Delta Pilot Reports Mid-Air Collision on Final Approach Into Midway, but the Object That Hit Them Wasn’t a Bird
Fright of their lives.
Delta Airlines just had one of the weirdest, and most alarming, landings in recent memory. A plane carrying 52 passengers and six crew members was struck by a firework while descending into Chicago’s Midway International Airport on July 4, 2026. According to the BBC, the aircraft, an Airbus A319, was on its final approach when the crew reported a loud impact at around 200 feet above the ground.
The pilot’s radio call to air traffic control made it clear this wasn’t your typical bird strike. “We just had a firework hit our plane,” the pilot said, adding, “definitely felt a big bang.” The flight, Delta 1076, had taken off from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport at 7:51 PM EDT and landed in Chicago at 8:33 PM CDT without incident – aside from the unexpected pyrotechnic encounter.
The airline confirmed the plane safely taxied to the gate after the landing, and a post-flight inspection found no damage. No injuries were reported, but the incident was immediately flagged to aviation authorities, including the Federal Aviation Administration, which is now investigating, according to Complex.
Air traffic control recordings from the night reveal how chaotic the skies over Chicago were
Controllers warned incoming flights about the fireworks being set off near the airport, with one officer telling Delta 1076, “Use caution, there are multiple homes near the approach end shooting off fireworks.” The controller even noted that the city was aware of the situation and had been notified, but it’s unclear what, if any, action was taken to stop the unauthorized displays.
The Chicago Police Department later confirmed the aircraft was struck by an “unknown object” that caused minor paint damage, though the FAA’s investigation will likely determine the full extent of the impact. This wasn’t just a random mishap. The incident happened on the Fourth of July, when millions across the country were celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary with fireworks.
While large, organized displays are common, so are smaller, unsupervised ones, often set off from backyards or residential areas. In this case, it appears a firework launched from a nearby home made contact with the descending aircraft. The pilot’s hope that it was “just a mortar that went off underneath” suggests the crew was bracing for the worst, but thankfully, the plane landed without further issues.
The incident coincided with one of the largest fireworks displays in the country
In Washington, D.C., the National Park Service put on a 40-minute show at the National Mall, forcing nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to suspend flights from noon until after the pyrotechnics ended. That kind of coordination is standard for major events, but Saturday’s incident in Chicago highlights the risks of unregulated fireworks near flight paths.
Air traffic control’s warnings about “multiple homes” shooting off fireworks near Midway’s approach end suggest this wasn’t an isolated case, and it’s not hard to imagine how dangerous it could have been if the firework had struck a more critical part of the aircraft. Delta’s quick confirmation that no damage was found is reassuring, but the FAA’s involvement means this isn’t just being brushed aside.
The agency takes mid-air collisions, even with fireworks, seriously, and the investigation will likely focus on whether local authorities could have done more to prevent the incident. The Chicago Police Department’s statement that the object was “unknown” at the time of the report also raises questions about how quickly officials were able to respond to the situation.
This isn’t the first time Delta has found itself in the headlines for an unexpected in-flight incident
Delta Airlines is currently facing a $2.35 million lawsuit from an Arkansas woman, Madison Cupp, who alleges a flight attendant wrongly accused her father of trafficking and sexually abusing her during a 2019 flight. According to the complaint, the then-13-year-old was comforted by her father during turbulence, but a flight attendant reported the interaction as suspicious, leading to armed law enforcement boarding the plane after landing.
Cupp and her father were separated, and he was questioned before authorities determined there was no basis for an arrest. The lawsuit claims the incident caused lasting emotional distress and accuses the airlines of negligence, false imprisonment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
While the firework incident and the lawsuit are unrelated, they both underscore the unpredictable nature of air travel and highlight how quickly situations can escalate. In the case of Delta 1076, the crew’s professionalism ensured a safe landing, but the fact that a firework could even reach a plane at 200 feet is a reminder of how vulnerable aircraft can be during takeoff and landing.
(Featured image: Matthew Groh)
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