United pilots showered with glass after object struck plane at 36,000 feet

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The pilots on a United Airlines jet struck by an apparent weather balloon during an October 16 flight 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 United Flight 1093, a Boeing 737 MAX over Utah. 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.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Diane Craft)