Southwest 737 Returns to Airport After Windshield Crack

The FAA said it is investigating the incident.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 10:10 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Southwest Boeing 737-700. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Key Takeaways:

A Southwest Airlines flight (2414) bound for Austin from Orlando was forced to return to Orlando International Airport due to a cracked windshield reported by the crew.
The Boeing 737-700 aircraft landed safely, and there were no reports of injuries to passengers or crew.
The cause of the windshield crack is currently unknown, and the FAA is investigating the incident.

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A Southwest flight was forced to return to Orlando International Airport after its crew reported a cracked windshield.

Southwest Flight 2414 took off for Austin, Texas, shortly after 6 a.m. local time Thursday but turned around and landed back at Orlando around 7:15 a.m, according to a statement from the FAA. A Boeing 737-700 was operating the route.

The aircraft landed safely in Orlando and there were no reports of any injuries to passengers or crew.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crack in the windshield.

The FAA said it is investigating the incident.

Zach Vasile

Zach Vasile is a writer and editor covering news in all aspects of commercial aviation. He has reported for and contributed to the Manchester Journal Inquirer, the Hartford Business Journal, the Charlotte Observer, and the Washington Examiner, with his area of focus being the intersection of business and government policy.