Plane landing in dense fog hits swans: 'OK God, give him wisdom'
EUGENE, Ore. - Mark Mathis had a front row seat on Alaska/Horizon flight 2299 from Seattle-Tacoma to Eugene.
On the approach to Eugene, he thought the plane hit some turbulence.
"Then one motor is making some like high and low pitched sounds just revving up and then down," Mathis told KVAL News. "Then we were like, um, OK."
The airline said the jet hit three swans at about 200 feet in the air in very foggy conditions.
At the time, Mathis had no idea.
"Just praying," he said. "Hey, the pilot knows what he's doing. OK God, give him wisdom, if there's something going on, to deal with it."
After a safe but bumpy landing, Mathis walked to the front of the plane to see the damage.
He saw "a hole right into where the wiring is in the nose." KVAL News talked to Horizon's chief of pilots, who wouldn't make the comparison to 2009's Miracle on the Hudson when a plane hit birds and the pilot safely landed a plane full of passengers on the Hudson River in New York City.
But he said the crew did a great job dealing with the in-flight collision in thick fog.
"From what I've been able to debrief, the checklist used and the calls and just the calmness displayed by both gentlemen was just outstanding," he told KVAL News.
Bird strikes are not unheard of at the Eugene airport. There were 11 bird strikes last year and 8 in 2011.
The airport has a wildlife hazard program to decrease the likelihood of any collisions.
Using fake gunshots, shiny tape, decoys and vegetation control, airport staff try to make it uncomfortable for birds to hang around the airport and cause trouble.
"The whole idea is to change it up and so wildlife sees it and says oh wait, I don't want to be here around that," said Cathryn Stephens, the deputy airport director.
Mathis said he's just thankful this flight has the best kind of ending: one where he could personally thank the pilot.
"I just went up and said hey, thanks," he said. "That's pretty cool."
Swans are usually graceful, but this was not. Glad the pilot was able to land the plane ok. Scary thought...
Cars still hit people and dogs. So, this is bound to happen. No need to act to prevent it from happening. Soon, you would think to prevent rain from hitting people.
 @Parker Knight Oh, my Gawd! If rain hit people they would all , , , ,
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Oops, wrong number. Please excuse the ring!
If only there were easier-to-build places for airports and their l-o-n-g runways than swamps, bogs and such the birds wouldn't be still trying to use the prime wintering and/or nesting areas they've been using since dinosaurs learned how to grow feathers, wings and hollow bones!
Ban airports! Let the birds live on golf courses as the gods intended when they set evolution in motion!
Glad the humans are all OK...Â
Poor swans...I love swans; they're really beautiful...Â
 @margay1 One of the most impressive sights I have ever had in the backcountry was in dense fog. A momentary gap in the fog, a slight whistling whisper , , , I looked up in wonder as seven swans glided from fog bank to fog bank about twenty feet above my open mouth ----- which I hastily shut upon remembering Gram'pa's advice: "When the birds fly, never, ever look up with your mouth open!"
 @Jumpin' Jehosophat ~  I hear you..!  Many years ago, I lived in Northern Calif, near Chico... we were right on the Pacific Flyway, so we saw many flights of many beautiful birds as they migrated during the year...  I never tired of watching them...but always with mouth closed when they were overhead..!  :-)
Why is there a trubo Prop in the picture and not a Jet? Please KATU get you planes correct..um Do you still have your Helicopter by chance? or has it been grounded? I never hear of KATU doing any more flights.
 @lee986321 A turboprop uses a turbine (jet) type power plant to turn the props via reduction gears.
So, while calling it a 'jet' isn't exactly right, it isn't completely wrong either.
But I agree, a news source should strive for accuracy. Unfortunately thats not K2s strong suit.
 @lee986321 Good catch, Lee. KATU still flies. You oughtta see the pilots land it on the dolly so it can be towed into the hangar. Always impressive.
Dash-8
 @toobadsoosad technically, its a Q400
http://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/fleet/q400.aspx
 @toobadsoosad B1RD
The picture shows a propeller plane but the article calls it a jet. Nice going KATU!
 @Unknown Could be a turbo prop which is jet engine power props I believe.
"Then we were like, um, OK."Â Â Â That's profound. I feel like I'm right in the airplane with them.
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''"Plane landing in dense fog hits swans: 'OK God, give him wisdom''''
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A lot of good that did the swan...a tad slow on the advice there, donchatink?.
 @str1ngb3nd3r Not really.
Would you rather the plane had crashed?
 @jpk I was making fun of how the headline was worded...a jab at the writers and nothing more.
Good story, glad everything turned out well.Â
"Then we were like, um, OK."
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This is what's wrong with America today.
@Pondimus
This is what's wrong with America today? Really?? The fact that this gentleman thanked the pilot is what's RIGHT with this country today.
 @tcm  @Pondimus Ironically, pilots for these regional airlines are notoriously overworked an underpaid. There oughtta be a tip jar. But you'll pay a cab driver $40 for a ride to the airport and he'll complain if you don't tip him enough.
That's a bloody mess.
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 @Mike Smith If you don't want to support abortion, then don't have one or pay the bill for someone else to have one!!! You're completely offtopic as well as acting like a neanderthal.
 @Mike Smith MIKE - you're such a MAN!
 @shewiz  Awww, come on. Don't be so hard on the guy!  He's just trolling for Like points! ];->