VIDEO/AUDIO: About that unusual jet noise over north West Seattle early this morning

8:34 AM: Sorry we missed it in real time; we’ve confirmed what caused that startling aircraft noise over north West Seattle in the 4 am hour. First, thanks to David Williams for the security-cam audio – it starts about 20 seconds in:

The online tracker Flightradar24 shows UPS flight 5X958 left Boeing Field headed for Portland about that time – but was diverted back to Boeing Field. Here’s its track:

Boeing Field spokesperson Cameron Satterfield confirms to WSB, “A UPS Boeing 757 ingested birds in one of its engines during take-off at about 4:20 this morning. The cargo aircraft returned to King County International Airport-Boeing Field and landed without incident about 20 minutes later. Airport crews were dispatched afterward to check the runway for debris, but found nothing. The runway reopened at about 5:00 am.”

ADDED 11:28 AM: Thanks to Kevin Freitas for assembling this from his webcamd:

(added) This security-video look and listen is from Joslyn:

We have a message out to UPS about the status of the plane and its cargo. (added) Thanks also to Vlad Oustimovitch for pointing out the LiveATC.net archive of air-traffic-control audio of the incident; he sent this excerpt in which the pilot first reports what happened. We listened to later audio via the site – in addition to what’s mentioned above, the pilot asked airport crews to check the plane’s exterior for damage. A few minutes later, he mentions apparent aftermath of what happened, telling the tower, “You’ll see the murder scene … quite a pile of feathers.”

Blbl November 6, 2020 (8:40 am)

I thought I was the only one in the world to hear that. Freaked me out.

KCrest November 6, 2020 (8:41 am)

Thank you for solving this mystery! Waking up to jet noise and the sounds of someone rattling garbage cans is pretty much what I expect in the year 2020, so it’s nice to know it’s just some unlucky birds and a big plane. Glad everyone is safe!

admiral dude November 6, 2020 (8:50 am)

Thanks for the update WSB! It woke us up, we thought maybe it was an earthquake. Never heard a jet make sounds like that before, with sudden changes in pitch and volume.

K to the F November 6, 2020 (8:56 am)

This absolutely woke me up but I thought I dreamed it. Thought someone was dragging a recycling bin out at that hour. Thanks for the info and checking our cams now!

K to the F November 6, 2020 (9:40 am)

Here’s a quick vid of the actual jet passing by I made from our webcams and even audio from my snoring app.
https://youtu.be/MCpq1rg59sE
- MikeRussellFoto November 6, 2020 (10:11 am)
  
  Wow! The flashes from the engine are rather terrifying. Thanks for sharing that. Glad no one was injured (aside from the bird, of course).
  
  That could have gone much much worse.
  - K to the F November 6, 2020 (11:08 am)
    
    Wish it was better quality but I kinda’ thought there were some extra flashes, too, not just attributed to more blinky lights coming into view as they banked. Also super glad only fowl were harmed.
  - JOHN KEENAN November 6, 2020 (5:04 pm)
    
    The noise and flame are called compressor stalls from the engine. A bird went down the core of the engine which the crew did a in-flight shutdown of the engine. They did a air turn back to kbfi and landed without incident.
- Sam November 6, 2020 (12:49 pm)
  
  Kevin,great video, I saw it and the entire engine was on fire. In your video its flashing, but that because it was completely engulfed in flames. Thought for sure it was going down. Very scary to see right overhead.

Loni November 6, 2020 (9:01 am)

Thanks so much to David for capturing the audio and kudos to WSB for providing the backstory. The strange, loud noise woke my dog and I. Mystery solved!

Emily November 6, 2020 (9:03 am)

Thank you! I thought I hallucinated that!

Salal November 6, 2020 (9:08 am)

Glad to know that! I thought someone was banging on my front door. I got out of bed and checked the outside of my house even.

