Sounded Like Eating a Car': Watch Footage of the 'Bird Strike' That Damaged Jet Engine, Required Landing

NEW YORK (The Blaze/AP) -- A Los Angeles bound jetliner made an emergency landing at John F. Kennedy Airport after striking a bird shortly after takeoff yesterday afternoon. Passengers described the moments they were in the air as sounding like the engine was "eating a car" and they became more alarmed when the cabin began filling with smoke.

Delta Air Lines spokesman Anthony Black said Flight 1063 encountered a "bird strike" on the plane's right side engine just after taking off about 3 p.m. Thursday. He said the pilot decided to land as a precautionary measure.

Watch this CBS News report:

Black said the Boeing 757 carrying 172 passengers and seven crew members landed safely with no problems. KTLA-TV (via Los Angeles Times) has more from passengers on the plane at the time:

"Feels good to have my feet planted on solid ground right now, for sure," Matt Kroll said. "The plane started to shake violently, and it sounded like something was grinding metal against something and getting all twisted. Then we smelled it. It was a combination of smoke and dead bird."

Another passenger KTLA spoke to by phone criticized the Delta crew, saying they didn't do a good job of keeping the passengers updated about what had happened."There was no P.A. announcement. Nobody was saying anything," Benjamin Sarshar said.

Here passengers describe more of the experience:

Officials were checking the plane for damage. The passengers were switched to another flight.

In 2009, Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger safely landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in New York after striking a flock of geese.