Delta Flight Encounters Firework During Descent into Chicago

A Delta Air Lines flight experienced a close encounter with a firework while descending toward Chicago Midway International Airport on the evening of July 4. The pilot of flight 1076, which had taken off from Atlanta with 52 passengers and six crew members, reported a collision with the firework just before landing at approximately 8:30 p.m. local time.

In an audio recording, the pilot described hearing a "big bang" while flying at an altitude of 200 to 250 feet. The crew initially speculated that the sound might have been caused by a mortar used to launch aerial fireworks. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported on board, and inspections by Delta mechanics revealed no damage to the Airbus A319. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it would investigate the incident, while air traffic control noted multiple reports of similar encounters with fireworks during the holiday celebrations.