Overview

• United Airlines Flight 2325, carrying 153 passengers and six crew members, experienced an engine fire caused by a rabbit strike shortly after takeoff from Denver International Airport on April 13, 2025.
• The Boeing 737-800 circled for approximately 75 minutes before safely returning to Denver, where passengers were re-accommodated on a replacement aircraft to complete their journey to Edmonton, Canada.
• FAA data highlights the rarity of rabbit strikes, with only four reported in 2024 out of over 20,000 wildlife-related incidents involving aircraft.
• Passengers described hearing a loud bang, feeling significant vibrations, and seeing flames and fireballs from the right engine, leading to panic onboard before the situation was resolved safely.
• The FAA has launched an investigation into the incident, focusing on how the rabbit entered the engine during takeoff and evaluating safety protocols to mitigate future wildlife-related hazards.