A Delta charter flight carrying the US basketball team Oklahoma City Thunder from Minneapolis to Chicago suffered significant damage to its radome on descent to Chicago’s Midway Airport. According to airline, the aircraft likely experienced a bird strike.
A bump in the night
Player Carmelo Anthony posted a photo of the damage to Instagram.
A Delta statement that the likely bird strike occurred during the approach to Chicago. Here’s the track of the flight. Playback and additional data may be viewed here. The flight was operated by a Boeing 757-200 registered N650DL. Delta says the aircraft is currently undergoing inspection by maintenance personnel.
Engineered for safety
Nose cones on the front of the aircraft are designed to safely withstand the impact of birds likely to be encountered during flight. On most commercial aircraft the nose cone also acts as a radome, protecting the on board weather radar.
Birdstrikes are not uncommon and commercial aircraft are designed and tested to withstand wildlife impacts to areas like the radome, windscreen, wings, and engines so that when bird strikes do occur, the aircraft can continue to operate safely.
Wildlife at airports
Airports also work to ensure that feathered birds and metal birds stay as far apart as possible.
When it comes to keeping the airport safe the YVR Wildlife Management means business. @flypdx #AirportThrowdown pic.twitter.com/11GzAzYHMd
— Vancouver Airport (@yvrairport) September 25, 2017
![An example full flight summary response from the Flightradar24 API: { "data": [ { "fr24_id": "0987654321", "flight": "SK1415", "callsign": "SAS1415", "operated_as": "SAS", "painted_as": "SAS", "type": "A20N", "reg": "SE-DOY", "orig_icao": "ESSA", "orig_iata": "ARN", "datetime_takeoff": "2023-01-27T05:15:22", "runway_takeoff": "12R", "dest_icao": "EKCH", "dest_iata": "CPH", "dest_icao_actual": "EPWA", "dest_iata_actual": "WAW", "datetime_landed": "2023-01-27T06:15:10", "runway_landed": "27L", "flight_time": 3600, "actual_distance": 1007.74, "circle_distance": 6245, "category": "Passenger", "hex": "4A91F9", "first_seen": "2023-01-27T05:06:22", "last_seen": "2023-01-27T06:18:10", "flight_ended": "true" } ] }](https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Flight-summary-API-cover-768x378.jpg)
