Jan 6th 2026 : A Southwest Airlines flight en route from Omaha to Phoenix was forced to return to its departure airport shortly after takeoff following a bird strike.
Flight WN1230, operated by a Boeing 737-700 registered N246LV, departed Omaha Eppley Airfield from runway 36 and began its initial climb. Shortly after liftoff, the flight crew stopped the climb at approximately 2,000 feet after reporting a bird strike.
As a precaution, the crew elected to return to Omaha. The aircraft landed safely on runway 32L about 15 minutes after departure. No injuries were reported, and the landing was completed without further incident.
Southwest Airlines later confirmed that the aircraft had been struck by a bird shortly after departure. The airline arranged a replacement Boeing 737-700, registered N923WN, to continue the flight to Phoenix. The substitute aircraft reached its destination with a delay of approximately two hours and twenty minutes.
As of around 21 hours after landing back in Omaha, the affected aircraft remains on the ground while inspections and maintenance are carried out.
Southwest stated that the crew followed standard safety procedures and emphasized that passenger safety remains its top priority.
