Space debris? US agency investigates shattered window on aircraft
Last week, the windshield of a Boeing shattered at an altitude of 10,000 meters. The cause is now being sought, and there are few possibilities.
(Image: Trevor Mogg/ Shutterstock.com)
The US Department of Transportation's NTSB is investigating damage to an aircraft during flight over the US state of Utah, which, according to the injured pilot, was caused by an object from space. This is according to a statement from the National Transportation Safety Board. The pilot's remark, according to which he spoke of “space debris,” is being disseminated by Ars Technica, among others. However, this would be extremely unlikely, and if the damage is indeed caused by an object from space, a meteorite would have been more likely responsible. If this is confirmed, it would probably be the first such incident ever.
Few causes imaginable
As the NTSB explains on the microblogging service X, the incident occurred on Thursday over Moab in Utah. A Boeing 737-8 at cruising altitude had a crack in its windshield, and the aircraft was subsequently diverted. Instead of landing in Los Angeles as planned, the aircraft landed safely in Salt Lake City. The passengers had to change planes and reached their destination on another aircraft. The transportation authority is now collecting radar, weather, and flight data to determine the cause of the damage. Footage circulating on social media shows not only the shattered window but also an upper arm with multiple injuries. This is said to belong to the pilot, reports The Hill, for example.
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Given the altitude and weather conditions, not many causes for the damage are conceivable, adds The Weather Network. Only a few birds fly at an altitude of around 11,000 meters (36,000 feet) where the windshield was damaged, and none of them are found in North America. Hailstones could also cause such damage, but the aircraft was flying in clear skies. A weather balloon could still be a cause, but officially none were in the air in the area at the time. Theoretically, space debris could indeed hit an aircraft, the trade portal further writes, but the probability is extremely low. A meteorite is more likely. In any case, the investigations could take a long time.
(mho)
