
Coyote Hit By Plane Leaving Illinois Airport, Flight Goes “40 Minutes To Nowhere”
What is it with weird coyote stories this week?
Coyotes in Illinois apparently have no shortage of audacity. Just days ago, one was caught on camera lurking in the produce shelves of an Aldi in Highland Park.
Now we're back at it with another weird coyote-related situation.
The Four-Legged Issue At O'Hare
If you've paid attention to the news lately, Chicago's O'Hare airport has been at a ground stop several times in the last few weeks due to nasty winter weather. They haven't been smooth sailing lately.
Now, a United Airlines Boeing 737 took off on a "40 minute flight to nowhere" (as Business Insider called it) after it hit a coyote on the runway.
It was taking off Phoenix-bound, when it the coyote, damaging the plane's right nose gear. The FAA classified it as "minor damage". Unlike the last weird Illinois coyote run-in, we don't have video of this one.
Read More: WATCH: Coyote Pulled From Produce Shelf At Illinois Grocery Store
But the plane took off normally and got up to 6,000 feet before it returned to O'Hare 40 minutes later. Air traffic control recordings show controllers confirming to the pilots that equipment to inspect the plane was ready whenever they land. It didn't mess up the plane too bad, as the same Boeing 737 took off from the airport 4 hours later.
The FAA says that the probability of "wildlife strikes" has gone up in recent years since newer planes have quieter engines. Airports have wildlife management plans in place, though the main concern are normally birds (duh).
U.S. Government's Level 4 Do Not Travel List
Gallery Credit: Canva
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