A commuter plane with dozens of passengers on board was forced to make an emergency landing after it struck a flock of large cranes, causing significant damage.
The Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 5087 was coming in for a landing at the Little Rock National Airport in Arkansas when the pilot made an emergency call at 4:38pm, according to FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford.
The plane safely landed around 30 minutes later with a gaping hole at the tip of the aircraft, several dents, blood splattered over it and a large dead crane still embedded to the front.
Damaged: The Delta Airlines plane was forced to land at Little Rock National Airport after it struck a flock of large cranes which can weigh as much as 20 pounds
Gruesome: Passengers said they felt and heard loud bangs as the plane was in the air. 30 minutes later the pilot landed the plane safely, no one was injured but there was significant damage to the plane A total of 49 passengers and crew members were aboard the plane when the incident occurred. Officials say no one was injured.Passengers said they felt and heard loud banging.Gail Adams told KATV that no one panicked because the flight attendant announced that the noise was coming from the landing gear.
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'Like a gun-shot': Passengers tell of their terror as three-foot hole explodes above their heads in plane's cabin at 36,000ft
She said: 'It certianly wasn't the landing gear! We circled around for a while before they came on and told us it was a flock of cranes.
'We clapped when we landed.'
ASA is a regional partner of Delta Air Lines.
Cranes are several feet long and can weigh more than 20 pounds, explaining the significant damage that was caused to the plane.
According to the FAA, this is not an uncommon occurrence and there are thousands of bird strikes annually, estimating that about 80 per cent are not reported.
Miracle on the Hudson: In January 2009, a flight had to be landed on the River Hudson after a large flock of birds struck the plane right after take off, blowing out both engines
The most famous bird strike crash occurred in Januray 2009 when a U.S. Airways Airbus had to make an emergency landing in the Hudson River after a flock of birds struck right after take off.
Both engines were disabled causing the pilot to make the emergency landing.
All of the 155 passengers survived.
In 2008 there were two emergency landings at the Little Rock airport because of a bird strike, one as the plane was taking off.
Images showed blood streaks on the cockpit windows and nose from more than 130 starlings.
All commercial plane engines go through 'bird strike' tests before they're certified for use.
The FAA estimates bird strikes costs the U.S. Aviation $600million annually.
Yesterday a Southwest Flight 812 from Phoenix to Sacramento, with 118 passengers on board, was also forced to make an emergency landing after a three-foot gaping hole appeared in the roof of the cabin.
The airline have blamed an 'in-flight fuselage rupture'.
The Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 5087 was coming in for a landing at the Little Rock National Airport in Arkansas when the pilot made an emergency call at 4:38pm, according to FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford.
The plane safely landed around 30 minutes later with a gaping hole at the tip of the aircraft, several dents, blood splattered over it and a large dead crane still embedded to the front.
Damaged: The Delta Airlines plane was forced to land at Little Rock National Airport after it struck a flock of large cranes which can weigh as much as 20 pounds
Gruesome: Passengers said they felt and heard loud bangs as the plane was in the air. 30 minutes later the pilot landed the plane safely, no one was injured but there was significant damage to the plane A total of 49 passengers and crew members were aboard the plane when the incident occurred. Officials say no one was injured.Passengers said they felt and heard loud banging.Gail Adams told KATV that no one panicked because the flight attendant announced that the noise was coming from the landing gear.
More...
'Like a gun-shot': Passengers tell of their terror as three-foot hole explodes above their heads in plane's cabin at 36,000ft
She said: 'It certianly wasn't the landing gear! We circled around for a while before they came on and told us it was a flock of cranes.
'We clapped when we landed.'
ASA is a regional partner of Delta Air Lines.
Cranes are several feet long and can weigh more than 20 pounds, explaining the significant damage that was caused to the plane.
According to the FAA, this is not an uncommon occurrence and there are thousands of bird strikes annually, estimating that about 80 per cent are not reported.
Miracle on the Hudson: In January 2009, a flight had to be landed on the River Hudson after a large flock of birds struck the plane right after take off, blowing out both engines
The most famous bird strike crash occurred in Januray 2009 when a U.S. Airways Airbus had to make an emergency landing in the Hudson River after a flock of birds struck right after take off.
Both engines were disabled causing the pilot to make the emergency landing.
All of the 155 passengers survived.
In 2008 there were two emergency landings at the Little Rock airport because of a bird strike, one as the plane was taking off.
Images showed blood streaks on the cockpit windows and nose from more than 130 starlings.
All commercial plane engines go through 'bird strike' tests before they're certified for use.
The FAA estimates bird strikes costs the U.S. Aviation $600million annually.
Yesterday a Southwest Flight 812 from Phoenix to Sacramento, with 118 passengers on board, was also forced to make an emergency landing after a three-foot gaping hole appeared in the roof of the cabin.
The airline have blamed an 'in-flight fuselage rupture'.
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