United Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing Due to Animal Strike

A flight operated by United Airlines was forced to make an emergency landing on Sunday due to a wildlife strike during its departure from Colorado. The incident involved a rabbit colliding with the right engine of the aircraft.

Details of the Incident

The United Airlines Flight 2325 took off from Denver at approximately 7:08 PM, on its way to Alberta, Canada. Shortly after takeoff, passengers reported hearing a loud bang, described by one traveler as resembling a gunshot, along with a significant vibration throughout the cabin.

One passenger, Scott Wolff, recounted the experience: “Everything was normal. We boarded the plane in Denver, they did all their pre-check flight check stuff, and they taxied us out into the start of the runway. They proceeded to get to speed and as soon as they rotated, there was a loud bang on the right-hand side of the plane, like a gunshot going off beside us, and then a massive vibration in the plane.”

Flight Response and Safety Measures

The aircraft successfully returned to Denver International Airport after being airborne for about 75 minutes. Upon landing, passengers were safely disembarked, and no injuries were reported. They were then rebooked onto a different aircraft to continue their journey.

Investigation Into the Incident

In response to the event, both United Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have initiated investigations to determine the full circumstances surrounding the wildlife strike.

Aircraft Information

The plane involved in the incident was a Boeing 737-800, carrying approximately 159 passengers at the time of the emergency landing.