A rogue weather balloon has been identified as the mysterious object that smashed into a United Airlines jet last month, shattering its windshield and sending shards of glass flying across the cockpit as the plane soared 36,000 feet above Utah.
The captain, injured by multiple cuts from flying glass, was forced to make an emergency landing in Salt Lake City after a rogue balloon suddenly slammed into the Boeing 737 at around 6:43 a.m. on Oct. 16, the National Transportation Safety Board revealed Friday.
Just a day before, a WindBorne Systems global sounding balloon had taken off from Spokane, Washington, drifting south over Nevada before looping back north into Utah, according to the preliminary report.
The NTSB confirmed that a rogue weather balloon smashed through a United Airlines windshield on Oct. 16.
The California-based aerospace company said it had lost contact with its gas-filled, envelope-shaped high-altitude weather balloon, which was in the area when one of the jet’s multi-layered windshields was nearly blown out mid-flight on a Denver-to-Los Angeles flight.
According to WindBorne, the balloons are designed to minimize damage in the event of a collision with an aircraft or a crash, as they contain no large metal parts or high-stiffness structures, the report said.
Officials noted that aircraft windshields are built to withstand the impact of a four-pound bird without cracking.
Officials pointed out that aircraft windshields are designed to survive the impact of a four-pound bird without cracking.
"The impact resulted in both pilots being showered with pieces of glass," he NTSB report said, adding that none of the remaining 111 passengers on board were injured.
“The captain sustained multiple superficial lacerations to his right arm; the [first officer] was uninjured.”
Harrowing photos circulating online after the terrifying incident showed the pilot’s arm bruised and bleeding, with shards of broken glass scattered across the cockpit and dashboard.
The captain suffered multiple shallow cuts to his right arm following the collision.
Shards of broken glass were scattered across the cockpit and dashboard.
The collision occurred moments after the captain spotted a mysterious object on the horizon—but before he could warn his first officer, it struck the passenger jet with a "loud bang," the report said.
The cabin held its pressure, and the crew quickly diverted, safely landing at Salt Lake City International Airport.
In response to the NTSB report, WindBorne issued a statement Friday announcing four new safety measures aimed at preventing future mid-air collisions.
The NTSB believes a global sounding weather balloon launched by WindBorne Systems struck the Boeing 737.
The changes include limiting the time balloons spend in commercial airspace, enhancing air traffic alerts, creating collision-avoidance algorithms, and reducing the balloons’ mass to minimize damage in the event of a collision.
“We are deeply relieved that Flight UA 1093 landed safely and with minimal damage,” the statement read.
“Our flight systems are designed both to prevent mid-air impacts and, in the rare event one occurs, to ensure safety through redundant structural and operational safeguards …. the UA1093 incident has reinforced our commitment to continuous improvement, and we have acted immediately to further strengthen safeguards.”
The NTSB continues its high-stakes investigation into the incident, with officials working to uncover exactly how it happened.
