HOUSTON— A United Airlines (UA) regional flight carrying 72 people made an emergency return to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) after its cockpit windshield shattered shortly after takeoff on Sunday.
The Embraer E175, operated by Mesa Airlines, was heading from Houston to El Paso International Airport (ELP) when glass began falling inside the cockpit.
The flight departed IAH at about 12:20 p.m. and initially climbed northwest toward El Paso.
The pilots stopped the climb, reduced speed, and informed air traffic control that the windshield had broken through more than a single layer, prompting the crew to declare an emergency and return to Houston.
Windshield Shatters Midflight During Climb
The windshield failure affected the first officer’s side of the cockpit. Air traffic control recordings showed the crew reporting that pieces of glass were falling inside the flight deck as the aircraft continued its return toward Houston.
Mesa Airlines said the aircraft did not experience a loss of cabin pressurization despite the windshield damage.
The airline also confirmed that returning to the departure airport was the standard procedure in such circumstances, allowing the crew to land at a familiar airport with emergency services available.
The FAA said aircraft windshields are built from multiple layers of tempered glass and other materials. The agency is investigating the incident, while the available reports have not identified what caused the windshield to shatter or whether an external object was involved.
E175 Returns Safely To Houston Airport
The regional jet landed safely at George Bush Intercontinental Airport at around 1 p.m., roughly 40 minutes after departure. No passengers or crew members were injured, and the Houston Fire Department responded after the aircraft returned, before declaring the aircraft safe.
The aircraft was able to return and taxi to the gate under its own power. Flight-tracking data showed that the aircraft had been traveling northwest before reversing course toward Houston after the cockpit windshield problem developed.
The incident aircraft was an Embraer E175 operated by Mesa Airlines for United. Aviation incident records identify the aircraft as registration N87360 and the flight as UA6309, which operated the scheduled Houston-El Paso service.
Passengers Continue Safely On To El Paso
After the aircraft returned to Houston, Mesa Airlines transferred the passengers to a replacement aircraft so they could continue their journey. The replacement E175 subsequently operated the flight to El Paso, where it arrived at approximately 3:14 p.m, CNN reported.
The windshield incident did not result in injuries, but it caused a significant disruption to the scheduled service. The FAA investigation is expected to examine the windshield failure and determine how the damage occurred during the initial climb.
The incident also highlights the importance of the layered construction used in commercial aircraft windshields, which is designed to provide protection and maintain structural integrity when individual layers are damaged.
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