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Delta pilot reports firework hit plane above Chicago
FAA says it will investigate after flight 1076 lands safely at Chicago Midway
Key Takeaways:
- A Delta Air Lines flight landed safely at Chicago Midway after its pilot reported a firework hit the plane during descent July 4.
- The flight from Atlanta carried 52 passengers and six crew members, and Delta said mechanics found no damage or injuries.
- The FAA said it would investigate, while audio indicated air traffic controllers had received multiple reports of similar encounters.
A Delta Air Lines flight and a high-flying firework reportedly came into contact in the sky above Chicago as the city celebrated the Fourth of July holiday.
The pilot of Delta flight 1076 notified air traffic controllers just before landing at Chicago Midway International Airport on the night of July 4 that a firework hit the commercial airliner during its descent. In an audio recording published online by LiveATC.net, the pilot described feeling “a big bang” on the plane.
According to the recording, the incident occurred when the plane was flying at an altitude of 200 to 250 feet. The pilot said the crew hoped the bang “was just a mortar that went off,” referencing the tube that helps launch aerial fireworks.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration and Delta said the plane, which had taken off from Atlanta carrying 52 passengers and six crew members, landed safely just after 8:30 p.m. local time.
The incident didn't result in any onboard injuries, and Atlanta-based Delta said July 5 that mechanics who inspected the Airbus A319 did not find any damage.
ATC Communication: A Delta Air Lines A319 aircraft operating flight 1076 was reportedly hit by a firework while landing at Chicago’s Midway International Airport on Saturday, the Fourth of July (just before 8:40 p.m. Central).
Delta Air Lines Flight 1076, which was flying from… pic.twitter.com/Bpjr2AJxzM — FL360aero (@fl360aero) July 5, 2026
The FAA said it would investigate the incident.
It's unclear if fireworks struck other airplanes July 4. In the LiveATC.net audio, an air traffic controller was heard saying there had been “multiple reports" of such encounters and that Chicago city officials were aware.
The FAA did not immediately respond to questions about whether it was aware of additional firework-related incidents. AP also reached out to the city government and the Chicago Police Department for further information.
