The jet was forced to turn around shortly after takeoff following the bird strike, which knocked out its speed and altitude indicators
An American Airlines jet was forced to turn around and head back to Newark Liberty International Airport shortly after takeoff on Sunday, after a bird strike, officials said. No one was hurt. The jet is not pictured here. NEWARK -- A flight that had just taken off from Newark Liberty International Airport Sunday afternoon had to turn back and land after striking birds, officials said.
American Airlines Flight 1051 was in the air bound for Chicago at 4:36 p.m., when the bird strike occurred, said Rudy King, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The plane, a McDonald-Douglass MD-88 with 132 passengers and 6 crew on board, did not sustain engine damage, King said, but it lost use of its speed and altitude indicators.
King said the plane landed without incident and no one was hurt. The plane returned to the gate, where passengers deplaned, before the aircraft was taken out of service.
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