On April 13, 2025, United Airlines Flight 2325 from Denver to Edmonton experienced a rare and alarming incident when a rabbit was sucked into the aircraft’s right engine during takeoff, causing an engine fire and forcing an emergency landing.One Mile at a Time+8People.com+8ABC News+8
The Boeing 737-800, carrying 153 passengers and six crew members, had just departed Denver International Airport when passengers heard a loud bang and felt significant vibrations. Flames and fireballs were seen erupting from the right engine, leading to panic onboard. Passenger Scott Wolff described the experience as terrifying, noting that everyone on the plane began to panic as the engine emitted backfires and fireballs. Yahoo+7ABC News+7View from the Wing+7People.com+2View from the Wing+2Aviation24.be+2
Pilots declared an emergency and entered a holding pattern to assess the situation. Air traffic control informed the crew that a rabbit had likely been ingested into the engine. After approximately 75 minutes in the air, the aircraft safely returned to Denver. No injuries were reported, and passengers were later transferred to another plane to continue their journey to Edmonton. Yahoo+2One Mile at a Time+2View from the Wing+2One Mile at a Time+7Aviation24.be+7People.com+7ABC News+4Latest news & breaking headlines+4One Mile at a Time+4
While wildlife strikes are not uncommon, with over 20,000 reported in the U.S. in 2024, incidents involving rabbits are exceedingly rare, accounting for only four that year. ABC News+3Latest news & breaking headlines+3People.com+3
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident, and United Airlines has confirmed the safe return of the flight and the continuation of passengers’ travel plans.
