Bird strike forces UA flight to land

BOSTON, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- United Airlines Flight 177 from Boston to San Francisco had to return to Logan International Airport Wednesday because some birds flew into an engine and caused a compressor stall.

The twin-engine jet with 115 passengers and nine crew on board landed without incident after some anxious moments shortly after takeoff.

"The plane started to take off, there was a loud bang," said passenger Michael Davin. He said there was a "little shimmer, but nothing too startling."

Logan spokesman Phil Orlandella said that the problem was a compressor stall, "like a backfire in a car."

He said the apparent cause of the compressor stall was a "bird strike."

He said perhaps as many as three birds "were ingested into the left engine. There was no fire in the engine, he (the pilot) did not shut it down, he did not use his fire extinguisher."

Orlandella said the plane made a perfect landing and that passengers were to be booked on other flights.

While there was no panic on board, there was some concern among passengers because of a "funny aroma" in the plane.

"I think the smell really triggered people's thoughts," Davin said, until they "realized there were birds cooking in the engine."