FedEx Cargo Plane Performs Emergency Landing After Bird Strike and Engine Fire

A FedEx cargo aircraft made an emergency landing at a bustling New Jersey airport on Saturday after a bird strike ignited an engine fire visible in the morning sky.

The aircraft landed at Newark Liberty International Airport during the emergency situation, as stated by Lenis Valens, a spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. There were no injuries reported, and the fire on the cargo plane was confined to the engine, Valens noted.

Audio captured by LiveATC recorded an individual calmly stating the aircraft needed to “shut down for a possible bird strike” right away. “We need to return to the airport,” they added.

Shortly after, another voice mentioned: “We believe we saw their engine detached from the right wing.” The audio suggests the strike occurred while the plane was several hundred feet in the air.

This emergency landing temporarily halted air traffic as a precautionary measure, but operations resumed shortly thereafter, according to Valens. The incident took place just after 8 a.m., with three individuals on board, all of whom safely exited the aircraft, Valens confirmed.

A FedEx spokesperson indicated that the plane was en route to Indianapolis but, after the bird strike, “declared an emergency and returned safely to Newark after addressing the resulting engine damage,” which included an engine fire.

“The training, skills, and professionalism shown by our FedEx pilots were outstanding. We are grateful for the swift actions of our crew and first responders,” remarked the spokesperson, Austin Kemker.

Kenneth Hoffman, a pilot on a different flight, noted that as his flight was preparing for takeoff, they were informed by air traffic control of the ongoing emergency. Hoffman shared a video on social media showing a FedEx aircraft on the ground at Newark airport, with flames visible from its side as it came to a halt with fire rescue units positioned nearby.

Although it appeared everyone was safe, there was a considerable amount of smoke, and the airport was closed for 15 to 20 minutes, Hoffman recounted.

The response of the pilots was commendable, Hoffman stated.

“They handled it like pros,” he expressed. “Ultimately, that’s what our training is about.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it will investigate the incident. In a statement, the FAA noted that the “strike damaged one of the Boeing 767’s engines.” The National Transportation Safety Board will also conduct an investigation.

Bird strikes pose risks to aviation, occasionally leading to significant disruptions. Birds were responsible for the incident that led “Sully” Sullenberger to land a jetliner on the Hudson River in 2009.

The FAA has reported an increase in bird strikes, noting over 19,000 wildlife strikes at 713 U.S. airports in 2023. Only on rare occasions do these strikes result in damage severe enough to necessitate emergency landings.

This emergency landing comes amid heightened awareness of aviation incidents. In the last month, four major aviation disasters occurred in North America, including the February 6 crash of a commuter plane in Alaska that resulted in the death of all 10 individuals on board, and the January 26 midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight at National Airport, leading to a total of 67 fatalities from both aircraft.

By Patrick Whittle and Sarah Brumfield