United Airlines Boeing 737 Windshield Cracks Mid-Flight Forcing Emergency Landing

A United Airlines passenger experienced a terrifying moment when the aircraft's windshield suddenly cracked during flight, requiring an emergency landing.

The windshield of a United Airlines Boeing 737 shattered mid-flight, causing panic among passengers and necessitating an emergency landing last week.

The incident took place on October 16 aboard Flight UA1093, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, which was traveling from Denver to Los Angeles with 134 passengers and six crew members. While cruising at an altitude of 36,000 feet, a loud impact shocked everyone onboard. Shortly after, one layer of the windshield broke, causing injuries to one of the pilots.

"I was just looking out the window thinking, 'We could go down at any time.' It was really scary," passenger Heather Ramsey shared with Fox News. "We were all holding our breath until the very end. You could definitely feel the tension on the entire aircraft."

Ramsey recounted that "One flight attendant raised her voice and told the other, 'Get back. Get to the back of the aircraft, stop service.'" The pilot then announced over the intercom, "Unfortunately, we have some bad news. The aircraft has collided with an object."

The aircraft quickly descended 10,000 feet and diverted to Salt Lake City International Airport, where it landed safely. Ramsey had been filming the sunrise just moments before the emergency occurred.

Social media images show the injured pilot with cuts on his arms, shattered glass across the cockpit controls, and burn marks visible near the damaged windshield area.

Despite suffering scratches and bruises, the pilot successfully brought the aircraft down safely. "The pilot did a phenomenal job, both manning the aircraft and keeping composure," Ramsey commented. "I just want to give props to him."

United Airlines confirmed that the plane descended to 26,000 feet before making its emergency landing in Salt Lake City. Passengers were subsequently transferred to another aircraft and finally arrived in Los Angeles after a six-hour delay.

The object that struck the aircraft remains unknown. "That seems a little high for a bird," Ramsey noted. "People are saying scrap metal, it could be space debris, drones?"

According to a 2023 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report, no commercial airliner has ever been hit by space debris, with the probability estimated at less than one in a trillion. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has initiated an investigation and is examining the damaged windshield to determine what caused the incident.