A United Airlines flight faced an unexpected challenge last week when it reportedly collided with a weather balloon while cruising over Utah at 36,000 feet. This incident resulted in damage to the plane’s windshield and an emergency landing in Salt Lake City. Luckily, all 140 people on board—134 passengers and six crew members—landed safely.
A California company, Windborne Systems, is at the center of this situation. They quickly began investigating after hearing that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was also looking into the matter. Windborne believes it is likely one of their lightweight balloons—which weigh around 2.4 pounds at takeoff—was involved, despite the company’s precautions to avoid such incidents.
Windborne CEO John Dean expressed surprise at the windshield damage, noting that shards of glass flew into the cockpit. He mentioned, “This is extremely concerning and unacceptable,” especially since it resulted in injuries to a pilot.
The company complies with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines, ensuring their balloons meet size and design specifications. After analyzing flight data, Dean pointed out that the timeline matched closely with when one of their balloons stopped transmitting data. They have shared this information with the NTSB for further examination.
Windborne has launched over 4,000 balloons and coordinates with the FAA each time, providing live updates on their balloon locations. They’re already taking steps to enhance safety, tweaking software to reduce the time their balloons spend in altitude ranges that could lead to collisions. They are also exploring new designs for ballast to lessen impact risks.
The NTSB is expected to release a preliminary report soon, while a comprehensive investigation may take over a year. This incident raises questions about balloon safety in U.S. airspace. According to a 2022 FAA report, there were over 3,000 unmanned air vehicle (UAV) incidents, indicating that air traffic safety will remain a critical focus.
As developments unfold, reactions from users on social media have illuminated public concern surrounding the safety of air travel and drone technology. With increasing numbers of balloons and drones in the sky, discussions about how to effectively manage airspace are more relevant than ever.
For more in-depth coverage on aviation safety, check out the NTSB’s official updates.
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Aviation safety, National Transportation Safety Board, Air incidents, Aerospace and defense industry, General news, Domestic News, Utah, Colorado, California, CO State Wire, UT State Wire, Salt Lake City, Business, The Boeing Co., John Dean, U.S. news, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. News
