COLUMBUS, Ohio — A bird strike sparked an engine fire on a plane shortly after it took off Sunday from an Ohio airport, and the airliner returned safely with no injuries reported, authorities said.
American Airlines flight 1958 had departed from John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Columbus around 7:45 a.m. and was headed to Phoenix. The fire was detected a short time later and the Boeing 737 returned to the airport, where firefighters quickly doused the flames.
“There wasn’t a lot going through my mind," said passenger William Moses. "I was basically just trying to stay calm.”
He and several other people on the flight say they could see the large orange flames from their window seat.
"It just kept going every few seconds," said Catalina Escano. "You didn’t know what was going on it was very scary.”
For those who couldn't see the flames, Jasmine Ortiz said it sounded like the engine was roaring and that she and others could even smell that something was burning.
After the plane landed, Alexander Hoffman said that there were mixed reactions from those on board. From people clapping and laughing to passengers crying. Everyone was thankful to be back on the ground in one piece.
It wasn't clear how many passengers and crew members were aboard the aircraft. The airline said the plane was taken out of service for maintenance and it was working to get the passengers on other flights.
Airport officials said the facility remained operating as usual and the fire only caused some minor flight delays.
The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate.
American Airlines released the following statement:
"American Airlines flight 1958, with service from Columbus (CMH) to Phoenix (PHX), returned to CMH shortly after takeoff due to a mechanical issue. The flight landed normally and taxied safely to the gate under its own power. The aircraft was taken out of service for maintenance and customers boarded a replacement aircraft to PHX. Safety is our top priority, and we thank our customers for their understanding."
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