Video: Packed Delta plane returns to airport after bird strike
San Diego, California News Station - KFMB Channel 8 - cbs8.com
A Delta flight from San Diego's Lindbergh Field airport was forced to return after hitting a bird shortly after take-off on Monday evening.
The Delta Flight 2078 departed at 4.55pm and had only been airborne for 10 minutes when the plane struck a bird.
The plane had to turn around and head straight back to the airport, where it landed safely at 5.11pm.
Passenger Ashley Easton told KPBS: "When the bird went through the engine, the plane jolted a little bit and the engine started making a funny noise, so it was kind of scary."
She added: "At first we didn't know what was going on, but then the captain came on and said that everything was going to be OK. Then about a minute later, he came on and said it was a bird strike and that we were going to be returning to San Diego."
Such collisions with wildlife can cause aviation accidents and, according to CBS8.com, have killed more than 250 people since 1988, reports the Bird Strike Committee USA.
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