An American Airlines flight out of Boston made an emergency landing yesterday after striking a bird after takeoff, the airline confirmed.
The plane was scheduled to land in Miami but struck a bird on departure from Logan International Airport around 7:40 a.m., according to a Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman.
“The flight landed safely without incident, and taxied to the gate,” American Airlines spokeswoman Janine Brown said in a statement. “We apologize for any inconvenience the delay may have caused.”
All 172 passengers and six crew members boarded a new plane that took off to Miami at 9:48 a.m., Brown said.
The bird strike is the third wildlife incident American Airlines has had this year at Logan, according to the FAA’s wildlife strike database. The airport has seen a total of 52 wildlife strikes this year, data show.
Bird strikes are most common from July to October and are likely to occur as birds are migrating in the fall and when an airplane is landing, according to the FAA’s website.
The most notable airstrike resulting in an emergency landing in recent history was in 2009 when Capt. Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger safely landed his plane on the Hudson River with 155 passengers onboard.