An Alaska Airlines flight, which had just landed on a remote northern island in the airline’s namesake state, collided with two runways as it was rolling along the runway on Thursday morning.
Flight Details
- Alaska Airlines flight AS-231
- Route: Anchorage (ANC) – Kodiak (ADQ)
- Aircraft: Boeing 737MAX-8
- Registration: N801AK
Alaska Airlines flight AS-231 from Anchorage to Kodiak landed just after 8 am on Thursday and struck two of three wild deer that sprinted across the runway as the one-year-old plane was still decelerating.
The incident was caught on camera by Erin Edwards, who had been planespotting at the state-owned airport, which has a dual commercial and military use.
After colliding with the deer, the pilots were still able to taxi the aircraft to the gate, although the landing gear was damaged in the incident, and the plane is now stranded in Kodiak.
As a result, a return flight from Kodiak to Anchorage had to be canceled on Thursday morning.
In a statement, a spokesperson confirmed the accident, explaining:
“On July 24, at approximately 8:00 a.m. Alaska time, Alaska Airlines Flight 231, a Boeing 737 aircraft, was landing at Kodiak Airport. During the landing rollout, the aircraft came into contact with at least two deer that were crossing the runway.”
“The aircraft safely taxied to the station. No guests or employees were injured in the incident. An inspection found damage to the aircraft’s main landing gear that will require repairs in Kodiak.”
“Passenger flights to and from Kodiak were then cancelled for rest of Thursday and guests were rebooked on other flights. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate our guests’ understanding and patience.”
Although rare, planes colliding with wildlife during takeoff and landing is not unheard of, especially at more remote airfields like Kodiak.
That being said, wildlife can pose a problem even at some of the largest and busiest airports.
In January, a United Airlines Boeing 737MAX hit a coyote as it was speeding along the runway for takeoff at Chicago O’Hare, damaging the front nose gear in the process.
At the point of collision, the pilots were committed to taking off, but they immediately returned to Chicago, where the plane landed safely.
Several months earlier, ground staff at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport were put on high alert after a two-year-old pet dog escaped the cargo hold of a plane while it was being unloaded because its crate was not secure.
The dog, named Amalka, went on the run for nearly a week, occasionally being spotted running around taxiing aircraft, before ground handlers were eventually able to catch he distressed animal and return it to their owner.
