Plane struck by suspected space debris mid flight
Plane makes emergency landing after ‘one in a trillion’ accident
- A United Airlines flight from Denver to Los Angeles made an emergency landing last Thursday after its windshield was damaged by suspected space debris.
- The incident, which occurred at a cruising altitude of 36,000ft, resulted in the pilot sustaining cuts to his arm, though all 130 passengers were unharmed.
- The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the cause, considering possibilities such as meteorites, low-Earth orbit objects, or a weather balloon's data package.
- The damaged windscreen is being sent to NTSB laboratories for examination, with the agency gathering radar, weather, and flight recorder data.
- The “one in a trillion” event highlights concerns about increasing space debris, with a 2023 FAA report estimating a rise in hazardous fragments by 2035.