A United Airlines flight departing from Denver International Airport was forced to return shortly after takeoff when a rabbit was ingested into one of the aircraft’s engines.
The Boeing 737-800, registration N27213, was operating United Airlines flight UA2325 to Edmonton, Canada, last Sunday evening. The aircraft lifted off at 7:20 PM local time, heading north. Unlike the more common bird strikes, this time the engine encountered a much smaller and more unexpected animal: a rabbit.
Flames and panic onboard
Shortly after takeoff, the United Airlines pilots reported the incident to air traffic control. A passenger seated near the wing captured video footage showing flames erupting from the right engine. “There was a loud bang, and a significant vibration in the plane”, passenger Scott Wolff told Good Morning America. “Every few moments there was a backfire coming from the engine, a giant fireball behind it. Everyone in the plane then started to panic.”
This week a United Airlines Boeing was forced to make an emergency landing.
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) April 17, 2025
Why?
Because they said “a rabbit got into the engine”.
They are seriously running out of excuse for all these plane malfunctions. pic.twitter.com/r41IAqViE7
Safe landing in Denver
The aircraft stopped its climb at just over 8,000 feet (about 2,500 meters) and entered a holding pattern southeast of Denver. It then lined up for a return approach to the same runway it had departed from and landed safely approximately 50 minutes after takeoff.
United Airlines later arranged for a replacement aircraft—a different Boeing 737, registration N79541—which took off for Edmonton at 10:35 PM local time. Passengers ultimately arrived at their destination with a delay of just under three hours.
The incident is now under investigation. While wildlife strikes involving birds are not uncommon, ground-based animals such as rabbits are rarely involved. According to the FAA, in the United States alone there were 20.000 wildlife related aviation incidents, while a mere four of them involved a rabbit.
