American Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing After Bird Strike Causes Engine Fire
By Boniface Ihiasota, USA
A Boeing 737 belonging to American Airlines experienced engine trouble midair after being hit by a flock of geese.
The incident occurred 40 minutes after the aircraft, Flight 1958 to Phoenix, Arizona, took off from John Glenn Columbus International Airport on Sunday.
Passengers Marni Kallestad and Ryan Brink captured footage of the engine on fire as it emitted ‘wonky, pulsing noises.’
The pilot, however, managed to carry out an emergency landing safely at an Ohio airport.
The flight-tracking website, FlightAware, confirmed that the aircraft took off at 7:43 am and landed back at the airport at 8:22 am.
Initially, the airport tweeted that the engine had caught fire, but it later corrected the statement, saying that it was a mechanical issue. The airport commended the emergency crews for their swift response.
The incident serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by bird strikes to commercial aircraft. While rare, such incidents can cause significant damage and endanger the lives of passengers and crew.