Vlad Oustimovitch November 6, 2020 (9:12 am)

There are always many birds around Boeing Field. It’s fortunate that the 757 has power redundancy, but losing an engine on takeoff is the most dangerous time for that to happen. The tower issues warnings, but there isn’t much an aircraft can do other than fly the pattern. I’m surprised this doesn’t happen more often. One time I was landing and a bald eagle suddenly appeared so close I could see it in beautiful detail, but usually the problem is with crows and seagulls.

Carson November 6, 2020 (9:14 am)

The dog started barking and we thought a broken down truck was driving past the house and we wondered what a truck like that was doing at 4am out and about.

Trickycoolj November 6, 2020 (12:02 pm)

Interestingly enough my doorbell captured movement at 4:40 am but not this airplane rather an Amazon Prime delivery van in High Point.

Jules November 6, 2020 (9:16 am)

I heard it as well. Was awake with election anxiety and thought the noise was wind related. Thanks for the information and clarification. Can always count on WSB!

Diane Fields November 6, 2020 (9:17 am)

I heard it too, here on Pigeon Point. Would have been hard to miss. Knew it was a plane, just was not sure why so loud over head. Thank you for the story.

Jodi November 6, 2020 (9:32 am)

Wow, mystery solved. This also woke me up and I went outside to check. It really scared me.

Clinker November 6, 2020 (9:36 am)

Thanks for posting this and the recording! Woke me up too, thought it was military

MikeRussellFoto November 6, 2020 (9:42 am)

Yep, sound was very loud near Admiral/ California. (Was definitely louder than it sounded in that security camera footage.) Was not sure what it was and looked out our window and saw the plane flying lower than is usual. Kept watching until it turned further west, still not really knowing if that was the source or not, but hoping it was not going to crash.

Thanks so much for the update and solving the mystery! (Because of course, after checking the window, the next thing we checked was the blog. If it’s not on the blog, it didn’t really happen!)

M November 6, 2020 (9:43 am)

Thanks for letting us know. It scared me and took me some time to fall back asleep.

Sleepless in WS November 6, 2020 (9:47 am)

Besides the incident, there were constant engine roars from 10pm until I fell asleep at midnight. I know they were here first but would be happy for a quiet night in West Seattle. Report noise complaints here: https://kingcounty.gov/services/airport/noise.aspx

sam-c November 6, 2020 (12:16 pm)

Glad this plane made it back safely after the bird strike ! We heard some really loud engines as well. There was an especially loud one- sounded like it took off from SEA and made a sharp turn west right above us. Anyway, the sound was kinda scary and we all looked at eachother with very wide eyes over dinner, expecting to hear a crash in the Sound any second. I tried figuring it out on that Flight Radar 24 but did not have any luck.
- sam-c November 6, 2020 (8:12 pm)
  
  (that happened dinner time as in ~ 7:20pm, Nov 5, Thursday)

Vanessa November 6, 2020 (9:48 am)

THAT’S a what woke me up!!! Can I take a nap now?

pamela November 6, 2020 (9:53 am)

Geez – thank you! I couldn’t tell if we were being bombed, someone was bringing out their recycling bin or what was going on!

Susie November 6, 2020 (2:12 pm)

I had earplugs in and it was so loud over the junction that it woke me up. My first thought was also that we were being bombed! I was exhausted because, well, America, and went back to sleep when I didn’t hear sirens. Forgot all about it until I saw this post.

newnative November 6, 2020 (10:04 am)

This sound may have gotten into my dreams but didn’t wake me up. We get trash pick up in the alley and truck deliveries as early as 4:30am so not completely unexpected.

wseaturtle November 6, 2020 (10:10 am)

That’s a big plane. Glad it made it back safely. We thought someone was banging on the window. I sent my wife out to have a look.

WSMom November 6, 2020 (10:28 am)

WSB, you rock. We knew that we’d find out what happened by checking here. Thanks!

Engine Likely November 6, 2020 (10:28 am)

Potentially interesting sound from the engine(s). The banging sounds like a compressor stall, which if that were so would be a good reason for an immediate return to Boeing Field. Glad they made it back safely!

