Federal investigators have solved the mystery of what struck a United Airlines jet over Utah last month, leaving the flight deck showered in glass and the pilot injured. According to a preliminary report released Friday by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the object that collided with the Boeing 737 was a rogue high-altitude weather balloon.
The terrifying incident occurred around 6:43 a.m. on Oct. 16 as United Flight 1093 cruised at 36,000 feet en route from Denver to Los Angeles.
According to the report, the captain spotted a mysterious object on the horizon moments before impact. Before he could warn his first officer, a “loud bang” rocked the aircraft. The collision shattered the outer pane of the jet’s multi-layered windshield, sending shards of glass flying into the cockpit.
While the aircraft’s cabin maintained pressure and none of the 111 passengers were harmed, the flight crew took the brunt of the damage. The captain suffered multiple lacerations to his right arm from the debris. Photos circulated online following the event showed the pilot’s bruised and bleeding arm, alongside a dashboard and floor littered with jagged glass.
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Despite the injuries and the obscured vision, the crew successfully diverted the plane, making an emergency landing at Salt Lake City International Airport.
Tracing the Object
The NTSB identified the object as a global sounding balloon operated by WindBorne Systems, a California-based aerospace company. The balloon had been launched a day earlier from Spokane, Washington. Tracking data indicated it drifted south through Nevada before looping back north into the flight path over Utah.
WindBorne Systems confirmed to investigators that they had lost contact with the gas-filled, envelope-shaped balloon prior to the accident.
The level of damage sustained by the Boeing 737 was notable. Aviation officials highlighted that commercial aircraft windshields are engineered to withstand the impact of a four-pound bird strike without failing. Conversely, WindBorne claims their balloons are designed to minimize damage during collisions, containing no large metal parts or high-stiffness structural components.
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Company Response
Following the release of the NTSB report, WindBorne issued a statement Friday expressing relief that the aircraft landed safely with minimal damage. The company emphasized that while their systems have redundant safeguards, they are moving immediately to update their protocols.
WindBorne announced the rollout of four new safety measures aimed at preventing future mid-air collisions. These changes include reducing the time balloons spend transiting through commercial airspace, refining air traffic alerts, developing new collision-avoidance algorithms, and reducing the mass of the balloons.
“The UA1093 incident has reinforced our commitment to continuous improvement, and we have acted immediately to further strengthen safeguards,” the statement read.
The NTSB investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
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