You’re sitting on a Boeing 737, the engines are screaming for takeoff, and you finally feel that lift-off rotation. Suddenly, a sound like a gunshot rips through the cabin. The plane shakes. You look out the window and see giant fireballs spitting out of the right engine.
Most people would assume a bird caused it. Maybe a goose or a hawk.
But on April 13, 2025, United Airlines Flight 2325 from Denver to Edmonton had a much weirder problem. It wasn't a bird. It was a rabbit.
Yeah, a rabbit.
Honestly, it sounds like a bad joke or a scene from a cartoon, but for the 153 passengers on board that night, it was anything but funny. The plane had to circle for over an hour, dumping energy and dealing with a dead engine, all because of a small mammal that somehow ended up in the wrong place at the very worst time.
The United Airlines Rabbit Strike: How Does That Even Happen?
The biggest question everyone asks is: how does a rabbit get into an engine? They don't fly.
Usually, wildlife strikes involve things with wings. Birds account for about 97% of all wildlife incidents in the sky. But terrestrial mammals—the ground-dwellers—make up a small, chaotic sliver of the FAA's database.
When a plane is "rotating" (that’s pilot-speak for pulling the nose up to fly), the engines are at maximum thrust. They act like giant vacuum cleaners. If a rabbit is scurrying across the runway or gets spooked by the noise and runs toward the lights, it can get sucked right into the intake.
In this specific Denver incident, the pilot’s reaction on the radio was almost legendary for its "deadpan" delivery. When Air Traffic Control told the crew they’d seen a rabbit go in, the pilot simply replied: “Rabbit through the number two, that’ll do it.”
Basically, the engine "ingested" the animal. This caused what's known as a compressor stall. Think of it like a backfire in a car, but on a massive, terrifying scale. The airflow gets disrupted, the engine chokes, and flames shoot out the back because the fuel isn't burning where it’s supposed to.
Why Denver International Airport Is a "Bunny Haven"
Denver International Airport (DEN) is huge. It covers 53 square miles. Most of that is just open prairie.
It's literally the perfect habitat for rabbits.
The airport has had a long-running battle with these guys. In fact, local news has covered "rabbit raids" for years where the animals chew through the wiring of parked cars in the employee lots. They love the soy-based insulation in modern car wires.
But when they move from the parking lot to the active runways, the stakes get much higher.
- Massive Footprint: DEN is built on old farmland, so the ecosystem is still very much alive.
- The Predator Effect: Where there are rabbits, there are hawks and eagles. This creates a double hazard.
- The "Hare" Count: In 2024, the FAA reported over 20,000 wildlife strikes. Only four of those were rabbits. One of them was at Denver.
It’s rare. Like, winning-the-lottery rare. But when it happens, it’s expensive and scary.
What Happens Inside the Cockpit During a Strike?
The crew on UA2325 didn't just have an engine fire to worry about. According to flight records and audio, they also had an "unsafe gear" indication.
When an engine backfires or "surges" with that much force, it sends vibrations through the whole airframe. Sometimes, that vibration can mess with sensors or even damage components near the landing gear bay.
The pilots declared a Mayday.
They shut down the number two engine (the right one).
Modern planes like the Boeing 73-800 are perfectly capable of flying on one engine. They’re designed for it. But you can't just land immediately. You have to run checklists, communicate with the ground, and ensure the plane isn't too heavy to land safely.
United Flight 2325 spent about 75 minutes in the air. They flew holding patterns to the east of the airport. They weren't just killing time; they were making sure they were ready for an emergency landing.
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When they finally touched down at 8:21 p.m., they were met by fire trucks. Thankfully, everyone walked off that plane without a scratch. The only casualty was the bunny and the airline's maintenance budget.
The True Cost of Wildlife Encounters
Wildlife strikes aren't just "incidents." They are a billion-dollar headache for the aviation industry.
The FAA estimates that bird and wildlife strikes cost U.S. civil aviation over $900 million every year. That’s in repairs, lost time, and fuel. When a United plane gets grounded for two days because of a rabbit, that’s a massive hole in the schedule.
Engine repairs for a 737 aren't cheap. If the fan blades are damaged—which they almost always are after "ingesting" something—you're looking at a bill that can easily hit six or seven figures.
Staying Safe: What You Should Know
If you ever find yourself on a flight that experiences a strike, the "fire" you see isn't usually the plane "exploding." It’s the engine reacting to a blockage.
- Don't Panic at the Flames: Those fireballs are often external. The engine's internal fire suppression systems are incredibly effective.
- Listen to the Crew: They practice engine-out scenarios in simulators every few months. They can do this in their sleep.
- Expect a Wait: If the plane returns to the airport, it’s going to be a long night. You’ll likely be switched to a "ferry" aircraft or a different scheduled flight.
- Trust the Technology: The 737 involved in the Denver strike (Registration N27213) was a workhorse from 1998. These planes are built to take a hit and keep the passengers safe.
The United Airlines rabbit strike is a bizarre reminder that no matter how much tech we cram into a cockpit, nature still finds a way to throw a wrench—or a hare—into the works.
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If you're flying out of Denver anytime soon, maybe keep an eye out the window during taxiing. You might see a few ears poking up from the grass. Just hope they stay there.
Next time you're booking a flight, you can check the FAA's public Wildlife Strike Database to see which airports have the most "unwanted visitors." It’s a fascinating, if slightly grim, look at the reality of sharing the sky with the animal kingdom.