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WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday that a weather balloon may be responsible for cracking the windshield of a United Airlines jet at 36,000 feet, prompting an emergency landing.

WindBorne Systems said in a statement late on Monday that it believes one of its balloons struck United Flight 1093, a Boeing 737 MAX, on Thursday over Utah.

NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the board had received the company's report and is reviewing it as part of the investigation. She said the incident "in the wrong situation could have been really devastating for the aircraft and those on board."

The incident had raised concerns that the damage could have been caused by space debris. Prior government studies have suggested a very small

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