United Airlines declared an emergency after its windshield shattered

A United Express regional flight traveling from Houston-George Bush Intercontinental Airport, TX (IAH/KIAH) to El Paso International Airport, TX (ELP/KELP) was forced to make an emergency landing at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Sunday when its windshield was shattered after takeoff. An Embraer E175 operated by Mesa Airlines was performing the flight.

Several layers of the windshield reportedly shattered, sending pieces of glass into the cockpit. The crew stopped the aircraft's climb at around 13,000 feet and returned to Houston, landing safely approximately 35 minutes after departure. Passengers were transferred to another plane and landed in El Paso later that afternoon, according to flight tracking data.

According to a report released to the media no cause has been given as to why the plane's windshield broke soon after takeoff. There was no report of depressurization or a bird strike that caused the glass on the first officer's side of the cockpit to completely fail. The use of improperly sized bolts has previously caused windshield failure at high altitude in past mishaps. Additionally, commercial airplane windows are heavily heated to prevent icing and fogging. If moisture leaks into the window laminates, it can degrade the electrical wiring and cause a short circuit or electrical arc. That power malfunction can cause heating to the glass and degrade its strength over time.

The Houston Fire Department responded to the aircraft distress call and met the plane on the tarmac. First responders cleared the plane safely to continue to the terminal area, where it is waiting for inspection and maintenance.

An investigation will follow by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and potentially the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as well. 

Aircraft Information:

Airline: United Express

Operator: Mesa Airlines

Code: UA/UAL

Aircraft: Embraer E175LR

Registration: N87360

Serial Number: 17000705

Engines: General Electric CF34-8E

First Flew: December 2017

Age: 8.9 Years

In recent years, there have been a few accidents linked to such causes, the most notable being Sichuan Airlines Flight 8633 in 2018. While cruising at 32,000 feet (9,750 meters), the Airbus A319’s right-side cockpit windshield shattered, partially pulling the co-pilot out of the cockpit. Investigations later revealed that a manufacturing defect had caused the glass to fail.

In 2015, a Frontier Airlines Airbus A319 lost its windshield mid-flight while heading to New Orleans. The crew saw arcing and sparks at the base of the glass, quickly followed by spreading cracks. Two years earlier, a private jet near Fiji in the Pacific Ocean experienced a similar incident. The 2013 accident involved a Cessna 750 Citation X flying at 45,000 feet (13,716 meters).