It happened fast.
One second, a United Airlines Boeing 737 is barreling down the runway at Chicago O’Hare, engines roaring at takeoff thrust, and the next, there’s a thud. This isn't the sound of a bird hitting the windshield—that wet, directional thwack pilots are used to. No, a coyote strike United Airlines flight incident is a different beast entirely. It’s heavy. It’s jarring. It’s the kind of thing that makes a cockpit crew immediately glance at their engine vibration gauges while the ground controllers start scrambling the "follow-me" trucks to check for debris.
You’d think with all the high-tech fencing and the constant patrols, a scruffy, thirty-pound canine wouldn't be able to shut down a multi-million dollar operation. But nature is stubborn. Honestly, airports are basically giant, paved buffets for coyotes, full of field mice and protected from human hunters. When a United jet intersects with one of these "song dogs" of the West, it’s not just a tragedy for the animal; it’s a massive logistical nightmare that involves the FAA, USDA wildlife experts, and hundreds of frustrated passengers wondering why their connection to Newark just got canceled.
The Night at O'Hare: Anatomy of a Strike
Back in late 2024, a specific United flight became the poster child for this exact problem. As the aircraft began its rotation, the crew spotted movement. In the beam of the landing lights, a coyote darted across the concrete. It didn't make it.
The strike was confirmed almost instantly.
When an animal that size gets hit by a nose gear or, worse, ingested into a turbofan engine, the flight doesn't just "keep going." The pilots have to make a split-second decision: abort the takeoff (if they're below V1 speed) or fly the pattern and land immediately. In this case, the United crew followed the book. They landed safely, but the runway was littered with what the FAA clinically calls "FOD"—Foreign Object Debris.
Why does this keep happening at major hubs like Chicago O'Hare or Denver International? It's the geography. These airports are massive. We're talking thousands of acres of grassland that look exactly like the coyote's natural habitat. To a coyote, a runway is just a very convenient, flat path to get from a patch of grass full of rabbits to another patch of grass full of voles. They don't understand that the "metal bird" coming at them is moving at 150 miles per hour.
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Why Coyotes are Different from Bird Strikes
Most people hear "wildlife strike" and they think of Captain Sully and the "Miracle on the Hudson." Geese are the primary enemy of aviation. But a coyote strike United Airlines flight presents a unique set of engineering problems.
Birds are soft. Engines are designed to "ingest" a certain amount of soft tissue and bone without the blades shattering. A coyote, however, has a much denser skeletal structure. If a coyote gets sucked into a CFM56 or a GE9X engine, the kinetic energy is astronomical. You aren't just looking at a few bent fan blades; you’re looking at a total engine failure, potential fire, and a repair bill that starts at about $2 million.
Even if the engine stays clear, the landing gear is vulnerable. Hydraulic lines, brake wires, and those expensive Michelin tires are all exposed. A 35-pound animal hitting a landing gear strut at takeoff speed can sever a line, leading to a loss of braking or steering capability upon landing. That’s why the FAA’s Wildlife Strike Database is so meticulous about recording these. Every tuft of fur found on a strut is sent to the Smithsonian Institution’s Feather Identification Lab—yes, they do mammals too—to confirm exactly what species was hit.
The Hidden Data of Runway Incursions
Look at the numbers. They're actually wild. According to FAA records, there have been thousands of terrestrial mammal strikes over the last few decades.
Coyotes are near the top of the list for mammals, right alongside deer. Between 1990 and 2022, the FAA reported over 1,100 coyote strikes nationwide. United, being a legacy carrier with massive hubs in "coyote country" like Denver, Chicago, and Houston, naturally ends up in the headlines more often. It’s a game of probability. The more flights you have in and out of the Midwest, the more likely you are to have a run-in with a wily coyote who thinks he owns the place.
How Airports Fight Back (Without Being Cruel)
It’s a war of attrition.
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Airports don't want to kill animals. It's bad PR and frankly, it doesn't work—new coyotes just move into the empty territory. Instead, United and the airport authorities work with USDA Wildlife Services to "harass" the animals.
