Air New Zealand plane flew with cracked windshield

An Air New Zealand plane en route from Auckland to Wellington was forced to turn back this morning after pilots noticed a crack in the cockpit windscreen.

A spokeswoman for the airline said the crack had appeared in the outer pane of the Captain's side cockpit window.

"Pilots followed standard operating procedure and returned to Auckland as a precautionary measure," she said.

"The aircraft landed without incident at Auckland, with passengers re-accommodated on an alternative aircraft."

The plane is being inspected by engineers and is expected to return to service later today.

- © Fairfax NZ News