Westofbridges November 6, 2020 (10:30 am)

Nest video

Mj November 6, 2020 (10:32 am)

Thank you, I woke up thinking someone was knocking at the door. Now I know what happened

Vlad Oustimovitch November 6, 2020 (10:47 am)

I listened to the archived Air Traffic Control at https://www.liveatc.net/listen.php

The UPS flight reports “hitting some birds during rotation” at 12:25 Zulu Time (04:25 PST) and requests getting switched to a higher level of ATC known as Seattle Traffic. Rotation is the point at which the aircraft has gained sufficient speed to take off and lifts the forward wheels off the ground. It is the most dangerous time to have a bird strike, the flight crew did a good job with their emergency procedures. I tried posting the sound file, but wasn’t able to. I’ll email to Tracy.

pd November 6, 2020 (3:12 pm)

Which feed?
- D November 6, 2020 (4:01 pm)
  
  Either of the BFI Tower feeds, but the conversation was on 120.6.
  
  I know this was abnormal for a lot of people, but it happens. The airplane ingested some birds in the left engine at rotation. Part 21 certified aircraft (which the 757 is) can handle this, and can continue the takeoff/climb/flight on a single engine. Flight crews practice scenarios like this constantly. It happened, they run through through their memory items and QRH, secured the engine and return to Boeing.
  
  Likely the reason they flew over northern West Seattle was they were given a heading to fly after departure which typically keeps them over Elliot Bay. However, the winds this morning at 1,500-2,000 ft were out of the north at 20+kts. So, with a loss of an engine, their climb rate/gradient decreases, and since they are flying a heading, the wind blows them down over northern West Seattle. Hence the relatively low flight over WS.
Jon Wright November 6, 2020 (4:55 pm)

They would have to be at or below maximum landing weight by the time they got to PDX. Since that is such a short leg, they probably left BFI well below maximum landing weight and so didn’t have to worry about dumping fuel.
- WSB November 6, 2020 (4:59 pm)
  
  The airport spokesperson says no fuel dump – and said (as I see commenter Heyo notes) that the 757 doesn’t have that capability.

smittytheclown November 6, 2020 (10:52 am)

Freaked me out! My first thought was the bridge, but that would be MUCH louder!

pd November 6, 2020 (10:54 am)

Got me out of bed and to the door, thought something was going to crash

ITotallyAgreeWithYou November 6, 2020 (10:59 am)

I was awake here in N. Admiral but the noise made me sit up in bed wondering if a plane was about to crash or we were being attacked and if I should prepare myself. Saw the plane flying unusually low in an unusual path and listened and watched til it was out of sight and hoped that it was okay. It was quite alarming. Thank you for addressing it- I’m glad all on board are okay and am sad for the birds.

Susq November 6, 2020 (12:25 pm)

Yes, thanks for solving this! However, were the loud booms we heard when a bird was actually sucked through the engine or the aftermath of the birds going through the engine and it not “firing” correctly for a time?

Ross Moreno November 6, 2020 (1:39 pm)

From the videos I’ve seen, it appears it’s the aftermath. I’m not an expert but I am a UPS pilot.
Engine likely November 6, 2020 (2:45 pm)

The repeated booms and flashes of flames are compressor stalls in the engine. This is caused by a disruption in the airflow through the engine, likely from bird ingestion damage.

Manuel Wanskasmith November 6, 2020 (1:37 pm)

Here’s the AV Herald report on the incident:
http://avherald.com/h?article=4ded7749

junctioneer November 6, 2020 (2:05 pm)

This freaked us out last night. We knew it was a jet and sounded like it was firing guns or something. We were worried it was going to crash it sounded so terrifying. Almost texted WSB right away but figured no one would know what on earth we were talking about and it’d be dismissed.

