Mystery object hits United Airlines Boeing 737 at 36,000 feet, forcing 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 Airlines did not disclose what caused the incident but issued a statement saying, “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.”

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.