Plane forced to return to JFK after bird strike

NEW YORK -- A plane was forced to return to John F. Kennedy Airport Tuesday morning after the pilot reported hitting a flock of birds.

CBS New York reports the incident happened just after 8:30 a.m. when American Airlines Flight 1320 "came in contact" with several geese shortly after takeoff, the airline said in a statement.

In an air traffic control recording archived on the website LiveATC.net, the pilot is heard reporting the bird strike.

"We might have to go back. We had a bird strike on takeoff," the pilot says.

"Let me know what I can do to help you guys out," an air traffic controller responds.

The pilot then declares an emergency and asks to return to the airport.

"Departure American 1320 has declared an emergency and we'd like to return to JFK," the pilot says.

Other flights can also be heard reporting birds in the area at the time of the incident.

"We just passed another flock at 2,000 feet right off the shoreline," the pilot of a JetBlue flight can be heard saying.

The plane, which was bound for St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands with 134 people on board, landed safely back at the airport, officials said.

"Our pilots are well-trained to handle incidents such as these," American Airlines said in a statement.

The birds that hit the plane left no visible damage, CBS2's Dave Carlin reported. After a maintenance inspection, the airline said the plane was taken out of service.

An Airline spokesperson said all of the passengers opted to continue the journey despite the scare and the delay. The airline said they were being put on another plane set to depart later in the day.

In September, three pilots each reported bird strikes while approaching New York's LaGuardia Airport, prompting a new call to address what one report says is an increasing danger.

Bird strikes are a concern for many plane passengers because of the amount of flocks that exist in the immediate vicinity of the airport, Carlin reported.

"It's another thing they have to be cautious of. I can imagine, being a pilot, their job is hard," said Portland, Oregon resident Nick Landreth.

"They should get rid of them," said Patchogue resident Ruth Rockwell. "They shouldn't have them there in the first place, that's how I feel."

The FAA is investigating.