The FedEx cargo plane said it was forced to make an emergency landing at Newar Liberty International Airport on Saturday morning and burned one of its engines after attacking a bird as it left the airport.
The Port Authorities of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport, said no injuries were reported. Authorities said there were three people on the plane.
In a statement, FedEx said the plane was flying from Newark to Indianapolis when a bird attack occurred. “Our crew declared a state of emergency and returned safely to Newark,” he said, adding that the plane is being valued. The company did not answer questions about which cargo was on board.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the bird strike damaged one of the Boeing 767's engines. The agency said the FedEx Flight 3609 plane was disabled on the runway. Port Authority's aircraft rescue and fire units, Port Authority's police and Port Authority operations responded to emergency landings.
The episode took place around 8am, and after a while the operation resumed at the airport.
Fire can be seen below the plane in footage shared on social media. Videos of the plane while in the air show flashes of what looks like fire, then puffs of smoke.
The episode follows a series of air disasters, including an airborne collision between an Army helicopter and a passenger jet in Washington, DC, which killed 67 people.
It is not uncommon for planes to hit wildlife such as birds. Most episodes do not cause death or serious injuries.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration report released in June, 19,603 wildlife strikes were reported in the United States in 2023, or an average of around 54 strikes daily. Of these strikes, 3.6% caused damage.
