Mesa Airlines flight returns to Houston after windshield shatters

A Mesa Airlines flight, operating as United Express Flight 6309, was forced to make an emergency return to Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport on September 27, 2026, after a windshield shattered shortly after takeoff. The Embraer E175 was en route to El Paso with 72 people aboard when the first officer’s windshield broke, sending glass into the cockpit.

Air traffic control recordings reveal the pilots declared an emergency, noting that the glass had “busted completely through” rather than just a single layer. The crew reported that glass was falling inside the cockpit, prompting them to stop their climb at approximately 13,000 feet and reduce speed.

Despite the breakage, Mesa Airlines stated that the aircraft did not lose cabin pressure. The plane landed safely at approximately 1:00 pm local time, where the Houston Fire Department met the aircraft to assess the situation. No injuries were reported. Passengers were transferred to a replacement aircraft and arrived in El Paso later that afternoon. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has stated it will investigate the incident.