(MENAFN- Live Mint) Los Angeles bound Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight from Denver is making headlines after its windshield cracked midair. Following the mishap, the United Airlines flight was diverted to Salt Lake City, aviationa2z reported. The shocking incident on the aircraft, bearing flight number UA1093, was reported on Thursday, October 16.

As per the report, a total of 140 passengers and crew were onboard the aircraft, registered as N17327, when the tragic incident occurred, leaving the pilot injured. Before safely landing at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), the aircraft descended by almost 100 feet, from 36,000 to 26,000 feet, media reports suggest. Meanwhile, the passengers endured a six-hour delay to complete their journey to Los Angeles through a replacement Boeing 737 MAX 9.

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Los Angeles bound United Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight was diverted to Salt Lake City after its windshield shattered midair.

Indicating a high-energy impact, images shared online by JonNYC show bruising on the pilot's arm in addition to scorch marks on the windshield. Following the much greater than a simple structural crack, the pilots promptly followed the protocol of emergency situation before diverting to the nearest suitable airport. The pilots initiated a 26,000 feet descent before landing safely on runway 16L.

Mishap cause - 'Space debris or meteorite'?

Based on the scorch patterns and impact marks the cause of the impact is speculated to be space debris or a small meteorite, according to aviation enthusiasts, aviationa2z reported. It is important to note that the aircraft's windshields are specially designed to remain unaffected by bird strikes and pressure changes. However, the bodies of aircraft's bodies cannot withstand the impacts from high-speed debris traveling at orbital velocities.

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In an unrelated incident involving United Airlines aircraft, a plane heading for its gate collided with another plane at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. In the incident, the first plane clipped the tail of another United aircraft. The incident occurred on October 18, Saturday, authorities informed AP.

The airline officials in a statement said that no one was hurt in Friday's incident and the 113 passengers on Flight 2652 from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, were able to leave the plane normally after a delay. According to officials, the second plane had its horizonal stabiliser struck and was not moving when the planes collided.

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However, a passenger named Bill Marcus onboard the plane that rammed into another plane informed CBS News Chicago that he didn't even realise anything happened until the pilot said there would be a delay to document something. Suggesting that it took about 40 extra minutes for the plane to get to the gate, he became aware about an issue when he saw a number of people gathered around the right wing.

“I was shocked that I didn't feel something more, although when they separated the planes there was some shuddering,” CBS News Chicago quoted the passenger as saying.

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