A Delta Air Lines flight carrying 52 passengers and six crew was struck by a firework while descending into Chicago Midway International Airport on Saturday evening, the Fourth of July. The aircraft, an Airbus A319 operating flight DL1076 from Atlanta, landed safely shortly after 8:30 p.m. local time and taxied to the gate without declaring an emergency. No injuries were reported.

According to US aviation authorities, the pilot told air traffic control that the crew felt a “big bang” and hoped it was “just a mortar that went off underneath”. The strike occurred at an altitude of roughly 200 to 250 feet. Air traffic controllers had earlier cautioned the flight about multiple homes near the approach end shooting off fireworks, noting that the city was aware and that Chicago police had been notified.

Conflicting accounts of the damage have emerged. Chicago police said the firework caused minor paint damage, while Delta Air Lines stated that mechanics who inspected the plane after it reached the gate found no damage. The airline said the aircraft was taken out of service for evaluation. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it will investigate the incident.

Viewed from Washington, the event unfolded amid widespread Independence Day pyrotechnic displays across the country. In New York, a small fire broke out on the Brooklyn Bridge during a fireworks show, with no injuries. At the National Mall in the capital, a massive official display prompted a temporary suspension of flights at nearby Reagan National Airport. It remains unclear where the firework that struck the Delta jet was launched from, and no arrests have been announced. The FAA investigation is ongoing.