Plane Forced To Land After Hitting Birds

A Delta Air Lines plane carrying Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros and 52 other passengers was forced to make an emergency landing at Washington National Airport on Saturday after striking a flock of birds.

The plane’s captain shut down one of the Boeing 727’s three engines after a flock of birds appeared to fly into it. Within minutes, the plane returned safely to the airport with no injuries reported.

The 4:30 p.m. Delta Shuttle flight had just left National en route to New York and was about 2,000 feet in the air when suddenly there was a loud boom, authorities said. A burning smell filled the cabin, but no smoke was reported.