A Delta Air Lines flight reported a close encounter with a firework while descending toward Chicago Midway International Airport on the evening of July 4th. The pilot of Delta flight 1076 alerted air traffic controllers shortly before landing, describing a "big bang" that indicated contact with a firework.
The incident took place when the Airbus A319 was at an altitude of approximately 200 to 250 feet. The pilot expressed hope that the sound was from a "mortar," referring to the launch tube for aerial fireworks.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Delta confirmed that the flight, which had departed from Atlanta with 52 passengers and six crew members, landed safely at Midway just after 8:30 p.m. local time. The airline stated that mechanics inspected the aircraft and found no damage, and there were no onboard injuries.
The FAA has announced it will investigate the incident. In audio recordings of the communication between the flight and air traffic control, controllers mentioned "multiple reports" of similar encounters with fireworks and indicated that city officials were aware of the situation. The FAA has not immediately responded to inquiries regarding additional firework-related flight incidents on that date.