Imagine piloting a single passenger plane when suddenly your aircraft’s canopy bursts open, exposing you to deafening noise, vision-impairing wind, and potential disaster. This nightmare scenario became reality for pilot Narine Melkumjan, who recently posted the harrowing cockpit footage to YouTube.

The incident occurred during a training flight in an Extra 330LX aircraft. During Melkumjan’s second flight of the day, the aircraft’s canopy unexpectedly opened and shattered mid-flight. Melkumjan vividly describes the distressing experience, detailing the intense noise, breathing difficulties, and severely impaired visibility she endured. She reports that it took nearly 28 hours for her vision to fully recover. Additionally, she…