A United Airlines flight bound for Florida was forced to turn back to Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday morning after striking a bird shortly after takeoff, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
United Airlines confirmed the details in a statement to NTD News. “United flight 1207 safely returned to Newark following a bird strike,” the airline said. “Customers deplaned normally at the gate and we arranged for a new aircraft to take them to Jacksonville.”
A United spokesperson also noted that a follow-up inspection found “no pressurization issue or damage to the windshield,” despite earlier reports indicating a possible problem.
Bird strikes are one of the most common hazards faced by airline pilots, especially during the initial phases of flight when planes are taking off or landing.
From 1990 to 2013, the FAA’s Wildlife Strike Report Database logged 142,675 wildlife strikes in the United States, 97 percent of which involved birds.
To curb those threats, airports rely on a mix of habitat changes, scare tactics and, in some cases, killing certain species. The agency says those efforts can include making airport grounds less attractive to birds, driving flocks away with dogs, falcons or loud sounds, relocating nests, and using radar-based tools that help pilots gauge bird activity along flight paths.
“The safety of our customers and crewmembers is always our first priority,” JetBlue said in its earlier statement.