Possible “space object” strikes United Airlines jet over Utah

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation after United Airlines flight UA1093 from Denver to Los Angeles was struck by an unknown object while cruising over Utah on Thursday.

The aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 (N17327), was forced to divert to Salt Lake City International Airport, where it landed safely. Photos shared on social media show the co-pilot’s side windshield severely cracked, with the metal frame visibly dented and a pilot’s arm cut by small glass fragments. The passengers were transferred to another aircraft (Boeing 737 MAX 9 N37523) to complete their voyage.

The NTSB confirmed Sunday that it is gathering radar, weather, and flight recorder data to determine what hit the aircraft. The damaged windscreen has been sent to the agency’s laboratories for analysis.

While the captain reportedly described the impact as caused by “space debris,” investigators have not confirmed the object’s origin. Experts say the possibilities range from a meteor to stray space debris, though hail or a small weather balloon cannot yet be ruled out.

Given the aircraft’s cruising altitude—around 36,000 feet—a bird strike is considered highly unlikely. “A careful analysis of the glass and metal should reveal whether this was a natural or artificial object,” an NTSB spokesperson said.

Meteors are statistically more common than surviving pieces of space debris: an estimated 17,000 meteorites reach Earth annually, compared to far fewer reentering man-made fragments.

For now, the exact cause remains uncertain — but the NTSB’s findings could help determine whether this was a rare meteor encounter or a first-of-its-kind orbital debris strike on a commercial jet.