- Pyrotechnics: Specialized "crackers" and "screamers" that make loud noises to scare them off.
- Border Collies: Some airports actually employ dogs to chase away other dogs. It's weirdly effective.
- Perimeter Management: High-tensile fencing buried several feet into the ground to prevent digging.
- Habitat Modification: Keeping the grass at a specific height—too short for mice to hide in, but too long for coyotes to feel comfortable hunting.
Basically, they try to make the airport the most annoying, boring, and loud place on earth for a coyote. If the "buffet" is closed, the coyotes go elsewhere. But as the United incidents prove, they are incredibly adaptable. They learn the schedules. They learn where the gaps in the fences are. They are, quite literally, the "Wile E. Coyotes" of the aviation world.
The Cost You Don't See
When your United flight is delayed because of a "wildlife inspection," you're probably annoyed. But consider the airline's side.
A single coyote strike can take a plane out of service for three days. It needs a full borescope inspection of the engines. The landing gear has to be pressure-tested. If there's any structural damage to the fuselage, it needs a composite repair. For an airline like United, having a "bird" on the ground (AOG) costs roughly $10,000 to $50,000 per hour in lost revenue and rebooking costs.
Then there’s the crew. If a pilot has to perform an emergency landing, they often "time out" of their legal flying hours. Now you need a new crew. You need a new plane. You need to put 180 people in a hotel in Chicago. All because one coyote decided to cross the road at the wrong time.
Safety Is Still the Priority
Here is the good news: you are incredibly safe.
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Modern aircraft are built like tanks. A coyote strike United Airlines flight is a major headache for the airline, but for the passenger, it’s usually just a bump and a weird smell (if the animal was hit by the engine). The pilots are trained for this in simulators every six months. They know exactly how to handle asymmetrical thrust or hydraulic failures.
In the history of commercial jet aviation, a coyote strike has never caused a fatal crash of a large airliner. Small Cessnas? Yes. Private jets? Occasionally. But a United Boeing or Airbus? It's just an expensive "ouch."
What to Do if Your Flight Hits an Animal
If you’re sitting over the wing and you see or feel a strike, stay calm.
First, look at the flight attendants. If they aren't sprinting for the exit, you shouldn't be either. Usually, the pilot will come on the intercom within two minutes to explain the situation. You’ll likely return to the gate.
If you are delayed or your flight is canceled due to a wildlife strike, remember that this is technically considered an "Act of God" or "extraordinary circumstance" in the world of airline law. This means United isn't legally required to pay you cash compensation like they would for a mechanical failure. However, they will still rebook you, and if you're a frequent flier or persistent with customer service, they’ll often throw some miles your way for the trouble.
Actionable Steps for the Informed Traveler
If you find yourself delayed due to a wildlife strike on the runway, follow these steps to minimize the chaos:
- Check the United App Immediately: Don't wait in the long line at the gate. The app usually updates with rebooking options faster than the agent can talk to you.
- Document the Time: If the delay stretches over three hours, ask for meal vouchers. Even if they aren't "legally" required, United agents have the discretion to provide them.
- Check for "Secondary" Delays: Sometimes the strike doesn't happen to your plane, but it closes the runway for 20 minutes while they clean it up. This creates a "flow control" delay. Check FlightAware to see if other planes are landing; if they are, your delay will be short.
- Look for Debris: If you are at a window seat after a suspected strike, look at the runway as the plane turns off. If you see airport vehicles with flashing yellow lights, they are performing a "FOD sweep" to make sure the next plane doesn't suck up parts of the animal—or parts of your plane.
Wildlife strikes are a gritty reality of moving 200 tons of metal through the air. As long as we build airports on the outskirts of cities, we’re going to be sharing space with the locals. Sometimes, the locals have four legs and a lot of nerve.
Next time you’re taking off from O'Hare or Denver, take a look out the window at those vast fields of yellow grass. Somewhere out there, a coyote is probably watching your plane, waiting for his chance to find a snack. Just hope he stays on his side of the fence.