In Alaska, a small propeller plane collided with a flock of willow ptarmigan, leaving the hull of the aircraft marked with blood and feathers.<\/p>\n
The incident occurred on September 26 as Mark Schwantes, a big game hunter and experienced commercial fishing captain, was preparing to take off for Anchorage.<\/p>\n
While getting ready for flight, Schwantes noticed a flock of the birds, which are Alaska\u2019s state birds, near the runway.<\/p>\n
\u201cTypically, they scatter when a plane starts up, but this time, they lingered a bit too long,\u201d Schwantes recounted to SWNS.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust as we were going airborne, about half a dozen flew up in front of us and hit the propeller.\u201d<\/p>\n
Schwantes, surprisingly unfazed by the collision, continued the flight without incident.<\/p>\n
He explained that he had confidence in the plane\u2019s ability to handle the impact and was able to maintain control.<\/p>\n
Although the plane sustained no apparent mechanical damage, the aftermath of the collision left the aircraft spattered with the remains of the birds.<\/p>\n