Wednesday evening, a Boeing 757 cargo plane had to return to Portland International Airport in Oregon, after ducks flew into one of it's engines on takeoff.   According to witnesses, the impact apparently caused one of the two engines to catch fire.

Shortly after 6:30, witnesses who lived near the airport said they saw and heard the plane "struggling" to take off, with the engines straining much more loudly than usual.   One witness said she saw flames shooting from one of the engines.    Another witness said the plane got airborne, then a loud explosion, then fire. 

The aircraft was able to turn around and land back in Portland.  Officials found the carcasses of several ducks on the runway the plane was leaving from.  An inspection showed several of the pintail ducks, who are found around the airport, had flown into the engine, causing damage and fire.

Had they flown into both engines on takeoff, the results could have been much worse.

The plane was otherwise undamaged, and there were no injuries.  Officials did not specify which cargo company the plane belonged to.

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