Incident Overview
On March 1, 2025, at 0800 eastern standard time, FedEx flight 3609, a Boeing 767-300F (registration N178FE) powered by two General Electric CF6-80C2 turbofan engines, struck birds during initial climb after takeoff from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey. The flight was a domestic cargo operation under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121, destined for Indianapolis International Airport (IND), Indiana. There were no injuries to the two crew members and one passenger on board.
Crew Actions and Emergency Response
The flight crew reported that after takeoff, while climbing through about 500 ft, the first officer (FO), who was the flying pilot, observed three white birds to the left side and underneath the airplane. He called “Birds!” and immediately heard an “abrupt bang.” The airplane then experienced moderate to severe vibrations. The FO initiated a right turn back toward the airport and requested the captain to declare an emergency and inform Air Traffic Control (ATC) of their return to EWR.
The captain checked the engine indications, which soon displayed right engine damage including fire indications (fire bell, warning lights, discrete fire light on the right fuel control) and an R ENGINE FIRE message on the Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System (EICAS). As the FO continued flying, the captain executed the quick reference checklist (QRC) for ‘ENGINE FIRE or Engine Severe Damage or Separation,’ which resulted in the shutdown of the No. 2 (right engine) and discharge of one fire bottle. After engine shutdown, the airplane “flew much smoother” and noise reduced substantially. The captain then discharged a second fire bottle as the fire indications persisted, and they remained present for the remainder of the flight.
The crew requested the passenger, who was type-rated in the airplane, to move to the first observer seat and assist with checklists and monitoring. During the base traffic pattern leg, the captain took control from the FO, who assumed pilot monitoring duties. After landing clearance, ATC initially advised that the fire on the right engine appeared to have gone out, but shortly thereafter reported visible fire on the engine.
Landing and Post-Flight Actions
After landing, the captain stopped the airplane on the runway, shut down the left engine, and contacted aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) responders via tower frequency. ARFF confirmed visible fire and began applying water. Soon after, all cockpit fire indications ceased. Following an “all clear” from ARFF, the crew exited via the crew stairs.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the airplane revealed bird remnants on the No. 1 engine nacelle (inside and outside of the inlet), as well as on sections of the engine spinner, fan blades, inlet and outlet guide vanes, thrust reverser blocker doors, and drag link arms. All fan blades were present and whole; several exhibited round soft-body airfoil leading-edge impacts and blade tip bending. The nacelle inlet lip skin was dented/impacted at about the 9:00 o’clock position, with evidence of bird remains at the 2:30 o’clock position but no impact damage.
On the No. 2 engine, bird remnants were present on the spinner, fan blades, and thrust reverser blocker door drag links. All fan blades were present and exhibited a combination of leading edge and airfoil hard-body impact, missing material, gouging, tip rub, rips and tears, and bending in both directions. One blade was fractured just outboard of the mid-span shroud. The inlet inner barrel liner had multiple impact marks, holes, areas of missing material, trenching, and embedded metallic material around the entire circumference. Several through-hole penetrations were noted in the inlet outer barrel. The outer skin of the turbine exhaust sleeve departed the engine and was recovered in a grassy field near Interstate 95 along the flight path. The No. 2 engine was heavily damaged by fire; sooting and thermal distress were present 360° circumferentially from the aft flange of the aft fan case to the rear flange of the combustion case. Sooting also occurred along the top of the engine from the 11:00 to 1:00 o’clock position. Thermal distress included consumed electrical wire outer sheathing and isolator grommets, as well as damaged or consumed wire clamp cushions. Portions of some air, oil, and fuel tubes were consumed by fire.
The right side of the airplane exhibited multiple small impact marks on the horizontal stabilizer, fuselage, and wing control surfaces, consistent with debris from the No. 2 engine. None of this damage met the definition of substantial damage or affected the flight control system.
Investigation
Qualified parties were invited to participate in the investigation, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Express, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, and General Electric Aerospace. In accordance with Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, an Accredited Representative from the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (the State of Manufacture for the engine vibration monitor) was appointed, with Paker Meggitt as technical advisor. NTSB specialists in powerplants, Flight Data Recorder (FDR), and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) were assigned. The FDR and CVR were sent to the NTSB’s Vehicle Recorder Laboratory in Washington, DC. The investigation is continuing.