American Airlines flight makes emergency landing after bird strike

An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, carrying 181 people, was forced to make an emergency landing at Myrtle Beach International Airport on Monday after a bird strike caused flames to erupt from its left engine.

Shortly after takeoff from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, bound for Charlotte, North Carolina, the pilot issued a ‘Mayday’ call. Passengers and witnesses reported seeing orange flames and hearing loud explosions. The aircraft circled back and landed safely; no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew. American Airlines stated the plane was taken out of service for maintenance and that replacement aircraft were arranged for travelers.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident. Airport workers recovered bird remains, known as ‘snarge,’ from the runway. Such debris is often analyzed by the Smithsonian Institution to help mitigate future wildlife strikes, which the FAA reported exceeded 24,000 incidents in the United States in 2025.