Airplane engine catches fire mid-flight after hitting flock of geese, officials say
An American Airlines flight made an emergency landing after an engine burst into flames in mid-air, Ohio officials said.
The flight from John Glenn International Airport in Columbus was bound for Phoenix, Arizona, according to FlightAware. It took off around 7:40 a.m. EDT but landed back at John Glenn about 40 minutes later.
“Emergency crews responded to an aircraft incident at CMH this morning involving a reported engine fire. The aircraft landed safely and the airport is open and operational,” the airport said in a tweet.
The Boeing 737’s crew reported a “possible bird strike,” the Federal Aviation Administration said in a news release.
Passengers said they heard loud noises outside the cabin, a witness told WCMH.
The pilot said they had flown through a flock of geese, which likely damaged the engine and caused it to catch fire, a passenger told WBNS.
No injuries were reported.
The FAA is investigating.
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