Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight from Denver (DEN) to Los Angeles (LAX) was forced to divert to Salt Lake City (SLC) after a cracked windshield was discovered midair. The incident occurred on October 16, 2025, during flight UA1093, carrying 140 passengers and crew.
According to reports, the aircraft descended from 36,000 to 26,000 feet before safely landing at
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC). Passengers were later rebooked on a replacement Boeing 737 MAX 9 to complete their journey to Los Angeles with a six-hour delay.
As reported by OMAAT, images shared online by JonNYC appear to show scorch marks on the windshield and bruising on the pilot’s arm, suggesting a high-energy impact rather than a simple structural crack.
While on a cruise at 36,000 feet, the United flight was approximately 200 miles southeast of Salt Lake City when the crew noticed the damage.
The pilots promptly initiated a descent to 26,000 feet and diverted to the nearest suitable airport. The aircraft, registered as N17327, landed safely on runway 16L—exactly matching the course indicator visible in one of the shared cockpit images
Aviation enthusiasts have speculated that the cause could have been space debris or a small meteorite, based on the scorch patterns and impact marks. Although these claims remain unverified, they highlight an exceptionally rare scenario.
Typically, aircraft windshields are designed to withstand significant bird strikes and pressure changes, but impacts from high-speed debris traveling at orbital velocities are almost unheard of in commercial aviation.
No official confirmation has been made regarding the source of the damage. United Airlines has not reported any injuries beyond the pilot’s minor bruising, and the incident remains under investigation.