United Express flight returned to Houston due to shattered windshield — AeroTime

An Embraer E175 operating a United Express flight from Houston, United States, to El Paso returned to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on September 27, 2026, after the windshield in front of the first officer shattered. Glass fragments entered the flight deck, AeroTime reports.

Crew declared an emergency

Flight UA6309, operated by Mesa Airlines, was carrying 72 people. After the incident, the pilots declared an emergency, stopped climbing at about 13,000 feet and reduced speed because glass continued to fall inside the flight deck.

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The airliner returned to the airport about 35 minutes after departure and landed at approximately 13:00 local time. No injuries were reported.

Cabin pressure did not drop

Mesa Airlines said that the first officer's windshield shattered, but the aircraft did not lose cabin pressure. Houston firefighters arrived at the scene and later declared the aircraft safe. Passengers were transferred to another aircraft to continue their journey to El Paso. The US Federal Aviation Administration said it would investigate the incident.