Delta Plane Made Contact With Firework On 4th Of July In Chicago

The 4th of July weekend got a little scary.

It's a holiday risk you may not think of but it happened in Chicago. Delta Air Lines flight 1076, which was on an A139 plane, was hit by a firework as it was landing at Chicago Midway.

It happened around 7:50 p.m. on the 4th. Here's the ATC audio of it, beginning where the pilot calls the tower about them being hit by a "fireworks display" and that they "heard a bang on the plane".

Here's the good news: everyone is fine. According to Delta, the flight "landed safely and taxied to the gate".

Once they landed, the plane was checked by mechanics and no damage to it was found.

The FAA does establish TFR (Temporary Flight Restrictions) especially for smaller planes on the 4th of July. Commercial flights are affected too. At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the FAA totally closed flight operations at the airport on July 3rd from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and on the 4th from noon-11:59 p.m. It also allows for military flyovers.

For big fireworks shows, the FAA might also divert or delay flights from nearby airports, or change the flight's route if it's an option to keep the plane away from shockwaves and altitudes.