A FedEx plane’s engine suddenly burst into flames shortly after taking off from Newark Airport Saturday morning — prompting an emergency landing as onlookers watched in horror.
Wild video showed the Boeing 767-3S2F racing back to the tarmac as flames spewed from the right engine around 8 a.m. The blaze reached several feet tall.
Two Port Authority fire trucks raced toward the plane as it landed and extinguished the flames.
A FedEx Boeing 767-3S2F engine caught fire shortly after taking off from Newark Airport Saturday morning. KProcrastinator/XThe Port Authority Police Department’s Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighter Unit (ARFF) extinguished the engine fire.
The National Transportation Safety Board said later Saturday it opened an investigation into the incident.
The sudden ignition was caused by a bird strike, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and FedEx.
“FedEx Flight 3609 from Newark to Indianapolis experienced a bird strike during takeoff. Our crew declared an emergency and returned safely to Newark. We are thankful for the quick actions of our crew and first responders,” a FedEx representative told The Post.The jet was forced to land at 8:07 a.m., just nine minutes after takeoff, flight data showed.
The extent of the damage was not clear, but the plane was cleared to make its journey to Indiana at 9:30 a.m., according to Flight Aware.
No one was injured. Air traffic was briefly halted as a precaution, but operations quickly resumed.
The fire came amid numerous passenger airplane accidents that have raised concerns about air safety in recent weeks.
On Tuesday, a Southwest plane narrowly avoided a disastrous collision at Chicago Midway Airport when a private jet rolled across the runway.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and FedEx say the sudden ignition was caused by a bird strike. Sofiane Zeblah via StoryfulJust one day earlier, a Delta Air Lines flight bound for South Carolina was forced to return to Atlanta on Monday morning when “haze” and smoke filled the cabin — the second such incident in as many days.
Seemingly increasing airplane hazards are garnering extra attention after last month’s tragic crash over the Potomac River.
All 67 people were killed when a Black Hawk helicopter collided midair with a commercial plane that was largely filled with young competitive figure skaters and their parents.
