LOS ANGELES (KTLA) — Authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding a cracked windshield on a United Airlines flight that traveled from Denver to Los Angeles International Airport on October 16, as confirmed to Nexstar’s KTLA on Sunday.
“On Thursday, United Flight 1093 made a safe landing in Salt Lake City to address the issue with its multilayered windshield,” stated a United Airlines spokesperson. “We organized an alternate aircraft to transport passengers to Los Angeles later that day, and our maintenance team is working to get the original aircraft back in service.”
The Boeing 737 Max 8 was carrying approximately 134 passengers and 6 crew members at the time of the incident.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced its own investigation on Sunday, sharing on X that the “cracked windscreen on a Boeing 737-8” is being transported to NTSB laboratories for analysis.
“Operating under United Flight 1093 from DEN to LAX, the aircraft was safely diverted to SLC,” the NTSB elaborated, noting that it is also “collecting radar, weather, and flight recorder data.”
- Windshield cracks midflight, diverting United Airlines plane; officials investigating
Officials have not commented on whether anyone sustained injuries when the windshield cracked. However, images obtained by KTLA depict a pilot with what seems to be bloodied cuts or marks on his forearm inside the cockpit. Additional photos show the plane’s exterior with a fully shattered windshield and visible contact damage in the upper right corner.
Online users who provided the photos said they received the footage directly from people at the scene, but KTLA is still working to independently confirm this information.
United noted that aircraft windshields are designed to function safely in case any layer sustains damage.
No further details were immediately provided.
Earlier this month, a Delta Air Lines jet suffered a shattered cockpit window and a deeply gouged nose after a collision with another Delta Air Lines jet at LaGuardia Airport in New York.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
