United 737 MAX 8 diverted to Salt Lake City after windshield crack

A United Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 en route from Denver to Los Angeles diverted to Salt Lake City on Thursday after pilots discovered a crack in one layer of the aircraft’s multilayer cockpit windshield, the airline said. Flight 1093 landed safely at Salt Lake City International Airport with 134 passengers and six crew members on board, United said, and another aircraft later carried customers to Los Angeles about six hours behind schedule.

United identified the jet as registration N17327. The airplane was cruising at about 36,000 feet when the crew notified air traffic control and began a descent to roughly 26,000 feet before diverting to the nearest suitable airport, officials said. Photographs circulating online showed what appear to be scorch marks at the point of impact and cuts on the pilot’s forearm; local and airline statements indicated one pilot sustained injuries consistent with glass cuts. United said its maintenance team was working to return the aircraft to service.

The National Transportation Safety Board said the windshield has been sent to its laboratory for examination and that investigators will interview the flight crew and review flight data and voice...