Pilots Able To Return For Safe Landing

The pilots of a United Airlines 737 had a decidedly grisly emergency situation on takeoff from Denver Sunday. As the plane powered down the runway... a coyote strayed into the jet's path, and then into the airliner's number two engine.

Needless to say, that was the final end of a bad day for the coyote... but according to the FAA preliminary report, no one onboard the jet was injured.

There were some tense moments, though. The pilots completed the takeoff, and returned to the airport for a successful emergency landing.

Animal strikes are fairly common at many airports...especially those surrounded by wilderness areas or unincorporated countryside, like Denver International. The relatively low-hanging engines of the 737 may have also contributed to the incident.

We do not envy the mechanics who now have to return the engine to service. And no word if any roadrunners were involved.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 921UA        Make/Model: B737      Description: 737
  Date: 11/26/2006     Time: 0048

  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
  City: DENVER   State: CO   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  N921UA, A UNITED AIRLINES UAL814 BOEING 737 ACFT, RETURNED AND LANDED DUE
  TO A COYOTE BEING INGESTED INTO THE NUMBER TWO ENGINE, NO INJURIES
  REPORTED, DENVER, CO

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Business      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER

  Departed: DENVER, CO                  Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination:                          Flt Plan:              Wx Briefing: 
  Last Radio Cont: 
  Last Clearance: 

  FAA FSDO: DENVER, CO  (NM03)                    Entry date: 11/27/2006

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