A FedEx aircraft was captured on video as its engine unexpectedly caught fire shortly after taking off from an airport.
Following a series of recent airplane incidents, a FedEx plane became the latest to encounter issues after departing from Newark Airport on Saturday, February 1.
The released footage, shown on news outlets, depicts the Boeing 767-3S2F making a hasty return to the runway as one of its engines was ablaze at around 8 am.
The situation was resolved swiftly; after the engine caught fire, the plane conducted an emergency landing and was met by two Port Authority fire trucks, which efficiently extinguished the flames.
The National Transportation Safety Board has commenced an investigation into the incident to determine the cause of the fire. It is suspected that a bird strike might have been responsible, similar to an incident involving a Jeju airliner in South Korea that ended tragically.
Lenis Valens, a spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and FedEx, confirmed that there were no injuries, and the fire was confined to the engine.
LiveATC audio captured someone advising the aircraft to “shut down for a possible bird strike” and indicating that “we need to return to the airport.”
Shortly after, another individual commented: “We believe we saw their engine fall off the right wing.”
A FedEx spokesperson informed The Post that the plane landed at 8:07 am, nine minutes after takeoff, stating: “FedEx Flight 3609 from Newark to Indianapolis experienced a bird strike during takeoff. Our crew declared an emergency and returned safely to Newark. We are thankful for the quick actions of our crew and first responders.”
The aircraft was cleared for departure to Indiana at 9:30 am, as per Flight Aware. The Federal Aviation Administration noted that the bird strike damaged one of the Boeing 767’s engines.
This incident is part of a series of airplane-related events occurring worldwide.
On Tuesday, February 25, a Southwest flight nearly collided with a private jet on the runway at Chicago Midway Airport when the private aircraft rolled into its path.
On February 24, a Delta Air Lines flight headed to South Carolina had to return to Atlanta after ‘haze’ and smoke entered the cabin.
A widely circulated social media video showed a Canadian plane crash-landing, skidding, and flipping over, with all passengers surviving but shaken.
Additionally, a Black Hawk helicopter incident over the Potomac River resulted in a collision with a commercial plane, killing 67 people, including many young competitive figure skaters, their parents, and coaches.
The apparent rise in airplane incidents has sparked concerns about air travel safety and the increasing frequency of bird strikes.