Horizon Air plane was struck by an eagle, forcing flight back to the airport

A Horizon Air flight on Christmas Eve from Anchorage to Fairbanks was forced to turn around after an eagle hit the plane. 

On Sunday, a major plane crash at a South Korean airport that killed 179 people and left just two survivors is also believed to have been caused by a bird strike — meaning a collision between a bird and an aircraft.

Alaska Airlines said Horizon Air Flight 2041 had just taken off at noon local time on Dec. 24 when “the crew reported a bird strike.” Alaska Air Group owns both Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air.

The flight turned around and returned about 30 minutes later, according to FlightAware data. That flight typically takes about an hour.

“The captain and first officer are trained for these situations and landed the aircraft safely without any issue. No emergency was declared,” the airline said. 

The plane returned to the gate and passengers were swapped to another aircraft to make it to Fairbanks. 

The airline said the aircraft was removed from service for inspection, but has since returned to service. 

Passenger Michelle Tatela was visiting from Chicago when the incident happened. 

“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,” she told NBC affiliate KTUU of Anchorage. 

When the plane landed back in Anchorage, she said passengers learned that a bird strike involving an eagle was behind the sudden return.

“The eagle survived at that time,” Tatela told the station. “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.”

However, the eagle’s wing damage was too great for rehabilitation and it was euthanized on arrival, Bird Treatment and Learning Center Executive Director Laura Atwood said, KTUU reported. 

“Everybody was really excited that they said the eagle had been removed and he was going to the sanctuary,” Tatela said. “We’re hoping for a happier ending for the eagle, but it is a jet, so there’s that.”

In the case of Sunday’s plane tragedy in South Korea, the pilot of Jeju Air Flight 2216 had declared mayday after issuing the bird strike alert, said Joo Jong-wan, director of the aviation policy division at South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The plane skidded off the runway while landing at Muan International Airport, about 180 miles south of Seoul, and burst into flames after crashing.

Joo said the plane was completely destroyed by the ensuing fire and a full investigation, that could take six months to three years, will take place.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading an American team, including Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration, that will assist South Korea in the investigation.