Overview
- Pilots of Delta Flight 1076 reported feeling a loud impact about 200–250 feet above the ground as the Airbus A319 descended toward Midway on Saturday and then landed safely with no injuries.
- Air traffic control audio captured the crew telling the tower they had been hit by a firework and controllers warned other arrivals after multiple reports of fireworks near the approach corridor.
- The aircraft was removed from service for inspection; Delta mechanics said they found no damage while Chicago police reported minor paint damage, leaving the extent of harm disputed.
- The Federal Aviation Administration has opened a formal probe and local authorities were notified as investigators work to determine the source of the pyrotechnic and whether enforcement action is possible.
- Fireworks can reach altitudes that overlap low approaches and Midway’s runways sit beneath dense neighborhoods, a mix that experts say complicates enforcement and creates a real safety concern for landing aircraft.