Horizon Air flight turns back after hitting bird

SEATTLE – An Alaska Airlines plane safely returned to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after a bird collision damaged the plane.

Airport spokesman Perry Cooper said there were no injuries to the 65 passengers or four crew members. Flight 2460 took off toward Bozeman around 1:45 p.m. Friday.

After the collision, the pilot turned the plane around and landed in Seattle without incident around 2:08 p.m. The bird was still attached to the nose of the aircraft.

Cooper said bird collisions rarely cause damage to aircraft.

Alaska Airlines spokesman Paul McElroy said the bird went through the skin of the nose of the Bombardier Q400, operated by airline subsidiary Horizon Air.

McElroy said the passengers were scheduled to take off for Bozeman in another plane later Friday.