TAMPA, Fla. — Pilots aboard a Delta Air Lines flight bound for Atlanta reported an unusual runway encounter during their early Thursday morning departure from Tampa International Airport.
Delta Flight DL2743, operated by an Airbus A321 (registration N353DN), departed runway 19R at 5:10 a.m. EDT on October 1, 2026, headed for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Just minutes into the climb, the flight crew contacted air traffic control to report that the aircraft’s nosewheel had run over a baby opossum during the takeoff roll.
The pilots noted that while they did not feel any impact inside the cockpit, they intended to record the event in the aircraft’s logbook. After confirming that all onboard systems were operating normally and no anomalies were detected, the crew made the decision to continue the flight to its destination.
The short one-hour flight proceeded without further incident, and the aircraft landed safely in Atlanta at 6:27 a.m. EDT.
Wildlife strikes are occasionally reported at major airports, but smaller mammals like opossums rarely affect flight safety or cause damage to commercial airliners. No delays or operational disruptions were reported as a result of the incident.
