An American passenger flight made an emergency landing after being pelted by a powerful hailstorm that dangerously disfigured the front of the cockpit.

As passengers screamed aboard the violent and rough flight, the windshield and nose cone of the Delta Airlines service took on dramatic damage, thanks to flying straight through a thunderstorm.

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The Airbus A320 was diverted from its route and landed safely at Denver International Airport, an FAA spokesman told The Denver Post.

So I flew right over this. Not fun! #dl1889 “@BEAUTIFULPlCS: supercell over #Nebraska. Photo by Gregory Kaser. pic.twitter.com/U1xeZjqqlY”

— Beau Sorensen (@sorrogrande) August 8, 2015

“There were times when we felt like the air dropped out from under us,” passenger Beau Sorensen said. “We could see lightning spider-webbing over the wings and hail pounding the plane.”

The turbulence slammed the plane, shaking it side to side and up and down. 

The aircraft reportedly experienced drops of up to 14,000 feet in altitude over a two-minute period. “Babies were crying. Some young teens behind me were screaming and crying,” Mr Sorensen said.  

#Delta should give the pilot of my flight a sizable bonus for saving our butts. pic.twitter.com/O5EntnI5A2

— Beau Sorensen (@sorrogrande) August 8, 2015

Mr Sorensen took photos of the plane once he was on solid ground again, displaying the significant damage.

According to reports, some children refused to get onto the replacement flight because they were so frightened.

This meant parents were forced to rent cars and drive the rest of the way to the flight’s destination, Salt Lake City.

One flight attendant said it was the worst flight she’d been on in 30 years performing the role.