Delta Plane Hit by Firework During Landing

A Delta Air Lines jet was reportedly struck by a firework as it descended toward a Chicago airport on the Fourth of July, triggering a tense exchange between the pilots and air traffic controllers just moments before landing.

The frightening incident unfolded shortly before 8:40 p.m. Friday as Delta Flight 1076, traveling from Atlanta, approached Chicago Midway International Airport while fireworks exploded across the densely populated neighborhoods surrounding the runway.

The Airbus was reportedly flying just 200 to 250 feet above the ground — one of the most critical stages of any flight — when the crew heard a sudden “loud bang” and felt what appeared to be an impact.

“We’ve just had a firework hit our plane,” one pilot told the control tower, according to air traffic control audio capturing the alarming exchange.

“We’re just hoping it was just a mortar that went off underneath, but definitely felt a big bang,” the crew member added.

The pilots had already been warned by controllers to use caution because numerous fireworks had been spotted dangerously close to the airport’s arrival corridor.

Seconds later, the crew reported the apparent strike.

“We just heard the bang on the plane, so we will have to take a look at it once we get to the gate,” the pilot told controllers.

Despite the terrifying scare, the flight crew remained calm and continued with the landing rather than declaring an emergency.

The aircraft touched down safely at Midway and taxied normally to the gate. No injuries were reported among the passengers or crew members aboard the flight.

Delta later confirmed that the plane had “reportedly made contact with a firework while on descent” but landed without further incident.

The airline immediately removed the aircraft from service so maintenance workers could conduct a thorough inspection before allowing it to return to the skies.

Authorities had already been notified about fireworks being launched near the airport’s flight path before the apparent impact occurred.

Chicago Midway is surrounded by residential neighborhoods, forcing arriving planes to fly low over homes and streets during the final minutes of their approach.

On Independence Day, many of those neighborhoods are filled with backyard fireworks, Roman candles and aerial mortars that continue lighting up the sky long after sunset.

Although most fireworks celebrations pass without incident, the massive number of explosives launched across the city can create serious and unpredictable dangers for aircraft flying overhead.

Some of the largest consumer fireworks can reportedly climb as high as 1,300 feet above the ground, placing them directly in the path of planes taking off or preparing to land.

Commercial aircraft are designed to withstand hazards including bird strikes, hail and severe weather. Direct encounters with fireworks, however, are considered exceptionally rare.

It remains unclear exactly where the firework came from or whether it physically struck the jet or exploded directly beneath it during the descent.

The Federal Aviation Administration has not yet said whether it will launch a formal investigation into the incident.

The Daily Mail said it contacted both Delta and the FAA for additional comment.