A United Airlines flight inadvertently released an emergency evacuation slide mid-flight, landing in a Chicago suburban family's backyard. The incident occurred on Monday as United Airlines Flight 12, a Boeing 767-300, journeyed from Zurich, Switzerland to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. The flight, carrying 155 passengers and 10 crew members, landed safely, but ground crew later discovered the missing slide.

Homeowners Laura and Patrick Devitt reported hearing a loud crash around 12:15 p.m. while family members were having lunch. Upon inspection, they found the deflated slide in their backyard, having impacted their roof, downspout, and a window screen. Devitt described the slide as being "larger than a small car." Thankfully, no one was injured by the falling equipment.

The Devitts moved the slide to their front yard and contacted the Chicago Police Department. Both local authorities and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the incident. United Airlines confirmed they are cooperating with the FAA to determine the cause of the slide deployment.