United Airlines Flight 2325 was forced to make an emergency landing due to a fire, reportedly caused by a rabbit being sucked into the plane’s engine.
Wildlife Strike Forces Aircraft to Turn Around
The Boeing 737-800 was en route from Denver (DEN) to Edmonton (YEG) on April 13, when it was forced to make an emergency landing due to an engine fire.
The aircraft left Denver at 19:20 local time, however upon takeoff a rabbit was reportedly ingested into the motor of the aircraft’s right-hand engine.
Passengers describe hearing a loud bang alongside feeling a vibration as the incident occurred.
Witness video footage shows flames bursting from the aircraft’s right-hand engine upon takeoff, as well as passengers screaming in terror, with some shouting “fire”.
United 737-800 makes emergency landing after reportedly hitting a rabbit on departure from Denver. Video from inside the cabin showed large flames shooting from the engine. pic.twitter.com/OrC9XRO9UZ
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) April 16, 2025
The aircraft promptly returned to its departure airport, arriving back just after 20:00.
The United Airlines flight was carrying 153 passengers and 6 crew when it safely returned back to Denver International Airport, U.S.
How Often do Wildlife Strikes Occur?
According to data from the Federal Aviation Administration, aircraft wildlife strikes are on the rise. The administration reported 19,400 wildlife strikes in 2023 across the U.S. alone.
A rabbit however is a significantly rare strike, with only 4 incidents involving rabbits being reported to the FAA last year.
Birds make up for the majority of aircraft wildlife strikes, with 96% of all U.S. civil aircraft strikes involving birds of various kinds. Approximately 20,000 aircraft strikes with birds are reported each year, a number which continues to increase as more reports are made and data is made more accessible.
The number of wildlife strikes is further increasing due to an increase in aircraft movements and technological advancements producing quieter and faster aircraft. There has furthermore been a recent increase in wildlife populations, with conservation efforts and nationwide lockdowns seeing wild animal presence boom in recent years. Most wildlife strike incidents do not cause damage to the aircraft itself.
What do you make of this rare incident? Let us know below.
Absolutely terrifying – they had a similar issue like this a few years ago where the entire engine fell off! Won’t be flying United