An American Airlines flight bound for Charlotte, North Carolina, was forced to make an emergency return to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on Monday after a bird strike triggered flames in one of its engines. The Boeing 737, carrying 172 passengers, landed safely and no injuries were reported, according to officials.
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot’s urgent call crackled over air traffic control: “Mayday, mayday, mayday. We’ve got a engine problem.” Another pilot, witnessing the incident, reported seeing smoke and flames coming from the left engine after the aircraft hit a flock of birds. Passenger John Richter described the moment: “In the middle of the runway, everybody heard a big bang, and then the next thing that we know, was making a lot of noise.”
The plane circled back and touched down at Myrtle Beach International Airport, where it taxied to the gate under its own power. Passengers deplaned normally. American Airlines said the aircraft was taken out of service for inspection by its maintenance team. The carrier added that it was working to get customers to their destination as soon as possible, arranging another plane for the stranded travelers.
Runway inspections after the flight’s departure uncovered a “significant amount” of bird remains and feathers, which were cleared before the return. Such debris, known as “snarge” in aviation circles, is often sent to the Smithsonian Institution’s lab in Washington, DC, for species identification. The data helps airlines and airports mitigate future strikes.
The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the incident. According to FAA data, wildlife strikes are a recurring hazard; more than 24,000 were reported in the United States in 2025, with birds accounting for roughly 97% of them. The danger was starkly highlighted in January 2009, when a US Airways flight from New York City’s LaGuardia Airport lost both engines after striking birds and famously landed on the Hudson River. All 155 people onboard survived.
“Bird strikes can be extremely serious,” said Capt. Laura Einsetler, an airline pilot. “We would not continue flying the jet if we knew that there was any type of significant impact to the engine and its capabilities at that point.”
