CHICAGO (WKRC) – An airplane was reportedly struck by a firework on the Fourth of July, and the reaction of the pilots was captured by air traffic control (ATC) audio.
According to details from Delta Air Lines and ATC audio obtained by CNN, Delta Flight 1076 was arriving at Chicago Midway International Airport on the evening of July 4 when the pilots notified air traffic control about an unexpected “bang.”
“We just had a firework hit out plane,” a pilot said, per the ATC audio. “We’re hoping it was just a mortar that went off underneath, but definitely felt a big bang.
The air traffic controller told the pilots that there had been other reports of similar incidents in the area, and that the crew should land at their intended destination and inspect for damages.
“Welcome to the war zone,” one air traffic controller told a Southwest flight arriving shortly after the Delta flight.
“They said they would notify the Chicago police, but you know, I don’t know what they’ll do, right?” a controller said.
CNN reached out to Chicago police for a statement, but had not received a response as of its article publication.
