta’s original registry.

Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are powered by CFM LEAP-1B engines, and in-flight engine shutdowns are relatively uncommon. Certification standards mandate that planes must be capable of flying and landing safely even after losing an engine.

The investigation will assess whether the cockpit visor played a causal or contributory role in the engine shutdown, as well as any maintenance or procedural issues that might be relevant.

Inquiries directed at Ryanair regarding the incident were not answered immediately.

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