Greg Norman doesn't usually rattle easily. You don't earn a nickname like "The Shark" by flinching at a bit of pressure. But honestly, when you're sitting in the back of a 1999 Gulfstream V and a "loud pop" echoes through the pressurized cabin like a gunshot, even a Hall of Famer is going to take notice.
The Greg Norman private jet emergency that went down in May 2025 wasn't just a minor mechanical hiccup. It was a high-altitude scare that saw the cockpit windshield of a multi-million dollar aircraft shatter while climbing out of Los Angeles. Norman was headed home to Palm Beach after a stint at the International Series Japan in Tokyo.
Twenty minutes after wheels up at LAX, things got real.
The Shattered Windscreen: A Mid-Air "Pop"
Most people think of private jet travel as champagne and reclining leather seats. It is, until it isn't. Norman was solo in the cabin—just him and two pilots—when the secondary pane of the cockpit window decided to give up the ghost.
"We had been climbing out of LAX for around 15 to 20 minutes, so we were pretty high," Norman told Australian Golf Digest. Then came the noise. A loud, sharp crack. The pilots didn't hesitate. They pulled the power back, initiated an immediate descent to thicker air, and notified Air Traffic Control.
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Basically, the outer layer of the glass had spider-webbed. While these windows are built with multiple redundant layers of stretched acrylic and glass to prevent a total blowout, seeing the sky through a mosaic of cracks at high altitude is enough to make anyone’s stomach drop. Norman’s reaction? Typical Shark. He just told the pilots to "f—king land."
Why do jet windows shatter anyway?
It’s actually more common than you’d think. Aviation experts like Oliver McGee note that windshield issues occur in the industry roughly once a week. It’s usually caused by:
- Heating element failure: The windows are heated to keep them flexible; if the element shorts, it creates a thermal shock.
- Bird strikes: Though less likely at the 30,000-foot mark where this happened.
- Material fatigue: Old-school wear and tear on an older airframe like a 1999 Gulfstream.
Not the Shark’s First Aviation Rodeo
If you follow Norman, you know he's lived about nine lives. This Greg Norman private jet emergency was actually the second time in 40 years of flying that he's dealt with a shattered windscreen. He’s a guy who once considered joining the Air Force, so he treats these incidents with a weird kind of "it is what it is" pragmatism.
He’s previously survived lightning strikes and cabin fires. He once had a total hydraulic failure while taking off from an aircraft carrier. He even had to put a helicopter down in the middle of an apple farm west of Sydney.
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"If your number comes up, your number comes up," he’s said. That's a pretty heavy philosophy when you're thousands of feet over the Pacific, but it explains why he was able to walk off that plane at LAX and snap a selfie with the emergency responders while smiling.
The Logistics of the Emergency Landing
When the pilots declared the emergency, the Gulfstream V (often associated with his N1GN registration, though he frequently charters) had to dump altitude fast. They returned to LAX, where the tarmac was lined with fire trucks and "the professionals," as Norman called them.
The plane landed safely. No injuries. No fire. Just a very expensive repair bill and a lot of adrenaline.
For a man who spent 331 weeks as World No. 1 and recently navigated the chaotic waters of the LIV Golf CEO transition, a cracked window seems like just another Tuesday. He’s used to being in the crosshairs, whether it's from the PGA Tour or a faulty piece of cockpit glass.
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What This Means for Private Aviation Safety
This incident highlights a major reality of private travel: the aircraft are incredible, but they are still machines. Even a Gulfstream—the gold standard for long-range business travel—isn't immune to physics.
Norman’s experience shows the value of crew resource management (CRM). The pilots didn't panic; they followed the "aviate, navigate, communicate" checklist. They got the plane into a lower-pressure environment, slowed down to reduce the force on the damaged glass, and put the bird on the ground.
Actionable Takeaways for Private Flyers
If you ever find yourself in a similar spot—private or commercial—here is how the pros handle it:
- Trust the redundancy: Modern jet windscreens are designed so that if one layer fails, the others can almost always hold the cabin pressure.
- Observe the "Sterile Cockpit": During an emergency descent, let the pilots work. Norman stayed back and let the pros do their jobs.
- Post-incident checks: Norman didn't just hop on another plane immediately; he stayed with the emergency crews to ensure the aircraft was properly inspected, which is vital for FAA reporting.
- Monitor "Old" Airframes: If you are chartering, check the age of the aircraft. While well-maintained older jets are safe, things like window seals and heating elements require more frequent oversight as they hit the 25-year mark.
The Great White Shark is back in the air now, likely on his way to his next business venture or golf course design project. For him, the sky isn't falling—it's just occasionally a little bit louder than expected.
To stay safe during your own travels, always ensure your charter operator holds an ARGUS Platinum or Wyvern Wingman safety rating, as these standards require more rigorous maintenance schedules than the standard FAA minimums.