Overview
- Pilot Duncan Gillespie says he held the Boeing 737 on the runway at near V1 during a 25‑knot crosswind after spotting a large bird of prey diving toward the aircraft.
- The jet, carrying Elton John and his family from Farnborough to Paris on January 23, continued its takeoff safely with no injuries or damage reported.
- Gillespie reported seeing two hawks and judged that rotating as planned risked the left engine ingesting a bird, calling the maneuver a first in his career.
- Cockpit audio captured the real-time callout and the crew’s reaction before the pilot advised air traffic control of the near miss.
- Media coverage centers on the pilot’s posted video and account, with no official investigation noted, and recalls a 2022 flight in which John’s aircraft returned for an emergency landing due to hydraulic issues.