FedEx Plane Makes Emergency Landing at Newark Airport After Bird Strike, Fire

Photo: AP

A FedEx cargo plane had to make an emergency landing at Newark Airport just a few minutes after takeoff on Saturday morning. The plane’s right engine caught fire after a bird strike, according to reports from the New York Post.

Officials from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, along with FedEx, confirmed that the bird strike was the reason for the sudden fire in the engine.

A video of the Boeing 767-3S2F showed the plane returning to the airport with flames coming from its right engine. This happened around 8 AM (local time). As the aircraft landed, two fire trucks from the Port Authority rushed toward the plane and quickly put out the fire.

Stay informed with the latest news. Follow DXB News Network on WhatsApp Channel  

Emergency Landing After Takeoff

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) later said that they have started an investigation into this incident.

According to flight records, the FedEx plane took off at 7:58 AM but was forced to land at 8:07 AM, just nine minutes later.

Thankfully, no one was injured in the incident. To ensure safety, air traffic was briefly halted, but normal operations resumed quickly.

Extent of Damage and Next Steps

It is still unclear how much damage the plane suffered. However, reports from Flight Aware confirmed that the aircraft was cleared to take off again and continued its journey to Indiana at 9:30 AM.

A FedEx spokesperson spoke to the New York Post and said:

"FedEx Flight 3609 from Newark to Indianapolis had a bird strike during takeoff. Our crew declared an emergency and returned safely to Newark. We appreciate the quick actions of our crew and first responders."

Air Safety Concerns Grow

This incident comes at a time when several other airplane accidents have raised concerns about flight safety.

• On February 25, a Southwest Airlines plane almost crashed into a private jet at Chicago Midway Airport. The private jet rolled onto the runway, coming dangerously close to the passenger plane.

• On February 24, a Delta Air Lines flight heading to South Carolina had to return to Atlanta after smoke and haze filled the cabin. This was the second such incident in just two days.

• Earlier in February, a Black Hawk helicopter collided in the air with a commercial plane, killing 67 people. Many of the passengers were young competitive figure skaters and their parents.