Plane Returns For Emergency Landing On One Engine

A JetBlue Airbus A320 made a safe emergency landing at Long Beach Airport Tuesday morning, after the plane struck several birds on climbout.

Flight 244 had just departed the airport at around 11:00 am Tuesday, en route to Oakland when the pilot heard a loud noise, according to FAA spokesman Ian Gregor. Authorities believe the noise came from birds being ingested into one of the plane's turbofans.

The incident caused some tense moments, both in the cockpit and on the ground.

"I was having my [plane] serviced at the ramp when I heard the loud explosion," said ANN reader Don Stewart. "I looked up to see the Airbus, at a normal take off attitude, struggle for a few seconds to maintain proper airspeed with only one engine operating. For a short moment I could feel my heart sink as I feared the worse."

The plane's crew idled the stricken engine, and executed a single-engine climb over the ocean. The plane flew around for about 30 minutes to burn off fuel, before returning to the airport.

Emergency crews were standing by, but they weren't needed. Gregor said the plane, carrying 154 passengers and crew, touched down uneventfully on Runway 30 at 11:21 am.

Maintenance workers will inspect both engines for damage, said JetBlue spokesman Sebastian White. Ground workers found several bird carcasses on the field.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.jetblue.com