Plane returns to New York when horse gets loose on board

UPI ^ | NOV. 14, 2023 / 11:26 AM | By Ben Hooper

[Red Badger]

Nov. 14 (UPI) -- A cargo plane that departed New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport had to turn around shortly after take-off when a horse got loose on board.

A recording of air traffic control communication features the pilots of the Air Atlanta Icelandic plane explaining to JFK controllers that they had to return to the airport because a horse was loose on the aircraft.

"The horse managed to escape his stall. We don't have a problem flying-wise, but we need to return back to New York; we cannot get the horse back secured," a pilot says in the recording.

A veterinarian was brought in to check on the horse once the plane was back on the ground.

The flight to Liege, Belgium, departed again later in the day.

[nesnah]

Stakes on a plane?

[DallasBiff]

So Mr. Ed went bezerk?

[gibsonguy]

Release the recording the county could use a laugh.

[Tell It Right]

Did the horse have a manifesto?

[Round Earther]

I think I sat in the middle seat between that horse and another horse on my last flight.

[Red Badger]

They were going to Belgium not Belmont!..................

[xp38]

Cargo is serious business. No horsing around

[Churchillspirit]

Hmm...wonder if it was a Trojan Horse?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Were these your seat-mates?

[DallasBiff]

[Magnum44]

[fireman15]

So Mr. Ed went bezerk?

He told the veterinarian that everything was fine until he mentioned that he was endorsing President Trump. That is when they turned the plane around.

[I-ambush]

Ordinarily, I’d say shoot it, but there’s the decompression thing.

[Puppage]

I’d hate to be saddled with that problem.

[grobdriver]

We don't have a problem flying-wise

I imagine 1,000 pounds moving back and forth is going to screw with the weight and balance a little...

[Ezekiel]

Fly Equine Air —

We Horse Around!

[euram]

Was it someone’s comfort animal?

[Ezekiel]

I imagine 1,000 pounds moving back and forth is going to screw with the weight and balance a little...

It was only a quarter horse so it could have been much worse.

[Zuriel]

**...shortly after take-off...**

The take off and climb out of the jet was probably a disturbing experience for the big animal. I’ve felt the livestock trailer rock many a time when hauling cattle or horses.

Once my dad was hauling a load of cows to another pasture 7 miles away. There were two compartments, each holding 5 cows.

The full width hinged door at the rear of the trailer had a half width door that would slide to the right for loading out of a narrow chute. He didn’t secure the sliding door after loading, and while going north on US67 the shuffling cows bumped that slider open....

4 stepped out onto the highway one at a time at 50 mph. Dad got to the other pasture, backed up to the gate, and went back to open it, saw the slider open and one cow left in the rear compartment.

He unloaded and hurried back down the highway and soon saw farmers and a few passersby trying to herd the 4 cows to a barnyard corral. Their hides were skinned up some but were otherwise fine. Kinda spooked though, which was understandable.