C402 Lands With Turkey Vulture In Windshield

A pair of pilots are counting their blessings, after two separate bird strikes on takeoff -- one in Florida, the other near Salt Lake City, UT.

KSL-5 reports a single-engine Cessna hit a flock of birds shortly after takeoff Sunday afternoon from Salt Lake City International Airport. Airport spokeswoman Barbara Gann said the aircraft turned back to the airport after one bird struck the windscreen, a second hitting one of the plane's wings.

The aircraft safely landed back at SLC, and after a short checkout to verify there wasn't any damage took off again to continue on to its destination.

Things were a bit more serious when a Cessna 402 struck a turkey vulture on takeoff from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) Monday. The aircraft circled back to the airport, and made a safe emergency landing... with the large bird still embedded in the left windshield.

The pilot wasn't seriously injured, reports WPLG-10.

"He obviously handled the situation very well, bringing that aircraft back to the runway," said Mike Jachles of Broward Sheriff's Fire Rescue.

FMI: www.faa.gov