Windshield impact?

[Wardogg]

Chinese spy balloon?

A United Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration N17327 (UA-1093 from Denver to Los Angeles with 140 people on board, was enroute at FL360 about 180 nm southeast of Salt Lake City, UT when the crew descended the aircraft to FL260 and subsequently decided to divert to Salt Lake City where the aircraft landed safely on runway 16L about 50 minutes after leaving FL360.

The airline reported the aircraft diverted to address a crack in one layer of the multilayer windshield. A replacement Boeing 737-9 MAX reached Los Angeles with a delay of about 6 hours.

That didn’t look like a one layer crack to me.

Source for pictures is the book of faces. I can only verify the flight aware track.

 

[NovemberEcho]

I saw something about this yesterday where it was speculated to be falling debris from a Starlink satellite or even possible a tiny meteor

 

[Box hauler]

Damn, that’s crazy.

 

[bLizZuE]

Flying last week we saw several falling stars.

 

[bp]

even god is trying to retire the guppy

 

[mightynimbus]

Flying last week we saw several falling stars.

You see that in Hollywood all year long

 

[Hammertime]

Maybe lets collect some data before we go down the path of space rocks and starlink. A laminated pane letting go can be pretty violent. I had an outer (luckily) pane let go. It sounded like a shotgun going off.

 

[bp]

Maybe lets collect some data before we go down the path of space rocks and starlink. A laminated pane letting go can be pretty violent. I had an outer (luckily) pane let go. It sounded like a shotgun going off.

i also doubted it but the abrading on the window frame is odd.

 

[Skåning]

“Hi this is crew scheduling, we found you another plane, are you willing to extend??”

 

[derg]

“Hi this is crew scheduling, we found you another plane, are you willing to extend??”

I’d laugh, but….

 

[CFI A&P]

i also doubted it but the abrading on the window frame is odd.

I concur. The damage to the window frame and surrounding area makes it evident there was a collision, but with what?

 

[bp]

I concur. The damage to the window frame and surrounding area makes it evident there was a collision, but with what?

the resolution isnt great, but it almost looks like a couple of the heads on the countersunk screws are filled in. wonder if it just hit the frame so hard in that corner that the laminate just popped

 

[SeanD]

Yikes! Let’s hope this is an extremely rare isolated incident if it was falling space debris because I imagine if it clipped a wing, stabilizer, or engine it could end badly.

 

[Richman]

I’d laugh, but….

“I work at one speed, the speed of safe. The longer you’re on the phone badgering me, the more the delay is attributable to you”

Seems to send the message in a firm, yet non-provocative manner.

 

[knot4u]

Doesn't most stuff that falls from orbit normally burn up when it falls back to Earth. It's an honest question as I have zero knowledge regarding orbital machinations. I am quite sure though that the majority here will blame Elon.

 

[Wardogg]

Yikes! Let’s hope this is an extremely rare isolated incident if it was falling space debris because I imagine if it clipped a wing, stabilizer, or engine it could end badly.

I dunno. I think of rather it hit an engine than punch through the window at me.

 

[knot4u]

I dunno. I think of rather it hit an engine than punch through the window at me.

That's not how these contraptions work, they aim for the windshields. It's more efficient.

 

[BobDDuck]

Doesn't most stuff that falls from orbit normally burn up when it falls back to Earth. It's an honest question as I have zero knowledge regarding orbital machinations. I am quite sure though that the majority here will blame Elon.

Most things do, but a fair number (and steadily increasing because of the increase of stuff in low earth orbit) do make it back to the ground.