A United Airlines pilot was injured and had to make an emergency landing after an unidentified object shattered the windshield of a Boeing 737 flying at 36,000 feet. Photos shared online reportedly show the pilot's arms covered in blood and bruises, with wounds that look like they were caused by shattered glass.
The cockpit and dashboard were littered with broken glass, and other images appeared to show burn marks where the object struck. United Flight 1093, which was traveling from Denver to Los Angeles, was forced to make an emergency landing in Salt Lake City on Thursday. The condition of the pilot is still not known, with more details awaited.
Bolt from the Blue
Some people online speculated that the damage might have been caused by space debris or even a meteor striking the jet. However, according to a 2023 report from the Federal Aviation Administration, the odds of space debris seriously injuring someone on a commercial flight are about one in a trillion.
Experts said the cracked windshield could have resulted from an electrical issue, but the scorch marks and shattered glass suggest the plane was actually struck by something.
Usually, planes encounter birds, hail, or other objects only when flying at lower altitudes.
What makes this case unusual is that the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was cruising high above those risks when the incident happened.
Everything Still Unclear
"On Thursday, United flight 1093 landed safely in Salt Lake City to address damage to its multilayered windshield. We arranged for another aircraft to take customers to Los Angeles later that day and our maintenance team is working to return the aircraft to service," United said.
The plane is still grounded in Salt Lake City, according to reports.
Meanwhile, the amount of space junk orbiting Earth keeps increasing. NASA is currently tracking more than 25,000 pieces of debris larger than four inches across.
