'We heard a thud': Plane hits coyote during takeoff at Rhode Island airport |
‘We heard a thud’: Plane hits coyote during takeoff at Rhode Island airport
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) – Erin Drozda and her wife are supposed to be in Costa Rica, but their travel plans got interrupted by a coyote.
“We heard a thud, and then after the thud, we still took off. We were up in the air for 10 to 15 minutes, and then all of a sudden the captain came on and said, ‘This is the flight crew. If anyone heard that thud, we hit a coyote, and we are now on our way back to Providence,'” Drozda told Nexstar’s WPRI.
“We thought it was a joke at first,” she continued. “You don’t ever hear that.”
Drozda was on JetBlue flight 1129 out of T.F. Green International Airport in Rhode Island when the collision happened Tuesday morning.
“As soon as we landed, we could see the fire department and all of the emergency crews on the runway waiting for us,” Drozda recalled.
Drozda said they sat on the runway while crews checked the nose of the plane to make sure there was no damage. A short time later, all of the passengers had to deplane so they could do a full inspection.
“We got off the plane and stayed inside for about another half hour or so, and then they told us that everything was OK and we were able to get back on the plane,” she said.
The flight was originally supposed to land at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York at 7:10 a.m. EDT, but because of the delay, they didn’t get there until after 9 a.m. EDT.
Drozda and her wife ended up missing their flight to Costa Rica as a result, but they were able to book a new flight for Wednesday.
No injuries were reported, and the incident did not impact any other flights.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
More State Watch News
Hegseth: Military chaplains will no longer display rank
Senate GOP-backed deal to end DHS shutdown draws extensive fire
Here are Iran’s 5 conditions for ending war after rejecting US ceasefire plan
Murphy on ‘$1.5 BILLION’ stock trade before Trump Iran ...
Jeffries warns Republicans on redistricting after Democrat flips Mar-a-Lago seat
Cruz asks Senate to hold his salary during DHS shutdown
Trump makes public call for clean 18-month 702 extension
The SAVE America Act is bad news for Republicans
Live updates: Leavitt won’t confirm upcoming Iran talks; DHS funding has ...
Navarro: Supreme Court ruling on tariffs ‘best possible outcome’ for ...
Judge refuses to drop lawsuit over Musk role as Trump adviser
Smith memo: Trump had classified docs shared with just 6 people, others tied to ...
Supreme Court rules for Cox in Sony copyright fight over music downloads
US issues ‘worldwide caution’ alert to travelers
Florida extends Democratic winning streak: 5 takeaways
AFGE president tells lawmakers ‘do not get on a plane’ for Easter recess ...
Iran dismisses US ceasefire proposal: State news agency
Talarico hits back at Hegseth pastor who called for his death: ‘I still love ...