Bird strikes force pair of United flights to return to IAH: 'We heard a loud pop and you could feel something'

Bird strikes forced a couple of United Airlines (UA) flights to make emergency landings at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) on Tuesday, according to reports from Houston-based media outlets.

Both of the flights originated from IAH, with one initially headed to Las Vegas and the other bound for Santiago, Chile.

Citing the Houston Airport System (HAS), Houston ABC affiliate KTRK reported no injuries occurred on either flight. 

The station reported that the flight to Las Vegas was the first to encounter a bird strike, with the same occurring to the one headed to South America minutes later. 

"When we leveled off at 4,000, we heard a loud pop and you could feel something, so we're going to contact maintenance and company,” one of the pilots was recorded to have said, per KTRK. “We'll go ahead and continue our climb for now, but we might be getting back with you."

A bird strike is defined as a collision between an aircraft and an airborne creature. 

“Bird strikes can cause severe aircraft damage and put lives at risk,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a tweet. “To help reduce the chances of them happening, the FAA is researching new technology that would shoo birds away from oncoming aircraft.” 

According to the FAA, the number of reported strikes in the U.S. soared by 144% from 2000 to 2017, with the incidents claiming at least 300 lives and destroying over 260 aircraft around the world from 1988 to 2018.

Houston CBS affiliate KHOU reported that UA Flight 2086 to Las Vegas returned to the skies the same night after being looked at while UA Flight 847 to Chile departed on Wednesday following an inspection. 

KTRK reported that the incidents occurred two days after a bird strike purportedly caused a fire to the engine of an American Airlines (AA) flight from Columbus, Ohio to Phoenix. 

"The flight landed normally and taxied safely to the gate under its own power,” the Fort Worth-based carrier said in a statement, NBC News reported. "The aircraft was taken out of service for maintenance and our team is working to get customers back on their way."