Thursday night started like any other flight for passengers on American Airlines Flight 1722, but things quickly took a terrifying turn. Just after taking off from LaGuardia Airport in New York, the plane, headed to Charlotte, North Carolina, ran into trouble when a bird flew straight into one of its engines. The collision caused major damage, rendering the engine useless and forcing the crew to divert the flight.
The Airbus A321, now running only on its secondary engine, made a successful emergency landing at JFK Airport — not its planned destination. While the situation was handled smoothly, passengers were understandably shaken.
One brave passenger even captured the shocking moment the bird was sucked into the engine. The video, shared online, shows the instant the bird collides with the engine, which ignites in flames. The plane tilted slightly as the flames erupted, and passengers couldn’t help but worry.
Amy Stamper from Tennessee, who was on the flight, described how she thought the worst was coming. “I thought I was gonna die,” she said. “There were a couple of small explosions. And there was a fire.” Another passenger who was sitting by the wing said he saw two flames shoot up into the sky. He too feared for his life, praying for the plane’s safety.
For Eric Halili, the flight was a terrifying experience. “It was very traumatic,” he admitted, especially since they had to wait over an hour after landing to get their bags. “You just wanted the day to end, but it didn’t.”
The worst part for Halili was the fear of not making it back to his family. As he sat in the plane, waiting for the emergency landing, his thoughts went straight to his wife and kids. “I thought, ‘I won’t be able to go home to them,’” he said somberly.
Misleidy, a newlywed on her way back to Florida, had an unexpected change of plans when she was rebooked on this flight. “I missed my first plane, and this is the second one,” she explained. She admitted she was a little scared but didn’t think much of it at first. It wasn’t until she saw others reacting nervously that she realized the gravity of the situation.
Despite the terrifying moments, the flight attendants did a great job keeping everyone calm. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and the flight was safely diverted. Passengers were provided with hotel accommodations, and the plane is scheduled to take off for Charlotte on Friday morning.
Though the incident was unsettling, passengers are just grateful to be safe, and thankful to the crew for their quick thinking.
