Bird Strike Causes Mid-Air Engine Fire Chicago, Illinois — October 28, 2024 A routine evening takeoff from Chicago O’Hare International Airport turned into a terrifying ordeal Monday when a passenger jet suffered a catastrophic engine failure just moments after liftoff, all captured on a passenger’s phone. The incident, believed to have been caused by a bird strike, sent a fiery explosion from the plane’s wing as it ascended into the sunset-lit sky. The heart-stopping video shows the view from a