According to the FAA FedEx Flight 3609 was forced to return to Newark Liberty International Airport shortly after a bird strike shortly after takeoff. The Boeing 767 landed safely, one of its engine could be seen engulfed in flames. The FAA is investigating (Video Credit: Sofiane Zeblah via Storyful).
NEWARK, N.J. — A FedEx cargo plane had an engine burst into flames when it was struck by a bird during takeoff Saturday morning.
The Boeing 767 took off from Newark, New Jersey‘s Liberty International Airport around 8 a.m. ET but one of the engines was hit by a bird a short time later, according to the FAA.
Video from witnesses around the Tri-State area showed the plane circling back and returning to Newark with sparks and flames spewing from the damaged engine.
Sofiane Zeblah told Storyful they were “driving on highway” and noticed “something black going into [the plane’s] right engine and then flames started.”
The plane landed safely back at Liberty, the FAA said. There were no reported injuries.
The 767 had been bound for Indianapolis.