Kayo November 6, 2020 (2:07 pm)

I thought it was thunder but wasn’t sure! Sounds like a lot of other people had insomnia at 4 am and heard it.

sam-c November 6, 2020 (3:36 pm)

Yes, was definitely up then. Was sitting on the couch, listening to the wind and MSNBC, and heard it. Thought, weird, I didn’t realize it was supposed to thunder today?

Vlad Oustimovitch November 6, 2020 (2:59 pm)

I was talking about the incident at the flight school I fly out of and one of the other pilots wondered if a fuel dump was done as part of the emergency event. He thought that with a fully loaded 757 it could be the procedure before landing.

WSB November 6, 2020 (3:28 pm)

I listened to the entire conversation after you posted the audio link – through the landing and beyond – didn’t hear any mention of that, but I’ll ask.
Heyo November 6, 2020 (4:39 pm)

It would not have been fully loaded it was only heading to PDX. Also 757 does not have the capability to dump fuel.
- Vlad Oustimovitch November 6, 2020 (5:48 pm)
  
  Thanks, I knew someone here in Boeing land would have the answer. But I am surprised that the 757 doesn’t have the ability to dump fuel. If the plane had been loaded to capacity I don’t think it would be much fun to fly. Having said that, the critical period would have been immediately after the bird strike, and by the look and sound of the videos it appears that the damaged engine was still providing some power. If it was completely out, the plane would have been a bear to handle at rotation speed while still needing to climb over the numerous obstacles to the north of Boeing Field.
  - Heyo November 6, 2020 (9:19 pm)
    
    757 is quite unique in that its maximum takeoff weight is very close to its maximum landing weight, basically meaning it can takeoff with quite a good load and still make an immediate emergency landing. Too bad its nearing the end of its life cycle, although i guess as a cargo plane it will carry on quite a bit longer.

ScubaFrog November 6, 2020 (3:06 pm)

Thank goodness they were able to land, remember the Captain Sully incident: Bird strike. Catastrophes of this magnitude re aircraft are very rare. For those of you scared of flight to begin with, statistically this is a non-issue. Flight on airlines are much, much much safer than driving (as mentioned this was UPS).I heard the aircraft and thought it was a military. This just goes to show that even with some hits (rip bird friends), the aircraft was still sound, and still made it back.

Katie November 6, 2020 (3:35 pm)

Thanks for investigating this! We live right by the admiral viewpoint and the plane flew directly over our house. We jumped out of bed terrified!

Mama2papa November 6, 2020 (4:15 pm)

My first thought was a Russian missile 😷

Katie November 6, 2020 (5:04 pm)

Same! Or, given that it’s 2020, maybe aliens? I was already awake in bed with insomnia and having a panic attack, so adding the plane situation was enough to get me out of bed to take a Xanax. 😂

WS_Steve November 6, 2020 (6:48 pm)

Is the birdy gonna be ok? :(

JohnH November 6, 2020 (7:07 pm)

Here’s a 757 suffering a bird strike at/near rotation – takes a while to power down the engine, but you can hear how similar the sound is to what was heard last night.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXnl0lBT6k8J

Karen B. November 6, 2020 (9:18 pm)

I live south of Mount St. Vincent and this woke me with a start at 4:22. For some reason, I didn’t notice or connect airplane noise with the loud pop-pop-pop sounds. I first attributed those to fireworks and assumed that perhaps the election had been called. When the “fireworks” didn’t continue, I worried about gunshots or the the reappearance of someone who set off fireworks in our neighborhood on an ongoing basis earlier in the summer. I would be interested to know what types of birds are out flying before daylight (owls and raptors? migrating birds?).

Kallie Gilstad November 7, 2020 (6:33 am)

Omg thank you. Somehow my fiancé slept through this and I was trying to describe the noise. I went with “a really off-balance washing machine”. I woke up at 4:22 so confused and checked the front and back of my house expecting to find someone making the weird noise!The good news is that those planes are made to endure things like bird strikes and the pilots train and train to operate a plane with an engine down. Glad everyone is ok and their hours of training paid off!

Sorry, comment time is over.