No injuries after birds hit plane engine

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Nov. 15 (UPI) -- A Frontier Airlines plane returned to Kansas City, Mo., for an emergency landing after an engine was damaged by a flock of birds, authorities said.

No injuries were reported Saturday aboard the Airbus 319, which was en route to Denver with more than 120 people aboard, Frontier spokesman Steve Synder told The Denver Post in a story published Sunday. The bird strike occurred shortly after liftoff.

One passenger, who was not identified, said she saw flames, smelled a horrible odor and witnessed terrified passengers crying, the Post reported.

Synder did not confirm the fire, but said it was not unusual for flames to show in an engine after a bird strike.