- A FedEx cargo plane had to make an emergency landing over the weekend after it struck a bird and caught fire near Newark International Airport. There were no injuries.
- Reports indicate air traffic was briefly halted because of the emergency landing.
- The Trump administration has vowed to hire more air traffic controllers and upgrade technology in towers after a recent string of airplane tragedies and emergencies.
Full Story
March started with another in-flight emergency, this time, in the skies near Newark, New Jersey. A cargo plane was forced to make an emergency landing after hitting a bird on Saturday, March 1.
What happened to the plane?
A FedEx plane hit a bird and caught fire on Saturday morning shortly after takeoff. According to the Federal Aviation Administration website, “FedEx Flight 3609 safely returned to Newark Liberty International Airport around 8 a.m. local time on Saturday, March 1, after striking a bird while departing. The strike damaged one of the Boeing 767’s engines. The flight was headed to Indianapolis. The FAA will investigate.”
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Were there any interruptions on the ground?
Reports indicate that airport managers briefly halted air traffic as a precaution. Some bystanders captured the incident on their phones and posted pictures of the plane, in the air, on social media.
What are the others aviation disasters or emergencies this year?
The aviation industry has been under intense scrutiny since the start of the new year. An American Airlines flight traveling from Wichita to Washington D.C. collided with a Black Hawk helicopter in mid-air near Reagan National Airport in late January. Sixty-seven people died when both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River.
A few days later, a small medical transport plane crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood. Six people on the plane died and one person on the ground was killed. There have been two deadly plane crashes in Arizona and one in Alaska since then, as well.
How does the government plan to address this trend?
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently vowed that the federal government would increase spending on hiring more air traffic controllers and upgrading the technology in the towers.
