(SALT LAKE CITY) A Silicon Valley startup leader says a Windborne Systems test weather balloon most likely struck United Airlines Flight 1093 at about 36,000 feet on October 16, 2025, cracking the aircraft’s multilayered cockpit windshield and prompting an emergency landing in Salt Lake City. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 had been flying from Denver to Los Angeles when the midair impact over Utah injured one pilot slightly.
The airline reported no loss of cabin pressure, and the crew landed safely. Early talk of space debris or a meteor faded quickly as federal officials and industry experts called those scenarios extremely unlikely given how rare such events are at commercial cruising altitude.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is now leading the federal review. Investigators have received Windborne’s data and are studying the damaged parts in an NTSB lab. A preliminary report is expected in the coming weeks, though a full probe could take more than a year.
Aviation analysts described the event as exceptional: at 36,000 feet, very few objects—besides weather balloons—exist that could strike an airliner with enough force to crack a cockpit windshield without breaching the cabin.
Company data and initial matching
Windborne Systems, based in Palo Alto, began its internal review immediately after learning of the incident. Chief executive John Dean said the company matched its flight records to the time and place of the collision and found that one balloon’s transmissions stopped exactly when United Airlines Flight 1093 reported the strike.
According to Dean, the last known location and altitude of that balloon aligned with the aircraft’s path over Utah. While the NTSB will make the final call, the company says the data trail points strongly to one of its balloons.
Investigation steps under way
- The NTSB is examining the windshield damage pattern to confirm what hit the plane.
- The board’s materials lab will look for residues that match latex, sensor housings, or other balloon components.
- Investigators will review:
- flight data from the aircraft,
- air traffic control records,
- position reports from Windborne’s fleet around the event window.
Officials have not announced any interim safety recommendations.
“A multilayered cockpit windshield is built to absorb striking forces from birds or debris.”
In this case, it cracked but held, and the cabin never lost pressure.
The crew’s decision to divert to Salt Lake City, where medical help and maintenance were available, follows standard procedures. One pilot had minor injuries, which the airline described as non-life-threatening.
Windborne’s operational response
Windborne says its balloons weigh about 2.4 pounds at launch, a key detail because weight affects both regulation and risk. The company emphasized that it coordinates with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for every launch and shares live position updates.
After the incident, Windborne’s engineers:
- Pushed a software update to reduce how long balloons remain between 30,000 and 40,000 feet (the normal cruising band for commercial jets).
- Began developing new hardware and autonomous avoidance tools to help prevent future crossings of paths with airliners.
The firm says it has provided all relevant data to the NTSB.
Operational context, risks, and suggested safety steps
Initial reports, including remarks from the captain, floated the possibility of space debris or a meteor. Those ideas drew attention because they sound dramatic, but specialists note that:
- Orbital objects at that altitude over the continental United States are rare, short-lived, and often trackable.
- By contrast, long-duration balloons are known to ride jet stream winds at high altitudes and can persist in cruise bands.
As more balloons carry sensors for weather and research, coordination with commercial aviation takes on greater importance.
Industry analysts and observers (including analysis by VisaVerge.com) have highlighted several potential risk reduction measures:
- Share live position data with aviation authorities and operators.
- Automate altitude changes to avoid common flight levels used by passenger jets.
- Implement geofencing of known air corridors and cruise bands.
- Develop onboard autonomous avoidance systems for balloons.
These steps aim to reduce risks while still allowing long-duration flights that collect useful weather data.
Key confirmed facts
- Date and altitude: October 16, 2025, around 36,000 feet
- Aircraft: Boeing 737 MAX 8 operating as United Airlines Flight 1093
- Damage: Cracked cockpit windshield; no loss of cabin pressure
- Injury: Minor injury to one pilot
- Object: Likely a Windborne Systems test weather balloon
- Status: NTSB investigation ongoing; preliminary report expected in weeks
Regulatory context and guidance
Windborne’s balloons are designed to meet FAA rules for weight and operations, the company says. They typically weigh just over two pounds and drift for long periods to map wind patterns and collect weather data. The firm coordinates each launch with federal officials and provides live tracking.
For official federal rules that cover unmanned free balloons, including weight thresholds and operating practices, readers can review the FAA’s regulations under 14 CFR Part 101, Subpart D on the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: FAA balloon regulations (eCFR).
While the NTSB will determine the cause, compliance with Part 101 and real-time coordination with air traffic authorities are central to how companies aim to reduce risk in shared airspace.
Why the incident matters and next steps
Aviation analysts called the event extraordinary because the list of likely objects at that altitude is small: balloons, light sensor payloads, and rare detached aircraft parts. Each leaves different clues. Dean’s account that a balloon stopped transmitting at the exact moment of impact, in the same area and altitude, is a strong indicator—yet the NTSB will confirm through lab work and a full review.
The NTSB’s preliminary report will likely document:
- the flight timeline,
- damage description,
- initial evidence from the aircraft and the suspected balloon.
It will not assign blame. A final report, which could take a year or more, may address responsibility. In the meantime, the FAA and operators can act on early findings if clear safety improvements emerge.
For passengers and crews, the most pressing question is whether this was a one-off. Confirmed collisions between long-duration balloons and commercial jets are extremely rare. Windborne’s quick software changes and pledge to add avoidance technology aim to keep it that way.
The safe diversion to Salt Lake City underscores how layered protections work:
- flight crews train for unexpected impacts,
- cockpit windshields use multiple layers,
- dispatchers identify the nearest suitable airport for landing.
These steps helped keep passengers calm and avoid wider disruption on the busy Denver–Los Angeles corridor.
Windborne’s public stance has been direct: accept the data pointing to one of its platforms, improve software, and pursue hardware changes. The firm says it is building autonomous systems that would help balloons “decide” to climb or descend away from airline cruise levels—moving from manual coordination to automatic conflict avoidance and giving controllers and pilots fewer surprises aloft.
For travelers, this incident is a reminder that air travel remains safe even when something unusual happens: the cockpit window cracked but held, the injured pilot received prompt care, and the aircraft landed without loss of pressure. The most probable culprit—a Windborne Systems test weather balloon—points to a fixable problem: keep balloons out of airline cruise bands and ensure tracking and avoidance happen in real time.
This Article in a Nutshell
On October 16, 2025, United Airlines Flight 1093, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 en route from Denver to Los Angeles, experienced a midair impact at about 36,000 feet that cracked its multilayer cockpit windshield. The cabin maintained pressure and the aircraft diverted safely to Salt Lake City; one pilot sustained minor injuries. Windborne Systems says one of its test weather balloons stopped transmitting exactly when and where the strike occurred and has shared its data with the NTSB. The NTSB will examine damage patterns, lab residues, and flight records; a preliminary report is expected within weeks, while the complete investigation could take over a year. Windborne has issued a software update to reduce time spent between 30,000–40,000 feet and is developing hardware and autonomous avoidance tools to limit future conflicts. The incident underscores the need for improved coordination, live tracking, geofencing, and automated altitude changes to protect commercial cruise bands.
