Overview
- United Flight 1093 at 36,000 feet near Moab on Oct. 16 sustained a loud impact that cracked the first officer’s windshield, showering both pilots with glass and causing minor injuries to the captain.
- The Boeing 737‑8, carrying 112 people from Denver to Los Angeles, diverted safely to Salt Lake City after the captain declared an emergency.
- Investigators say radar and tracking data align with a WindBorne Systems balloon launched from Spokane, with company telemetry lost at about 6:36 a.m., roughly 10 minutes before the 6:43 a.m. collision.
- The preliminary report says the recovered balloon used thin, low‑tensile plastic and lacked large metal or high‑stiffness elements, raising questions about how it produced the observed damage.
- The cracked windshield was removed for detailed analysis in Washington as the NTSB continues its investigation, with 737‑8 windshield bird‑strike certification providing context for the inquiry.