Overview
- On Oct. 16, United Flight 1093 cruising near Moab, Utah, suffered a cracked multilayer cockpit windshield at about 36,000 feet and diverted to Salt Lake City for a safe landing.
- One pilot sustained minor arm injuries from glass, and the 134 passengers and six crew were rebooked to Los Angeles later that day.
- The NTSB is analyzing the damaged windscreen in its laboratories and reviewing radar, weather, and flight-recorder data to determine what struck the aircraft.
- WindBorne Systems submitted a preliminary report to the NTSB and FAA indicating one of its long-duration balloons may be involved, and it has reduced time spent between 30,000 and 40,000 feet while pursuing avoidance technology and hardware changes.
- The cause remains unconfirmed, and experts note a space-debris strike is considered extraordinarily unlikely by FAA risk estimates, with other possibilities under review.