MIAMI- Delta Air Lines (DL) flight from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) made an emergency return after one of its engines was struck by a bird shortly after takeoff.
The incident happened on Saturday morning (September 13, 2025), forcing the aircraft to circle back to MIA, where it landed safely without injuries reported. Passengers later continued their journey once the plane was cleared.
Photo: By Adam Moreira (AEMoreira042281) – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=79819656Delta 737 Bird Strike at Miami Airport
The affected flight was Delta Air Lines Flight 1399, which departed Miami bound for Boston. Shortly after leaving MIA, one of the aircraft’s two engines was struck by a bird. Following standard safety protocols, the pilot elected to return to Miami rather than continue the trip with a compromised engine.
Emergency personnel were on standby at Miami International Airport to receive the flight, but the aircraft landed safely without further complications.
Bird strikes, while uncommon, are a recognized aviation hazard, especially during takeoff and landing when aircraft are at lower altitudes.
Delta Air Lines confirmed the event in a statement, noting the safe return of the plane and reassuring passengers that the flight would continue to Boston once the aircraft was cleared. The airline also extended an apology for the disruption.
According to Delta, all passengers and crew were unharmed, and safety procedures worked as intended. Quick communication between the flight crew, air traffic control, and ground emergency services ensured the landing was smooth, and precautionary measures were in place.
The airline emphasized its commitment to passenger safety, highlighting that situations like these, while disruptive, are managed with the highest priority on secure operations. The delay was temporary, and the flight later continued to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).
Photo: By Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland – Delta Air Lines Airbus A320-212; N368NW@SLC;09.10.2011/621dm, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26713182Similar Incident
Delta Air Lines (DL) flight DL1279 from Tampa International Airport (TPA) to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) experienced a bird strike on January 29, 2025.
The Airbus A320 involved in the incident landed safely at Raleigh-Durham (RDU), where Delta’s TechOps team inspected the aircraft before clearing it for its next scheduled flight.
Delta Air Lines (DL) operates between one and three daily services connecting Tampa (TPA) and Raleigh-Durham (RDU). On January 29, flight DL1279, also tracked as DAL1279, departed Tampa at 8:45 PM UTC.
After just over an hour in the air, the crew reported contact with a bird during approach into Raleigh-Durham. Despite the strike, the pilots continued with a stabilized approach and touched down safely on Runway 23R/5L at 10:10 PM UTC. The aircraft then taxied normally to the terminal, where passengers disembarked without incident.
Post-Landing Inspection
Once parked at the gate, Delta’s maintenance and engineering division, TechOps, carried out a detailed inspection of the Airbus A320.
The checks confirmed that the aircraft sustained no major damage from the bird strike. After clearance, the aircraft resumed its scheduled operations, flying from Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Orlando International Airport (MCO).
The aircraft involved is an Airbus A320 registered as N327NW. Built more than three decades ago, this 33-year-old jet is powered by two CFM56-5A engines.
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