United Airlines pilot injured after mystery object hits plane mid-flight
Published on Oct 21, 2025 at 7:05 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Oct 22, 2025 at 8:08 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
A mystery object struck a United Airlines flight mid-air, causing injuries to the pilot of the Boeing 737-8 aircraft.
As reported by various news channels across America, the flight from Denver to LA had to make a diversion after something struck the cockpit windshield.
Not only did it do damage to the aircraft, but it also showered the cockpit with glass shards, which in turn caused cuts to the pilot at the controls.
It was a truly bizarre incident as there were no prior signs that anything was about to strike the United Airlines flight.
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What hit the United Airlines flight Boeing 737-8?
The airliner was flying at 36,000ft above the ground over Utah when the object struck.
A passenger filmed part of the descent as the aircraft dropped 10,000ft and prepared to divert to Salt Lake City.
Thankfully, the aircraft still flew as if everything was normal, so the crew was able to perform a normal landing.
All passengers were then safely transferred to another aircraft to take them to Los Angeles.
In terms of what hit the jet, nobody was able to explain it.
There was zero warning that the airliner was about to be struck during the United Airlines flight.
That led to wild theories that space debris, a drone, or even a small chunk of meteorite had hit the aircraft.
The pilot was injured during the incident
Aboard the Boeing 737-8, the windshield thankfully didn’t completely shatter.
But glass shards were blown into the cockpit, leading to a serious injury to the pilot’s arm.
Photos shared on social media show the arm of the pilot with multiple cuts due to flying glass.
That glass had also covered parts of the aircraft’s controls, particularly on the center console.
The NTSB confirmed that the windshield from the Boeing is being sent to its laboratories for examination.
Whatever happened, it must have come as a huge shock to those inside the cockpit.
Luckily, the crew was able to safely get the aircraft back on the ground without any further drama occurring.
Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
