Overview
- United Flight 1093, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 from Denver to Los Angeles, diverted to Salt Lake City on Oct. 16 after a multilayer cockpit windshield cracked at about 36,000 feet near Moab, Utah.
- One pilot sustained minor cuts and bruises from glass, passengers were rebooked, and the aircraft later repositioned to Chicago Rockford for maintenance work.
- The NTSB is analyzing the damaged windscreen in its laboratory and collecting radar, weather, and flight recorder data as part of an ongoing investigation.
- WindBorne Systems submitted a preliminary report to the NTSB and FAA indicating a possible balloon involvement and has implemented changes to reduce time at flight levels between 30,000 and 40,000 feet, with further collision‑avoidance and hardware updates planned.
- Authorities have not confirmed a cause; unverified images have circulated online, and FAA assessments cited in coverage note the probability of space debris striking an airliner is extremely low.