Los Angeles — Authorities are looking into how a windshield cracked on a United Airlines flight traveling from Denver to Los Angeles International Airport. This was confirmed by officials to Nexstar’s KTLA on Sunday.
A United Airlines spokesperson mentioned that Flight 1093 safely landed in Salt Lake City to address the damage to its multi-layer windshield. They also stated that arrangements were made to send passengers to Los Angeles later that day, and maintenance teams were working to return the aircraft to service.
At the time, there were approximately 134 passengers and six crew members aboard the Boeing 737 Max 8.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced on Sunday that they would be conducting their own investigation. They stated that the damaged windshield has been sent to their laboratory for further examination.
The NTSB noted that the flight, which diverted safely to Salt Lake City, had data from radar, weather, and flight recorders being collected for analysis.
While officials did not confirm whether anyone was injured due to the shattered windshield, KTLA reported a photo depicting a person believed to be the pilot with cuts on his forearm inside the cockpit. Images of the aircraft from outside showed a completely broken windshield, with visible damage in the upper right corner.
An online user who shared the photo claimed to have obtained footage directly from bystanders at the scene, but KTLA is still verifying this claim.
United Airlines stated that the design of aircraft windshields allows for safe operation even if one layer is compromised.
As of now, no further details have been released.
Earlier this month, a Delta Airlines plane sustained cockpit window damage after colliding with another Delta aircraft at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
