The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that a Delta Air Lines plane was hit by a fireworks projectile during Independence Day celebrations in the United States, while landing at Midway International Airport in Chicago, Illinois.
The US authorities explained that the pilot of the aircraft, from Atlanta, reported at 8:30 p.m. local time on July 4 that a projectile hit shortly before landing.
Delta Air Lines Flight 1076 took off from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport at 7:36 p.m., according to the FlightAware website, cited by NBC.
“Tower, just hit a firecracker against our planeDelta 1076. We continue communication,” the air traffic control audio revealed.
The pilot He reported hearing an explosion on the plane. “We’ll have to check it when we get to the boarding gate. We hope it was just a mortar shell that exploded below, but there was certainly a strong explosion felt,” he adds during the recording.
The plane landed safely and the incident did not force an emergency landing, according to airline officials.
ATC Communication: A Delta Air Lines A319 aircraft operating flight 1076 was reportedly hit by a firework while landing at Chicago’s Midway International Airport on Saturday, the Fourth of July (just before 8:40 pm Central).
Delta Air Lines Flight 1076, which was flying from… pic.twitter.com/Bpjr2AJxzM
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) July 5, 2026
WCTV said air traffic control had received several warnings and that the city planned to report the incident to Chicago Police.
The police later stated that the fireworks caused minor damage in the paint of the aircraft. The airline added that the plane was inspected on July 5 to verify that it had not suffered additional damage.
Also on the night of the 4th of July, the Brooklyn Bridge caught fire briefly during a fireworks show organized by the Macy’s department store chain in New York after 9 p.m. The Police Department reported that there were no injuries.
The launching of fireworks is part of the traditions of Independence Day in the United States, one of the most important national holidays in the country.
On the occasion of the 250th anniversary, Washington was illuminated with a historic light show that included some 850 thousand projectiles, the largest of its kind in American history, with which President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to impose a new world record.