A Boeing 737 suddenly erupted in flames after taking off from Denver International Airport due to a shocking cause.
Watch the video down below.
The United Airlines flight, carrying 159 souls onboard, was forced to make an emergency landing after shooting fireballs that terrified passengers and witnesses on the ground.
Specifically, the culprit was a a rabbit that was sucked right into its right engine.
Miraculously, all passengers survived the harrowing ordeal that highlights growing concerns about airport safety protocols.
The frightening incident occurred when United Airlines Flight UA2325, bound for Edmonton, Alberta, experienced severe engine trouble shortly after takeoff.
According to multiple reports, the Boeing 737-800 sucked a rabbit into its right engine, causing immediate mechanical failure.
Passenger Scott Wolff described the terrifying moment: “There was a loud bang and a significant vibration in the plane we proceeded to still climb.”
“Every few moments there was a backfire coming from the engine, a giant fireball behind it. Everybody in the plane then started to panic,” he added.
The aircraft, carrying 153 passengers and six crew members, experienced significant engine disruption.
Dramatic video captured by onlookers shows large flames shooting from the damaged engine, creating a spectacle visible to observers on the ground.
Wyatt McCurry, who witnessed the incident from the ground, feared the worst. “My stomach dropped, and I just thought ‘I’m going to see a plane go down’,” McCurry said.
The skilled pilots maintained control of the aircraft despite the emergency.
They turned the plane around and landed safely back at Denver International Airport approximately 75 minutes after takeoff.
Firefighters were waiting when the plane touched down, but thankfully, no injuries were reported.
“Our flight from Denver to Edmonton (UA2325) returned safely to Denver to address a possible wildlife strike. The aircraft returned to the gate, and we lined up a new aircraft to get our customers on their way,” a spokesperson from United Airlines said in a statement.
LiveATC audio recordings captured the moment the pilots identified the cause of the malfunction.
“Rabbit through the number 2, that’ll do it,” the pilot said matter-of-factly, confirming the unusual nature of the incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation into the incident, which highlights potential safety concerns about wildlife management around major airports.
While bird strikes are relatively common, rabbit strikes are extremely rare.
According to FAA data, over 20,000 wildlife strikes were reported in the United States in 2023, but only four involved rabbits.
This rarity raises questions about how a rabbit was able to access the runway at a major international airport and what measures could prevent similar incidents in the future.
United Airlines arranged a replacement aircraft for the passengers, who were able to continue their journey to Edmonton after the frightening ordeal.
The airline has not released information about the condition of the damaged aircraft or estimated repair costs.
The incident comes at a time when Boeing has faced intense scrutiny over manufacturing quality and safety protocols.
While this particular emergency was not related to mechanical failure or manufacturing defects, it adds to a series of high-profile aviation incidents that have eroded public confidence in air travel safety.
