On Nov. 14, local time, an Alaska Airlines jetliner landed at Alaska’s Yakutat Airport, killing a brown bear that was crossing the runway and causing damage to the fuselage.
The accident occurred around 6:30 p.m. that evening, according to local media reports in the Anchorage Daily News. Sam Dapcevich, a public information officer with the Alaska Department of Transportation, said airport staff had cleared the runway 10 minutes before Flight 66 touched down and saw no signs of wildlife during the inspection. But just as the Boeing 737-700 landed and began to slow down, the pilot spotted two bears crossing the runway. Dapchevich said the one that was hit was a female brown bear whose cub was about two years old and was not injured.
Alaska Airlines said in a statement that the plane’s head did not collide with the bear, but the pilot felt the impact on the left side of the plane as the bear passed underneath it. None of the passengers or crew on board were injured, but the plane’s left engine cowling was damaged, the news release said. Parts of the Yakutat airport have been cordoned off and the bear’s carcass has been cleaned up. Alaska Airlines said technicians are currently repairing the plane, which is expected to take several days.
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