CHICAGO — A Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 reported a firework strike on final approach to Chicago Midway International Airport the evening of July 4, 2026, in what aviation experts are calling an extraordinarily rare incident. The Delta flight firework strike occurred at approximately 200 feet above ground level — well within the reach of consumer mortar shells — as the aircraft descended toward one of the country’s most densely surrounded commercial airports.
No one was injured. The plane landed safely, taxied to the gate under its own power, and was subsequently removed from service for inspection. Chicago police later reported only minor paint damage to the aircraft’s exterior.
What Happened Over Midway
Delta Flight 1076, an Airbus A319 registered as N316NB, was operating a scheduled service from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to Chicago Midway (MDW) on the evening of July 4. The aircraft was on short final — roughly 200 to 250 feet above the ground — when the flight crew reported contact with a firework.
According to air traffic control audio captured by LiveATC.net, the crew radioed the tower: “We just heard a bang on the plane, so we’ll have to look at it when we get to the gate. We’re just hoping it was just a mortar that went off underneath, but definitely felt a big bang.”
The crew did not declare an emergency. They completed the approach and landed normally at approximately 8:30 p.m. CDT.
ATC Had Already Warned of Fireworks on Approach
Air traffic controllers were already aware of the hazard before the crew’s report. According to ABC7 Chicago, a controller had advised the flight crew to be cautious, noting there were “multiple homes near the approach shooting off fireworks.”
After the crew reported the contact, the controller informed them that there had been “multiple reports” of fireworks being set off in close proximity to the runway and that authorities had been notified.
Residents near the airport’s perimeter along 63rd and Central Avenue later told CBS News Chicago that fireworks in the area were “nonstop” that night — at least 20 per minute, according to one neighbor who has lived there for more than 20 years.
58 Aboard; Minor Paint Damage on Inspection
Delta confirmed the aircraft was carrying 52 passengers and six crew members. No injuries were reported to anyone aboard or on the ground.
Chicago police told CBS News Chicago that inspection found only minor paint damage to the aircraft’s exterior. Delta said the plane was taken out of service and was “under evaluation” pending a full mechanical inspection.
In a statement, Delta said: “Delta flight 1076 from Atlanta (ATL) to Chicago (MDW) reportedly made contact with a firework while on descent. The flight safely landed and taxied to the gate.”
FAA Investigating; Chicago Police Referred Questions to FBI
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it will investigate the incident. Chicago police, who were notified on the night of the strike, subsequently referred further questions to the FBI — an indication of potential federal interest, though no charges or enforcement actions have been announced.
Joe Schwieterman, a transportation and aviation expert at DePaul University, told CBS News Chicago he had never encountered a case like this one. “I’ve been watching aviation my whole life and have seen about everything from different kinds of birds to projectiles, but never a firework,” he said. “This really is an indication that these risks pop out of nowhere.”
Schwieterman noted Midway’s particular vulnerability: short runways, dense surrounding traffic, and tightly configured neighborhoods that push residential activity almost to the airport fence line.
A Rare but Documented Risk
Direct firework strikes on commercial airliners are uncommon, but the risk is not hypothetical. Simple Flying noted a related precedent: a JetBlue Airbus A320 reported a firework passing 100 feet below it on final approach to New York’s JFK Airport in November 2025. In April, an easyJet flight at Paris Orly Airport was forced to abort a landing after a wedding procession set off fireworks directly in its path.
The July 4 context compounded the hazard. The TSA projected screening nearly 18.7 million travelers nationally between June 30 and July 6 — a record-breaking holiday travel period. Chicago’s two airports alone anticipated close to 1.95 million passengers over the holiday stretch, with Midway handling approximately 40,000 on July 4 itself.
Consumer fireworks mortars can reach altitudes of 50 to 200 feet — precisely the band where a commercial aircraft on short final is most exposed. For the crew of Flight 1076, the numbers aligned just close enough to produce a loud bang and a tense few seconds before touchdown.
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Sources
- CBS News Chicago — Delta Air Lines flight hit by firework while landing at Midway International Airport
- ABC7 Chicago — Plane reportedly hit by firework while landing at Midway on Fourth of July
- Simple Flying — Delta Airbus A319 Struck By July 4 Firework Landing At Chicago Midway
- AeroTime — Delta A319 hit by firework while landing: media reports
- CNN — Minor paint damage reported on Delta plane that reported being hit by firework while landing in Chicago
