Bird Strike Cracks Plane’s Windshield Mid-Air, Forcing Emergency Landing

Passengers aboard a United Airlines flight headed to Florida experienced a frightening mid-air scare after a bird strike forced the plane to turn around shortly after takeoff.

United Flight 1207 had just departed Newark Liberty International Airport on the morning of March 9 and was bound for Jacksonville, Florida when the aircraft struck a bird shortly after leaving the runway.

The impact reportedly cracked the plane’s windshield and raised concerns about possible pressurization issues, prompting the pilots to quickly return to Newark.

United Airlines later confirmed the incident in a statement.

“United flight 1207 safely returned to Newark following a bird strike,” the airline said. “Customers deplaned normally at the gate, and we arranged for a new aircraft to take them to Jacksonville.”

There were 138 passengers and six crew members aboard the Boeing 737 when the strike occurred.

Federal aviation officials said the flight crew initially reported the cracked windshield and a possible pressurization problem after the collision with the bird. The Federal Aviation Administration has opened an investigation into the incident.

Flight tracking data shows the plane remained airborne for less than an hour before safely landing back at Newark.

Passengers exited the aircraft normally at the gate, and United later provided a replacement plane to complete the trip to Jacksonville.

After a detailed inspection, the airline said technicians did not ultimately find structural damage to the windshield despite the earlier report of cracking.

Bird strikes, while alarming, are not uncommon in aviation. The FAA tracks wildlife collisions through its Wildlife Strike Database, which has recorded hundreds of thousands of incidents involving aircraft.

Federal data shows roughly 291,600 wildlife strikes involving civil aircraft were reported in the United States between 1990 and 2023.

In 2023 alone, nearly 19,400 wildlife strikes were recorded at more than 700 U.S. airports.

Officials say the increase is likely due to growing wildlife populations, heavier air traffic and improved reporting by pilots and airlines.