A Balloon's Unlikely Encounter with a Plane

A recent incident has raised concerns about the safety of weather balloons and their potential impact on air travel. A United Airlines flight from Denver to Los Angeles had to make an unexpected stop in Salt Lake City after a possible weather balloon caused a crack in the plane's windshield.

Incident Details

• Flight Details: United Airlines flight with 134 passengers and 6 crew members.
• Diversion: The plane diverted about an hour and a half into its journey.
• Damage: United Airlines reported damage to the windshield but did not specify the cause.

Investigation and Statements

WindBorne Systems, a California-based company, suggested one of their weather balloons might be responsible. John Dean, the CEO of WindBorne Systems, believes their balloon could be involved based on data analysis. He emphasized that the final decision lies with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), both of which are investigating the incident.

Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the NTSB, hinted that a weather balloon could be to blame. She noted that in the wrong circumstances, this could have been a serious issue for the aircraft and its passengers.

Company Response

WindBorne Systems, which sells data collected by their long-duration weather balloons to government agencies, is cooperating with the NTSB and FAA in their investigation. The company expressed relief that there were no serious injuries or loss of pressurization.

United Airlines arranged for another aircraft to take the passengers to Los Angeles later that day. The maintenance crew is working to return the affected aircraft to service.

Historical Context

WindBorne Systems has launched nearly 5,000 balloons over six years, but if their balloon caused the crack, it would be the first such incident. John Dean stressed the importance of airspace safety and mentioned immediate software changes and increased oversight in response to the event. He also noted that such incidents are highly unlikely based on their data.