ATC and Public Safety audio from Denver (bird strike 13 August)
United 1618 returns to Denver for an emergency landing after a bird strike and engine ingestion.
Summary
Shortly after departing Denver International Airport, United Flight 1618 reported striking a bird during the takeoff roll. The engine ingested the bird, resulting in reports of smoke and flames, which prompted the crew to request an immediate return. Air Traffic Control proactively declared an emergency for the aircraft while ground crews staged for a potential engine fire.
Analysis
The recording begins with United Flight 1618, an Airbus A320, being cleared for takeoff from Runway 8 at Denver International Airport (DEN). Immediately after liftoff, the pilot reports a bird strike during the takeoff roll. While the pilot initially remains calm and simply requests a level-off and vectors back to the airport, the situation's severity is highlighted by ground observations. Tower controllers reported seeing smoke and flames emanating from the engine following the ingestion, which led ATC to proactively declare an emergency for the flight—a standard safety move when a crew is busy managing a mechanical issue.
The transcript provides a fascinating look at the "behind-the-scenes" coordination between ATC, the flight crew, and airport emergency services (Public Safety/Ops). As the pilots work through their checklists—described by the pilot as "getting our ducks in a row"—the dispatch and fire crews (Red Lead, Medic 181) mobilize for an "Alert 1." This alert level indicates a precautionary standby for an aircraft experiencing difficulties that do not yet constitute a full-scale disaster but require emergency equipment to be staged near the runway.
Technically, the recording illustrates the procedural requirements for an emergency return: the pilot provides "souls on board" (153) and "fuel remaining" (6 hours), which helps emergency crews assess the potential fire risk and medical needs. The flight was vectored to Runway 17 Right, a common arrival runway at Denver, providing a long rollout distance for an aircraft that might have compromised braking or engine performance.
The incident concluded safely with the aircraft landing and taxiing to the gate under its own power. Ground crews performed a "step down" once it was confirmed the engine was no longer a fire risk. A post-landing inspection of the runway confirmed the presence of "multiple pieces of bird," validating the pilot's initial report and the engine's ingestion of the wildlife. This event serves as a textbook example of professional communication and coordinated emergency response in a high-stakes environment.