Passenger plane strikes and kills bear while landing

Mighty brown bear (Ursus arctos) in winter.

An Alaska Airlines flight collided with and killed a brown bear upon landing at Yakutat Airport over the weekend.

Flight 66 was arriving from Colorado when two bears were spotted crossing the runway by cabin crew, Alaska Airlines said in a statement.

“The nose gear missed the bears, but the captain felt an impact on the left side after the bears passed under the plane,” the airline said.

Pilots then reportedly saw the bear lying “about 20 feet” from the middle of the runway while taxiing the aircraft.

Image: RE Johnson via Alaska Public Media

The flight was carrying six passengers and no injuries were recorded.

The plane was largely undamaged aside from some dents to its left engine cowl, which is being repaired by maintenance technicians.

Sam Dapcevich, a public information officer for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, told CNN the incident was a “rare occurrence”.

“I’ve been in Alaska my whole life and we’ve had aircraft strike birds and other animals … but this is the first instance of a bear that I’ve ever heard of,” he said.

Dapcevich said the airport’s operations crew are trained to use pyrotechnics and vehicles to prevent animals from coming near the runway or interfering with aircraft.


Featured image source: iStock/Andyworks

Latest News

  • Destinations
  • News

APT Launches 2025 Asia Adventures

APT has launched its Asia Adventures for 2025, including new luxury holidays in India, Sri Lanka and Japan. Five new tours lead guests to the highlights of India, including a seven-night cruise along the rarely travelled Lower Ganges aboard the Ganges Voyager. Further south, Sri Lanka’s greatest destinations are revealed on a new 15-day Land […]

  • Cruise
  • Luxury
  • News

Seabourn announces Western Kimberley Traditional Owners as Godparents of Seabourn Pursuit

Seabourn has named Western Kimberley Traditional Owners, the Wunambal Gaambera, as Godparents of the ultra-luxury purpose-built Seabourn Pursuit. It is the first cruise line to appoint Traditional Owners as godparents of a ship. Seabourn Pursuit embarks on its inaugural season in the Kimberley region this June. The naming ceremony will take place on Seabourn Pursuit’s […]

  • Luxury

Malolo Island Resort opens brand new Spa

Fiji’s Malolo Island has added another string to its bow – opening its $1.3 million day spa on Thursday, 18th April 2024. (Lead Image: matriarch Rosie Whitton with spa staff) Located at the edge of the resort’s luscious patch of tropical rainforest, the new “Leilani’s Spa” adds another level of elevated experiences to Malolo’s already […]