A FedEx cargo plane heading to Indianapolis caught fire after colliding with a bird during takeoff from Newark Airport.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, FedEx Flight 3609 struck the bird as it was lifting off, damaging one of the Boeing 767’s engines.
Footage of the incident quickly spread on social media.
The aircraft, carrying three people, safely made an emergency landing back at the airport around 8:07 a.m. Thankfully, no one was injured.
In a statement, FedEx confirmed that its B767 crew declared an emergency and returned safely to Newark after experiencing engine damage and a fire due to the bird strike. The company expressed gratitude for the “quick actions” of the crew and the first responders who assisted at the scene.
A LiveATC recording captured the conversation between air traffic control and the FedEx flight crew following the bird strike and engine fire. In the recording, one person can be heard stating, “the right engine shut down due to a bird strike,” and that they need to “go back to [Newark].”
Shortly after, another voice is heard saying, “The [plane’s] engine fall off the right wing.”
Video footage shows emergency crews responding to the aircraft after it safely returned to the airport.
Mike Bova, a New York resident, witnessed the incident while driving past Newark International Airport and managed to capture the bird strike and resulting engine fire on video. He recalled seeing the plane take off looking “a little wobbly” before “something big [fell] from the sky.”
Bova, who was with his family at the time, said they all panicked, initially fearing it was a passenger plane. They could only “wish for the best at that moment” and hope the aircraft would land safely.
Aviation expert John Cox explained that planes like the Boeing 767 are designed to fly on a single engine until they run out of fuel. He emphasized that “pilots train for it” and that there are established procedures in place to ensure a safe landing in such situations.
According to the FAA, the aircraft remains on the runway as the National Transportation Safety Board conducts its investigation.
Just a few days ago, a Delta Air Lines flight had to return to Atlanta after smoke filled the cabin.
Last week, an American Airlines flight bound for New Delhi was diverted to Rome following a bomb threat.
The day before that, a Delta flight to Australia was forced to return to Los Angeles International Airport after the crew reported smoke in the galley.
Cox acknowledged that the recent string of aviation incidents has heightened anxiety for some travelers. However, he emphasized that airplanes remain “the safest form of transportation” available.
