A Swissair spokesman said a Swissair pilot canceled a takeoff at O’Hare International Airport on Friday night after the plane struck a flock of birds.
The Federal Aviation Administration said on its website that a ground stop was implemented at the airport at 7:54 p.m. due to an aircraft malfunction. Officials said the ground stop was lifted after about 30 minutes. Departure flights were delayed for several hours afterward, with the FAA citing an “aircraft emergency” as the reason.
Swiss flag carrier Swissair told NBC Chicago that a Boeing 777-300ER bound for Zurich encountered a flock of birds during its takeoff roll and the pilot decided to abort the takeoff as a precaution. Ta.
An airline spokeswoman said the plane’s brakes became hot during the flight and firefighters were called in to cool it down, but no fire broke out. The airline said the plane was towed to the gate late Friday night after the incident for a thorough inspection.
Swissair arranged accommodation for over 300 passengers.
The incident occurred at about the same time that a small plane bound for O’Hare crashed into the nearby Elk Grove Village forest reserve.