FedEx Cargo Plane Makes Emergency Landing After Bird Strike

A FedEx cargo plane made an emergency landing at Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday after a bird strike caused an engine fire visible in the morning sky.

The Boeing 767, bound for Indianapolis, struck a bird shortly after takeoff, prompting the crew to shut down the damaged engine and return to the airport. Audio from LiveATC captured a calm request to “return to the airport” due to the strike, followed by reports that part of the engine had fallen off the right wing.

Despite the alarming situation, the pilots executed a safe landing just after 8 a.m., with all three crew members disembarking unharmed. The incident briefly halted air traffic before operations resumed.

Witnesses described seeing heavy smoke, but the fire remained contained to the engine. “The pilots handled it like champs,” said aviation expert Jason Hoffman.

The FAA and NTSB will investigate the incident, highlighting the growing concern over bird strikes, which caused over 19,000 wildlife-related incidents at U.S. airports in 2023. While most are minor, rare cases, like the famous 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson,” have resulted in severe damage.

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