Minutes after taking off Newark Airport on Saturday, March 1, a FedEx plane's engine exploded as a result of a bird strike. Footage shared on social media shows the FedEx Flight 3609 with one of its engines engulfed in flames. The incident prompted an emergency landing, with no one suffering any injuries.
According to the New York Post, the Boeing 767-3S2F took off Newark Aiport around 8 a.m. on Saturday. Minutes later, however, an explosion was reported in one of the plane's engines. It was caused by a bird strike as confirmed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Nine minutes after takeoff, FedEx Flight 3609 made an emergency landing at 8:07 a.m.
The Port Authority, as per The New York Times, confirmed that there were three people aboard the plane. Fortunately, none were injured as a result of the bird strike. The plane, which was flying to Indianapolis from Newark, was then cleared to make the trip at 9:30 a.m., according to Flight Aware. It is unclear whether the flight was transporting cargo at all and, if so, what type of cargo they were transporting.
A FedEx representative shared a statement with the New York Post. The representative detailed the incident that took place at the New Jersey airport.
"FedEx Flight 3609 from Newark to Indianapolis experienced a bird strike during takeoff," the representative said. "Our crew declared an emergency and returned safely to Newark. We are thankful for the quick actions of our crew and first responders."
Latest Aircraft Incidents
Just days earlier, on Tuesday, February 25, a Southwest Airlines plane was forced to pull itself back into the air shortly before landing. This maneuver was necessary as a FlexJet plane had entered the runway. This could have caused a fatal collision between the two aircraft. The plane, fortunately, was able to land without incident, according to a Southwest spokesperson.
A day earlier, on Monday, February 24, a Delta Air Lines flight had to make an emergency landing after smoke filled the cabin. With 94 passengers aboard, the plane was forced to return to Atlanta. The plane landed safely and all inside were evacuated.
