ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – An Alaska Airlines flight from Anchorage to Fairbanks was forced to return to Ted Stevens International Airport last week after an eagle struck the plane.
“[It’s a] Christmas Eve story,” said passenger Michelle Tatela, whose mother and sister are in Anchorage visiting from Chicago. “We’re like, ‘Only in Alaska, do you have to wait for a new plane, cause there was an eagle flying with you.’”
The eagle flew into the Alaska Airlines flight 2041 on Christmas Eve — the same day the bald eagle was established as the official bird of the United States, as signed into law by President Joe Biden.
Tatela said her sister Christy and mother Diane were in town for the holidays, and set to take off on Jan. 2.
“[They were] just coming to Alaska in the winter,” she explained. “They’ve been here several times in the summer, and winter’s kind of fun.
“So, it’s Christmas Eve; we decided we’re going to spend Christmas at Chena Hot Springs,” she explained, adding that the hour-flight felt easier than driving.
“And the plane took off. We’re in the air, and after a few minutes, we were told we were turning back around out of an abundance of caution, to come back to Anchorage.”
When the aircraft arrived back in Anchorage, Tatela said passengers found that a bird strike involving an eagle triggered the return to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.
“The eagle survived at that time,” she said. “And there were a bunch of police cars around the plane. Normally, it would be a scarier situation, but knowing that it was a bird … and then they said the eagle was going to the eagle hospital, and he had a broken wing.”
The “Eagle Hospital” to which Tatela referred was the Alaska Bird Treatment and Learning Center, known as Bird TLC, located in Anchorage.
Bird TLC Executive Director Laura Atwood said the eagle was brought in on Christmas Eve, but needed to be euthanized on arrival. Atwood said the severity of damage to the wing was too great for rehabilitation, as its left wing had sustained an open fracture.
Unaware of the eagle’s condition, the Tatela family was put on another flight to Fairbanks and made their reservations at Chena Hot Springs without issue.
“I was excited for the one-hour flight, and then 20 minutes later, turning around was not so exciting … but again, it was out of precaution, so it’s a good thing.
“Everybody was really excited that they said the eagle had been removed and he was going to the sanctuary,” she added. “We’re hoping for a happier ending for the eagle, but it is a jet, so there’s that.”
Tatela arrived in Fairbanks about four hours later than expected.
A spokesperson with Alaska Airlines verified the Tatela’s story, saying an eagle struck Alaska Airlines flight 2041 around noon on Dec. 24, shortly after takeoff.
He went on to say that the captain and first officer are trained for situations like a bird strike, and no emergency was declared. The spokesperson added that the aircraft was removed from service for inspection and has since been returned to service.
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Eagle strike forces Alaska Airlines flight to turn back to Anchorage
Recently, an Alaska Airlines flight was forced to turn back to Anchorage after colliding with an eagle shortly after takeoff. The eagle strike caused damage to the aircraft, prompting the pilots to make the decision to return to the airport for an emergency landing.
The safety of the passengers and crew is always the top priority, and the pilots’ quick thinking ensured that everyone on board was safe and sound. The airline has since issued a statement regarding the incident, expressing their gratitude for the pilots’ actions and the cooperation of the passengers during the emergency landing.
While bird strikes are a common occurrence in aviation, they can still pose a serious threat to the safety of flights. Alaska Airlines is now working to assess the extent of the damage to the aircraft and ensure that all necessary repairs are completed before the plane can return to service.
As always, it serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of aviation and the importance of being prepared for any potential challenges that may arise during a flight.
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- Eagle strike
- Alaska Airlines
- Flight turn back
- Anchorage
- Bird strike incident
- Emergency landing
- Aviation safety
- Wildlife hazards
- Airline news
- Flight disruption.
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