FedEx plane engine explodes in fire after Newark takeoff — prompting emergency landing
A FedEx plane's engine suddenly burst into flames shortly after taking off from Newark Airport Saturday morning — prompting an emergency landing as onlookers watched in horror.
Wild video shows the Boeing 767-3S2F racing back to the tarmac as flames spewed from the right engine around 8 a.m.
A second clip shows the blaze reaching several feet as two of the airport's fire trucks raced toward the plane upon its landing.
The sudden ignition was caused by a bird strike, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and FedEx.
'FedEx Flight 3609 from Newark to Indianapolis experienced a bird strike during takeoff. Our crew declared an emergency and returned safely to Newark. We are thankful for the quick actions of our crew and first responders,' a FedEx representative told The Post.
The jet was forced to land at 8:07 a.m., just nine minutes after takeoff, flight data showed.
It is not clear how severe the fire was, or the extent to which the engine was damaged, but the plane was cleared to make its journey to Indiana at 9:30 a.m., according to Flight Aware.
No one was injured in the mayhem. Air traffic was briefly halted as a precaution, but operations have since resumed.
The concerning fire comes amid numerous passenger airplane accidents that have raised concerns about air safety in recent weeks.
On Tuesday, a Southwest plane narrowly avoided a disastrous collision at Chicago Midway Airport when a private jet rolled across the runway.
Just one day earlier, a Delta Air Lines flight bound for South Carolina was forced to return to Atlanta on Monday morning when 'haze' and smoke filled the cabin — the second such incident in as many days.
Extra attention has been paid to the seemingly increasing airplane hazards after last month's tragic crash over the Potomac River.
All 67 people were killed when a Black Hawk helicopter collided midair with a commercial plane that was largely filled with young competitive figure skaters and their parents.
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