A United Airlines airplane traveling from Denver to Los Angeles that made an emergency landing after its windshield cracked may have struck a weather balloon while at a cruising altitude of 36,000 feet over Utah. The flight safely made an emergency landing in Salt Lake City. Pilot Reportedly Injured After Aircraft Windshield Cracks, Flight Makes Emergency Landing A pilot reportedly sustained injuries from the incident. United Airlines 737 MAX pilot injured after the windshield cracked at 36,000 while flying from Denver to Los Angeles on Thursday. Reports have suggested the possibility of the aircraft being hit by falling space debris or a small meteorite, though this remains unconfirmed.… pic.twitter.com/8qNg6aA0uE — Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) October 18, 2025 A Silicon Valley company called Windborne Systems, which operates long-duration weather balloons, said one of its devices may have struck the aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident. NEW: A United Airlines Flight from Los Angeles to Denver was diverted to Salt Lake City on Thursday after the plane's windshield hit an object, cracking it. Windborne Systems, a private company that makes smart weather balloons, said they believe it was one of their balloons… pic.twitter.com/MgURCsIpXC — WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) October 22, 2025 "The NTSB is investigating a cracked windscreen on a Boeing 737-8 during cruise flight near Moab, Utah, Thursday. Operating as United flight 1093 from DEN to LAX, airplane diverted safely to SLC. NTSB gathering radar, weather, flight recorder data. Windscreen being sent to NTSB laboratories for examination," the NTSB stated. The NTSB is investigating a cracked windscreen on a Boeing 737-8 during cruise flight near Moab, Utah, Thursday. Operating as United flight 1093 from DEN to LAX, airplane diverted safely to SLC. NTSB gathering radar, weather, flight recorder data. Windscreen being sent to NTSB… — NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) October 19, 2025 More from the Associated Press: The plane, which was flying from Denver to Los Angeles, did not lose cabin pressure and landed safely in Salt Lake City last Thursday. United said 134 passengers and six crew members were aboard. Windborne CEO John Dean said he was surprised at the extent of the damage to the plane’s windshield because Windborne’s balloons weigh only 2.4 pounds at takeoff with a simple bag of sand serving as ballast. The impact sent fragments of glass flying in the cockpit. The company said it follows all Federal Aviation Administration rules for the size and design of its balloons that gather data to help improve weather forecasts. “I find this extremely concerning, and unacceptable in the case of a collision, regardless of what the official regulations are, It resulted in injury to a pilot, which I’m simply not okay with whatsoever,” Dean said in a post on X. "Yes, I think this was a WindBorne balloon. We learned about UA1093 and the potential that it was related to one of our balloons at 11pm PT on Sunday and immediately looked into it. At 6am PT, we sent our preliminary investigation to both NTSB and FAA, and are working with both of them to investigate further," Dean said. Yes, I think this was a WindBorne balloon. We learned about UA1093 and the potential that it was related to one of our balloons at 11pm PT on Sunday and immediately looked into it. At 6am PT, we sent our preliminary investigation to both NTSB and FAA, and are working with both of… https://t.co/TDtyt08fMe — John Dean (@johndeanl) October 21, 2025 Footage of a WindBorne Systems weather balloon below: Another community launch for the books! Thank you to everyone who came out, asked questions, & shared a slice w/ us. Interested in seeing one in person?Keep your eyes peeled for future community launches - coming to a flat piece of land near you pic.twitter.com/ZgZ17Z3EsQ — WindBorne Systems (@WindBorneWx) July 24, 2025 San Francisco Chronicle shared further info: Passengers reportedly recalled a tense atmosphere as flight attendants abruptly halted service and the captain announced the diversion. “The aircraft has collided with an object and a window in the cockpit has shattered,” passenger Heather Ramsey, a college student, told ABC News. WindBorne said it made software changes to limit the time its balloons spend between 30,000 and 40,000 feet — the altitude range where most commercial aircraft fly — and is accelerating plans to use live flight data to autonomously avoid planes. “We are also actively working on new hardware designs to further reduce impact force magnitude and concentration,” the company said. The incident comes as the federal government scales back its own weather balloon program. Since the Trump administration’s staffing cuts to the National Weather Service, several launch sites have reduced or suspended twice-daily releases that once fed crucial data into U.S. forecasting models. Meteorologists warn that fewer launches could weaken forecast accuracy, especially across the Rockies and Great Plains, where many severe storms form.