Rabbit on Runway Sends a United^® Jet into Crisis

A United Airlines^® flight lit up the sky above Denver in April 2025 — but not in any way passengers wanted. United Flight 2325, a Boeing 737-800 headed to Edmonton, Canada, erupted in flames shortly after takeoff when a rabbit reportedly got sucked into one of the engines.

From Tarmac to Terror in Minutes

The flight lifted off from Denver International Airport on Sunday, April 13, with 153 passengers and six crew members on board. Moments later, fire burst from the right engine. As passengers stared out their windows, horrified, the pilot calmly reported what they suspected had triggered the inferno.

"Rabbit through the number 2, that'll do it, alright," the pilot said, according to audio shared by ABC News via LiveATC.

The crew stayed airborne for 75 tense minutes, circling while trying to determine if the engine fire had compromised the landing gear. Eventually, they brought the aircraft back to Denver safely, where firefighters met them on the tarmac.

A Giant Fireball and Sheer Panic

Inside the plane, chaos spread. Passengers heard a loud bang and felt a jarring vibration as the engine ignited. One of them, Scott Wolff, told ABC News, "It was a loud bang, and a significant vibration on the plane." He added, "Every few moments, there was a backfire coming from the engine,” and described seeing a “giant fireball behind it."

As smoke streaked from the aircraft in the sky, people on the ground watched in horror. Witness Wyatt McCurry told ABC News, "My stomach dropped and I just thought, 'I'm gonna see a plane go down.'"

Why Was There a Rabbit on the Runway?

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the plane likely struck an animal during takeoff, though it stopped short of officially identifying it. But reports of rabbits on the runway surfaced, and the pilot's LiveATC remark seemed to support the theory.

United Airlines told PEOPLE, "On Sunday, our flight from Denver to Edmonton (UA2325) returned safely to Denver to address a possible wildlife strike. The aircraft returned to the gate, and we lined up a new aircraft to get our customers on their way."

This wasn't a freak accident at Denver. According to FAA data, planes at Denver International Airport hit wildlife more than 800 times in 2023 alone. While birds account for the vast majority of those collisions, rabbits occasionally make the list—though only four rabbit-related strikes had been reported in the U.S. this year.

Flight Lands, but Questions Hang in the Air

The FAA continues to investigate, but the incident has already raised fresh concerns about airport wildlife management. Runways attract animals, especially at sprawling airports like Denver's, where grassy spaces make ideal habitats.

While passengers made it safely to their destination on a replacement flight, the flames, fear, and fireball will stick with many of them far longer than the delay.

References: United jet engine catches fire after animal strike at airport; rabbits reported on runway | Rabbit Causes Fire on United Airlines Flight After Animal Is Sucked into Engine