The Airbus A319 landed safely at Midway Airport with 58 people aboard.
CHICAGO, IL — A Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta landed safely at Chicago Midway International Airport on July 4 after its crew reported that a firework hit the plane during final approach, the airline and air traffic audio said.
The report drew federal attention because it came as the Airbus A319 was low over Chicago on one of the busiest fireworks nights of the year. Delta said 52 passengers and six crew members were aboard Flight 1076. No injuries were reported, and the aircraft taxied to the gate without an emergency landing.
The flight was descending into Midway on Saturday evening when the crew radioed the tower after hearing a sharp noise near the aircraft. The pilot told air traffic controllers, “We just had a firework hit our plane,” according to the audio. The crew said the plane was continuing its approach. The flight landed shortly before 8:40 p.m. Central time, according to flight-tracking information cited in local reports.
The pilot later described the sound as a “big bang” and said the aircraft was about 200 to 250 feet above the ground when the crew noticed it. The pilot said the crew hoped it had been a mortar-type firework that went off under the aircraft rather than a direct strike. Air traffic control told the crew there had been multiple reports in the area and directed the plane to continue to the gate for inspection.
Delta said the aircraft “made contact with a firework” during its approach and confirmed that the plane landed safely. Mechanics inspected the aircraft after it reached the gate. Reports differed at first on whether the plane had minor paint damage or no damage, but officials and the airline said no one aboard was hurt. Chicago police referred questions to the FBI, while the Federal Aviation Administration said it was investigating the report.
The incident happened near Midway, which sits in a dense area on Chicago’s Southwest Side. Flights landing there often pass over homes, streets and businesses at low altitude in the final moments before touchdown. The July Fourth holiday adds another risk in many cities, as legal and illegal fireworks are set off after dark. Air traffic audio from the same period included a controller warning another approaching plane about fireworks near the airport.
No arrests or citations had been announced by July 6. It was not immediately clear where the firework was launched, who set it off or whether investigators had recovered any debris. The FAA investigation is expected to review the flight crew’s report, tower communications, aircraft inspection records and any information from local police or federal authorities. Delta did not report a disruption to passengers after the plane reached the gate.
The exchange between pilots and controllers showed concern in the tower as other flights continued into Midway. A controller told a Southwest Airlines crew about fireworks in the area, saying there had been multiple reports. The response from the Delta crew remained calm as the plane continued to land. The crew’s main concern after touchdown was whether the aircraft had been damaged and needed further review before flying again.
The case remained under review Monday. The next public update is expected from federal aviation officials or law enforcement if investigators identify where the firework was launched or determine whether the aircraft sustained reportable damage.
Author note: Last updated July 6, 2026.