CHICAGO — A Delta Air Lines flight arriving at Chicago’s Midway International Airport on the Fourth of July was reportedly struck by a firework during its final descent, forcing pilots to assess potential damage mid-air before landing safely.
Delta Flight 1076, an Airbus A319, had departed Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta at 7:36 p.m. ET. Just over a hour later, as the aircraft was descending into Chicago amidst nationwide Independence Day celebrations, it crossed paths with an active holiday fireworks display.
Audio from radio communications captured the tense moments immediately following the impact, revealing how close the aircraft came to the exploding pyrotechnics just before 8:40 p.m. CT.
“Control tower, a firework display has just hit our plane, Delta flight 1076,” the cockpit crew calmly informed air traffic control. “We are continuing our flight.”
While the pilots were able to maintain control of the Airbus, they noted a distinct, unsettling impact that reverberated through the cabin.
“Heard a loud bang on board,” a crew member stated over the radio. “We will have to examine the aircraft once we arrive at the boarding gate. We just hope it was just a mortar that exploded underneath, but we clearly felt a loud bang.”
Despite the jarring encounter, the flight crew did not declare an emergency or request priority landing assistance. The aircraft was able to continue its approach and touched down at Midway without further incident at 8:38 p.m. CT.
Holiday fireworks have long posed a seasonal hazard for aviation, particularly in densely populated urban areas where amateur and professional displays often light up the skies near major airport approach corridors.
Delta Air Lines confirmed the incident and noted that the aircraft would undergo a thorough safety inspection at the gate to determine if the exploding mortar caused any structural or cosmetic damage. No injuries were reported among the passengers or crew.
