Flight to Denver lands after bird strike

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Frontier Airlines plane bound for Denver had to make an emergency landing at Kansas City International Airport Saturday night after colliding with a flock of birds, according to an airport spokeswoman.

The plane, Frontier flight 820, left Kansas City for Denver around 6 p.m. and was flying at about 4,000 feet when it hit the birds, according to Kathleen Hefner, a spokeswoman for the Kansas City Aviation Department. The flight was away from the airport less than 30 minutes.

Hefner says the Airbus 319 suffered "extensive damage," and lost power to an engine.  A total of 129 passengers and crew members were onboard.

Steve Snyder, a spokesman for Frontier Airlines, says both engines were struck by birds, but adds maintenance crews have not said one of the engines lost power.

A passenger told 9NEWS that she saw flames and smelled a horrible odor. She described terrified passengers who were openly weeping.

Snyder says it wouldn't be uncommon to see a brief flame after a bird strike, similar to a car backfiring.

Some of the passengers planned to complete their trip on another flight, but most will be forced to spend the night in Kansas City.