Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images News / Getty Images
An American Airlines flight made an emergency landing in New York City after striking a bird shortly after takeoff on Thursday (December 12). Flight 1722, carrying 190 passengers and six crew members, departed from LaGuardia Airport at 7:43 p.m., bound for Charlotte, North Carolina. The bird strike disabled one of the Airbus A321's two engines, prompting the pilot to declare an emergency and divert to John F. Kennedy International Airport. The plane landed safely at 8:03 p.m., and no injuries were reported.
The incident drew comparisons to the "Miracle on the Hudson," when US Airways Flight 1549 struck birds and landed in the Hudson River in January 2009. Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger famously guided that plane to safety, saving all 155 people on board.
American Airlines expressed gratitude for the crew's professionalism and apologized to passengers for the inconvenience. The airline plans to inspect the aircraft before resuming the flight to Charlotte on Friday morning. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident, as bird strikes are becoming more common, with over 19,000 reported at American airports in 2023.
Passengers described the experience as frightening, with some reporting small explosions and flames from the engine. Despite the scare, flight attendants were praised for their efforts to calm those on board. The airline provided hotel accommodations for passengers affected by the delay.
You can listen to Captain Sully describe the "Miracle on the Hudson" 15 years later on The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper below: