Mystery object hits United Airlines Boeing 737 at 36,000 feet, forcing emergency landing

Mystery object hits US plane's cockpit at 36,000 feet, forces emergency landing

A United Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 flying from Denver to Los Angeles was forced to make an emergency landing after an unidentified object struck its windshield at 36,000 feet, injuring one of the pilots.

United Flight 1093, carrying 134 passengers and six crew members, diverted to Salt Lake City on Thursday, where it landed safely, a United Airlines spokesperson confirmed. The aircraft remains grounded for inspection.

The impact shattered the multilayered cockpit glass, leaving the pilot bloodied and bruised as fragments of glass spread across the cockpit. Photos circulating online show the pilot’s arms bleeding and bruised, consistent with glass cuts. Broken glass coated the dashboard, and scorch marks were visible at the point of impact.

🚨United #Boeing 737 MAX 8 (N17327) flight UA1093 from #Denver to #LosAngeles diverted to #SaltLakeCity after reportedly hitting "metal space debris" at 36,000 ft.

The crew noticed a crack in one layer of the windshield and landed safely. A replacement aircraft later continued… pic.twitter.com/3kXm7mcKOZ

— News.Az (@news_az) October 20, 2025

The airline added that “aircraft windshields are designed to function safely in case any layer sustains damage.”

According to flight data, the incident occurred on October 16 while the plane was at cruising altitude. It descended to 26,000 feet before landing in Salt Lake City. Passengers were later rebooked on another aircraft and reached Los Angeles after a six-hour delay.

Possible causes under investigation

Some observers suggested that the strike could have been caused by space debris or a meteor, though authorities have yet to confirm any details.

United Flight 1093’s emergency landing has prompted speculation and raised safety concerns about high-altitude debris and the structural resilience of commercial aircraft windshields.