Delta Air Lines Flight 809, heading from San José to Atlanta, had to turn back on Tuesday afternoon. A bird strike occurred shortly after takeoff at 1:00 PM local time, causing the flight to return to San José Mineta International Airport. The crew made this decision to prioritize safety for the 124 passengers and six crew members onboard.

The Boeing 737-900ER, registered N921DU, was en route to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. After the bird strike, the plane returned to San José about 20 minutes into the flight. No one reported injuries. Delta Air Lines quickly arranged a replacement aircraft.

Delta sent another Boeing 737-900ER, registered N842DN, to continue the journey. The new flight left San José at 6:20 PM and reached Atlanta at 1:36 AM the following morning. The diversion caused a delay of five and a half hours.

The original aircraft, N921DU, joined Delta’s fleet in 2019 and is still relatively new. It flew to Salt Lake City the day after the incident. Meanwhile, N842DN has been in service for nearly 10 years and continues to play a key role in Delta’s operations.

Bird strikes are common but can present risks, especially during takeoff or landing. These incidents can damage engines or other vital components. Delta took all necessary actions to ensure safety.

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