FAA investigation finds no structural damage to struck Delta aircraft
FAA inspection confirms no damage to Delta aircraft struck by firework near Chicago.
Event / Disaster
Delta Flight 1076 Firework Strike
Delta Air Lines Flight 1076 was struck by a firework while descending into Chicago Midway International Airport on July 4, 2026. The Airbus A319 sustained minor paint damage but landed safely with 52 passengers and 6 crew members. Multiple similar incidents occurred that evening, prompting an FAA investigation.
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2026-08-16 to 2026-11-13 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 5 Jul, 21:23 UTC
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What happened
Delta Air Lines flight struck by firework during descent into Chicago
Delta flight 1076 was struck by a firework during its descent into Chicago Midway International Airport on July 4th. The pilot reported feeling a large impact at an altitude of 200 to 250 feet just before landing. The aircraft, an Airbus A319 carrying 52 passengers and 6 crew members, had originated from Atlanta. The plane landed safely at 8:30 p.m. local time with no injuries reported.
FAA initiates investigation into firework strike on commercial aircraft
The Federal Aviation Administration announced it would investigate the incident involving the firework strike on Delta flight 1076. Air traffic control recordings indicated multiple reports of similar firework encounters on July 4th, with Chicago city officials reportedly aware of the situation.
Mechanical inspection finds no damage to struck aircraft
Delta Air Lines mechanics inspected the Airbus A319 that was struck by the firework and determined there was no damage to the aircraft, despite the impact reported by the pilot during descent.
FAA investigating firework strike on Delta flight
The Federal Aviation Administration initiated an investigation into the incident involving Delta Flight 1076 being struck by fireworks during descent into Chicago Midway International Airport.
Firework caused minor paint damage to Delta aircraft
The firework strike caused minor paint damage to the Airbus A319. The aircraft was placed under evaluation on Sunday to assess for any additional structural or mechanical damage beyond the cosmetic harm.
Delta flight landed safely with no injuries after firework impact
Despite being struck by the firework, Delta Flight 1076 landed safely at Chicago Midway International Airport and taxied to the gate without further incident. The aircraft carried 52 passengers and 6 crew members, with no injuries reported.
Delta Air Lines Flight 1076 struck by firework during descent into Chicago Midway
Delta Air Lines Flight 1076, an Airbus A319 traveling from Atlanta to Chicago Midway International Airport, was struck by a firework while descending on Saturday, July 4, 2026, around 8:30 p.m. local time. The pilot reported feeling and hearing a significant impact from the firework mortar at approximately 200 feet altitude during final approach.
Air traffic control reported multiple similar incidents during July 4 evening
Air traffic controllers indicated that the firework strike on Delta Flight 1076 was not an isolated incident, with controllers reporting "multiple reports" of similar firework-related incidents affecting aircraft descending into Chicago Midway that evening.
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2 alternative perspectives
Delta flight struck by firework during Chicago approach, safely lands
Delta flight struck by firework near Chicago landed safely; FAA investigating.