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American Airlines Flight Returns to JFK After Hitting Sign During Takeoff

Struck signpost designed to guide pilots down the runway.

An American Airlines flight was forced to return New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport Wednesday night after the aircraft collided with a sign during takeoff. Flight 300, which was bound for Los Angeles International Airport, struck a sign designed to help guide pilots down the runway for a safe takeoff. “American is swapping flight 300 to a new aircraft, as our team reviews the incident and inspects the aircraft,” American Airlines said in a statement to CNN. “We never want to disrupt our customers' travel plans and we are sorry for the inconvenience.” There were 101 passengers and eight crew on board—no injuries were reported. The plane took off at 8:40 p.m. but returned around half an hour later.