MAJOR DIFFICULTY

Southwest Airlines Plane Forced Into Emergency Landing

A Southwest flight was forced to return shortly after takeoff following a bird strike.

A Southwest Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after encountering “major difficulty” at a Midwestern airport. An “Alert 2” was issued just before 3 p.m. at Eppley Airfield, also known as Omaha Airport, located three miles northeast of downtown Omaha, Nebraska. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, an Alert 2 is declared when an aircraft is approaching an airport with “major difficulty,” a category that can include engine fires or faulty landing gear. Southwest Airlines later confirmed that the aircraft had struck birds shortly after departure. The plane, which was bound for Phoenix, Arizona, returned safely to Eppley Airfield without incident. No injuries were reported. The airline said the aircraft was removed from service and replaced with another plane so passengers could continue their travel. Bird strikes remain a recurring aviation risk. In March, a FedEx cargo plane was forced to make an emergency landing after flames shot from one of its engines following a bird strike shortly after departing Newark Airport in New Jersey. The Federal Aviation Administration said that aircraft, a Boeing 767 en route to Indianapolis, also landed safely, with no injuries reported.