Jet Is Forced to Land After Hitting Bird
- Share via
TAMPA, Fla. — A TWA jetliner with 112 passengers on board struck a bird Thursday, ripping a two-foot hole in the plane’s nose and forcing an emergency landing.
The Boeing 727 bound for St. Louis made a safe landing at Tampa International Airport shortly before 11 a.m.
“It hit a bird of some sort--apparently a goose,” airport spokesman Paul MacAlester said.
Flight 399 originated in Sarasota and the plane was climbing after a stop in Ft. Myers when the collision occurred.
Most passengers weren’t aware of the collision until they left the plane, but a few said they heard a thud.
“You could hear something happen,” Barbara Bowers said. “It was pretty scary.”
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
