KEY WEST, Fla. — Officials say an American Airlines flight landed safely in the Florida Keys after a bird strike.
Monroe County spokeswoman Cammy Clark said in an email that Flight 4680 experienced the bird strike shortly after takeoff Sunday afternoon at Key West International Airport. No injuries were reported.
Airline spokesman Casey Norton says the pilot shut down one engine out of an abundance of caution and returned to the airport.
The flight was operated by Republic Airways. Norton says the Embraer E-175 jet carrying four crew members and 63 passengers was bound for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Airport director Donald DeGraw said in a statement that the flight crew "did a great job of flying the aircraft safely back to the airport." DeGraw says the airport's fire department was ready to respond but was not needed.
