American Airlines Flight 1722 forced to make emergency landing shortly after takeoff in New York City. (Crystal Groves Thomas/TMX)
An American Airlines plane made an emergency landing in New York City following a bird strike shortly after takeoff.
Flight 1722 — which was carrying 190 passengers and six crew members — left LaGuardia Airport and was heading to Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday night before being diverted to John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The Airbus A321 was following the same route that US Airways Flight 1549 took in January 2009 when it struck birds after takeoff and was forced to land in the Hudson River. Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger guided that plane to a safe landing in an event known as the “Miracle on the Hudson.”
“I was scared. I thought I was going to die. There were a couple of small explosions. And there was a fire,” Amy…
