A Southwest flight bound for Austin was forced to return to Fort Lauderdale Wednesday morning due to a bird strike just after takeoff, officials say.
The flight, Southwest 1416, took off a little after 11 a.m., according to Flight Aware, when it encountered the bird strike soon after, according to Ashley Bain, a spokesperson for Southwest.
The plane was on its way back to the airport about noon, according to Broward Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Michael Kane. It landed safely soon after and “the incident is closed,” airport spokeswoman Arlene Satchell told the Sun Sentinel.
“Our Pilots followed trained procedures and safely returned to Fort Lauderdale, where the aircraft taxied to a gate,” Bain wrote in a statement. “To allow for further inspection, a separate aircraft will operate the flight to AUS. We apologize to our Customers for the inconvenience and we commend the swift, professional actions of our Flight Crew in response to the event.”
Flight Aware shows the plane circling off the coast before heading back to the airport. The plane was supposed to land in Austin about 12:40 p.m.
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