THIS is the terrifying moment a passenger plane was forced to do a U-turn back to the airport with flames spewing from the engine after it hit a flock of geese.
The American Airlines flight 1958 to Phoenix, Arizona, was in the air for just 40 minutes when the alarming incident unfolded.
Chilling footage shows flames shooting into the sky from the aircraft after the birds were sucked into the engine shortly after take off.
A worrying rumbling noise could be heard as the plane made its dramatic descent.
The Boeing 737 departed from John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio on Sunday at around 7.43am, according to flight trackers.
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But travellers were back exactly where they started by 8.22am, as pilots made a frantic dash to safety.
Eyewitnesses claimed the plane had been struck by a flock of geese as it took off, causing flames to gush out of the engine.
Others said terrified passengers heard "wonky, pulsing noises" as the drama unfolded thousands of feet above the ground.
One person in Columbus, Ohio, said it sounded "as if the engines were about to give up," according to the Daily Mail.
A passenger told WBNS that the pilot said that the geese had become trapped in the engine, triggering the fire.
The flight miraculously landed back on the tarmac safely after the hellish experience, with no injuries reported.
Traumatised travellers were then put on another aircraft to complete their journey, which was scheduled to take off to Pheonix at around 10am.
The Federal Aviation Administration is leading an investigation into the fire.
John Glenn Columbus International Airport reassured holidaymakers that it remained "open and operational."
The airport is said to have only been shut down for a few minutes as the plane returned for an emergency landing.
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American Airlines said in a statement: "American Airlines flight 1958, with service from Columbus (CMH) to Phoenix (PHX), returned to CMH shortly after takeoff due to a mechanical issue.
"The flight landed normally and taxied safely to the gate under its own power.
"The aircraft was taken out of service for maintenance and our team is working to get customers back on their way to PHX.
"Safety is our top priority and we thank our customers for their understanding."
We previously told how a Boeing 737's engine appeared to catch fire in mid-air as passengers screamed in terror.
Travellers were warned to prepare for an emergency landing as the cabin filled with smoke after an engine is thought to have caught fire following a bird strike.
The packed aircraft was forced to return to the Cuban capital Havana shortly after take-off.
Mobile phone footage captured by passengers on board showed them fitting oxygen masks in poor visibility on board the plane because of the smoke filling the air.
Firefighters were filmed dousing the aircraft with water after it landed and passengers exited using emergency slides.
There were no reports of any serious casualties.
