Delta flight forced to make emergency landing in Denver after windscreen cracks

April 1 (UPI) -- A Delta Air Lines flight headed from Salt Lake City to Washington, D.C., had to make an emergency landing just a short period into the flight on Thursday after the plane's windscreen became heavily cracked.

The flight took off late Thursday from Salt Lake City and was forced to make a landing in Denver at about 11:15 p.m., officials said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said an investigation is working to determine the cause of the damaged windscreen, which is the main set of windows in front of the pilots in the cockpit.

The flight was at 30,000 feet when the 198 passengers on board were told about the emergency landing.

Delta said only that the plane "experienced a maintenance issue" during the flight.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the flight crew diverted into Denver and the plane landed routinely," the carrier said, according to KTVX-TV.

"Our team worked quickly to accommodate customers on a new plane, and we sincerely apologize for the delay and inconvenience to their travel plans."

The airline said all the passengers were put on a different plane in Denver heading to Washington.

The emergency landing on Thursday was the second in just a few days for both Delta and Denver's airport.

On Monday, a Delta flight from Atlanta to Seattle carrying 185 passengers made an emergency landing in Denver following a loss of cabin pressure that caused the emergency oxygen masks to deploy in the passenger cabin.