Overview

• United flight UA1093, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 from Denver to Los Angeles, descended from 36,000 feet and diverted to Salt Lake City on October 16 after a crack was found in one layer of the cockpit windshield.
• Passengers continued to Los Angeles on a replacement 737 MAX 9 and arrived about six hours late, while the damaged aircraft remained in Salt Lake City for inspection.
• Unconfirmed photos posted by aviation insider JonNYC show windshield damage and a pilot’s bruised arm, with some images described as showing scorch‑like marks.
• The captain reportedly said he saw an object and believed it was space debris, a claim experts note would be unprecedented as FAA assessments place debris‑strike risk as extremely low.
• Independent analysis of exterior photos points to high‑altitude hail as a plausible cause, with electrical arcing also discussed, and no definitive determination has been made as FAA and NTSB review the evidence.