In October weather balloon strike, United pilots were showered with glass, probe shows

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The pilots on a United Airlines jet struck by an apparent weather balloon during an October 16 flight near Moab, Utah were showered with glass before making an emergency landing, the National Transportation Safety Board said on Thursday.

WindBorne Systems last month said it believes one of its balloons struck and cracked the windshield of United Flight 1093, a Boeing 737 MAX. The NTSB said the radar track of the balloon was consistent with the United plane that was struck.

The NTSB said “the impact resulted in both pilots being showered with pieces of glass. The captain sustained multiple superficial lacerations to his right arm,” and the first officer was not injured.

The NTSB said the radar track for the WindBorne long-duration high-altitude