A flight out of LaGuardia bound for Charlotte, North Carolina, had to make an abrupt landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport after a bird strike caused an engine fire late Thursday, authorities say.
No injuries were reported when American Airlines flight 1722 landed safely at JFK, where it was set to be inspected by the maintenance team. There were 190 customers and six crew members aboard at the time, the airline said.
Video captured by a WCNC Charlotte producer appears to show a bird enter the engine moments after takeoff. A ball of fire erupts.
Travelers were given hotel accommodations and a scheduled re-departure for Friday morning.
“We are grateful to our crew for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience this may have caused,” American Airlines said in a statement.
