A commercial airliner spewed flames from its left wing during a terrifying mid-air emergency, forcing pilots to issue a desperate Mayday call shortly after takeoff. The chaos erupted aboard American Airlines Flight 1760 as the Boeing 737 departed a South Carolina airport bound for Charlotte, North Carolina. A flock of birds struck the aircraft’s left engine, causing loud popping noises and visible orange flashes as the plane circled over water with 181 people onboard. “Mayday, mayday, mayday. We’ve got an engine problem here,” the pilot reported to air traffic control. Another pilot nearby witnessed the collision, radioing, “I saw he took up birds, it looked like, at least in the left side engine.” On the ground below, airport workers reported finding extensive bird debris strewn across the runway. Passengers recorded terrifying footage of flames shooting from the engine as the jet prepared for an immediate emergency return. The aircraft landed safely, and emergency crews met the plane on the tarmac. American Airlines confirmed the jet was taken out of service for maintenance inspections, while federal authorities launched an official investigation into the strike.
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