A United Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a rabbit was sucked into its engine, causing a mid-air fire.
The shocking incident occurred shortly after takeoff from Denver International Airport on Sunday, April 13, 2025.
The flight, identified as United Flight 2325, was headed to Edmonton, Canada, with 153 passengers and six crew members on board.
Just moments after liftoff, bright flames were seen bursting from one of the engines, prompting immediate action from the flight crew.
According to audio recorded by LiveATC, the pilot promptly requested a full inspection after noticing engine trouble.
He later confirmed the cause was due to wildlife interference, specifically a rabbit.
“Rabbit through the number 2 [engine], that’ll do it,” the pilot stated, according to ABC News.
Passenger Scott Wolff, who was aboard the flight, described the terrifying experience during an interview with Good Morning America.
“I heard a loud bang and felt significant vibration in the plane,” he said.
“Every few moments there was a backfire coming from the engine, a giant fireball behind it. Everyone in the plane then started to panic.”
Meanwhile, air traffic control quickly assisted in returning the aircraft to Denver.
The plane landed safely at around 8:05 p.m., and all passengers were transferred to a different aircraft to complete the journey to Edmonton.
United Airlines later released an official statement, confirming the situation was linked to a wildlife strike.
“Our flight from Denver to Edmonton (UA2325) returned safely to Denver to address a possible wildlife strike,” the airline said.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noted that while bird strikes are the most common form of wildlife interference, rabbit strikes are incredibly rare.
In 2024 alone, over 20,000 wildlife strikes were reported, with only four involving rabbits.
This strange case serves as a reminder of the importance of thorough pre-flight inspections and heightened wildlife monitoring.
