Plane hits bird, makes emergency landing in Van Nuys
Plane hits bird, injures pilot in Van Nuys
The plane struck a bird while flying through the Newhall Pass, causing significant damage.
LOS ANGELES - A plane with three people aboard was forced to make an emergency landing Saturday at Van Nuys Airport after striking a bird.
What we know:
A Barron B55 twin-engine aircraft struck the bird while flying through the Newhall Pass around 9 p.m.
The plane suffered significant damage. The impact shattered the windshield, leaving the co-pilot injured.
The co-pilot was treated for a head wound and transported to the hospital.
The plane was returning from a day trip to Las Vegas when the bird strike happened.
The pilot described it as a teaching experience.
What they're saying:
"I call ‘mayday.’ I landed everything smooth. When I started, I cannot hear them. So my partner got all blood… and maybe just scratch in the chin. But after we landed, we just realized that it was a bird, and then it stuck on the ceiling there. So pretty big bird, I believe. Yeah. It's so dangerous at night and we cannot see anything," said co-pilot Gma Goeyardi.
The Source: Information for this story is from an interview at the scene with co-pilot Gma Goeyardi on March 15, 2025.