Jazz flight issues cause delays
The Utah Jazz experienced flight issues when their plane flew into a bird Monday night..
A Utah Jazz charter flight headed to Memphis had to return to Salt Lake City after the plane struck a flock of birds on takeoff.
No injuries were reported. The Jazz confirmed their Delta charter for Wednesday’s game returned to Salt Lake City International airport shortly after takeoff.
Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune reports the team’s Boeing 757 took off around 1:10 p.m. and was headed south over the Salt Lake Valley. However, a flock of birds struck the plane, leading to an engine shutdown, a Salt Lake City International Airport spokesman told the newspaper.
Photos of the plane’s damage emerged on social media, showing severe cracking on the nosecone and paneling torn away from the left engine.
Here’s a look from @KSLChopper5 at fire crews escorting a Delta 757 across @slcairport. We don’t have a ton of info yet, but @flightradar24 shows the flight taking off and immediately returning to land. @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/vL48pe4qPw
— Sean Moody 🎥🎙📝📺 (@SeanMoodyNews) March 30, 2021
The plane ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/3iHipo9PTB
— 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐞𝐞 (@brian_schnee) March 30, 2021
Following the incident, several players expressed gratitude for the safe landing. Donovan Mitchell posted a praying hands emoji on Twitter, while Rudy Gobert wrote “It’s a beautiful day!”
🙏🏾
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) March 30, 2021
GOD is good 🙏🏾🙏🏾
— Royce O'Neale (@BucketsONeale00) March 30, 2021
The Jazz were scheduled to play the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night (8 ET, NBA League Pass). The Salt Lake Tribune reports the Jazz did eventually take off on another plane for Memphis around 7:45 p.m. MT.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
