Balloon Claim in United 737 Windshield Probe

A United Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 (Flight 1093) diverted to Salt Lake City on Oct. 16 after its multilayer cockpit windshield cracked at about 36,000 feet; one pilot sustained minor injuries and all 134 passengers were later flown to Los Angeles while the aircraft entered maintenance. The damaged windscreen has been sent to laboratories and the NTSB is collecting radar, weather and flight‑recorder data as part of its investigation. WindBorne Systems, a weather‑balloon provider, said one of its balloons likely struck the aircraft and submitted a preliminary report to the NTSB and FAA, though officials have not confirmed a cause. Social media speculation about space debris circulated but has not been substantiated by regulators. Separately, SkyWest‑operated American Eagle Flight 6469 returned to Omaha after a cockpit‑cabin interphone failure prompted an emergency declaration; police boarded, found no security incident, and the flight later continued to Los Angeles. Authorities are continuing routine investigations into both the windshield strike and the communications malfunction.