An unidentified object broke the windshield of a Boeing 737 MAX 8 and injured the pilot
A United Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 has been hit by a mysterious object mid-flight, which some suspect may have found debris from space.
United Flight 1093 took off from Denver, Colorado, on Thursday with 140 people on board and was scheduled to land in Los Angeles. Approximately 40 minutes after takeoff, the plane began to descend unexpectedly while flying over Utah and was diverted to Salt Lake City.
Unverified images on social media appear to show damage to the fuselage and broken glass in the cockpit, as well as blood on the pilot’s arm.
🚨United Boeing 737 MAX 8 (N17327) Flight UA1093 from Denver to Los Angeles diverted to Salt Lake City after reportedly colliding with “metallic space debris” at 36,000 feet. 😳The crew noticed a crack in a layer of the windshield and landed safely. A replacement aircraft followed later… pic.twitter.com/OIDl5rq942
– Turbine Traveler (@Turbinetraveler) October 18, 2025
According to aviation news website AvBrief.com, the captain said the plane was hit by “space junk.” AvBrief added that investigators are focusing on the theory that the plane collided with a piece of a weather balloon.
Passenger Heather Ramsey told FOX 11 that the crew had announced over the intercom that the plane had“collided with an object.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Sunday it was investigating a break in the plane’s windshield. United confirmed that the windshield had been damaged but had no further comment.
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