2026-05-12T12:43:03.500Z

Southwest Airlines Flight 2665 from Albuquerque to Baltimore diverted to Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Both the airline and FAA confirmed the issue stemmed from a cracked windshield.
Passengers transferred to another flight and reached Baltimore roughly four hours behind schedule.

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 diverted safely following a midair windshield crack.

Flight 2665 departed Albuquerque shortly after 2 p.m. on Monday, running about 20 minutes late, with an expected arrival in Baltimore some three-and-a-half hours later.

Flightradar24 tracking data indicates that roughly one hour into the flight, while at 37,000 feet, the plane veered south toward Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The 19-year-old Boeing 737, tail number N265WN, handled the diversion without issue.

The Federal Aviation Administration stated the aircraft touched down safely in Tulsa after the crew reported the windshield crack, and an investigation is underway.

Southwest Airlines confirmed the diversion to Tulsa resulted from the windshield issue, noting a smooth landing and swift rebooking of passengers on a replacement flight to Baltimore.

The airline praised the flight crew's professionalism throughout the ordeal.

According to Flightradar24, the substitute aircraft arrived in Baltimore near 11:30 p.m., delaying travelers by about four hours from their original schedule.

The exact cause of the crack remains under review, but those aboard faced negligible danger.

Aircraft windshields feature multiple layers of tempered glass and specialized materials, ensuring structural integrity even if one layer fails.

In October, a United Airlines flight experienced a similar crack from a weather balloon collision at 36,000 feet.

Bird strikes occur more frequently than such odd encounters, yet windshield damage stays exceptionally rare.

That same month, a government plane transporting Pete Hegseth turned back over the Atlantic due to a cracked windshield.

The most infamous case dates to 1990, when a British Airways pilot was nearly sucked out after the windshield blew out - due to improper screw installation, not a mere crack. The crew secured him inside; he endured frostbite and minor fractures but survived.