Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images News / Getty Images
A FedEx cargo plane caught fire after colliding with a bird during takeoff from Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday (March 1) morning. The Boeing 767, operating as FedEx Flight 3609, was en route to Indianapolis when it struck a bird shortly after departure, causing one of its engines to catch fire.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the plane took off at 7:58 a.m. local time and safely returned to Newark at 8:07 a.m. The FAA has announced an investigation into the incident, which fortunately resulted in no injuries. FedEx expressed gratitude for the swift actions of the crew and first responders in a statement released after the event.
The incident briefly halted air traffic at Newark, but operations resumed shortly thereafter. This event comes amid heightened public concern over aviation safety following several recent crashes. Despite these concerns, data from the National Transportation Safety Board suggests that 2025 has been relatively safe for air travel.
Video footage shared on social media showed the aircraft ablaze as it descended back to the airport