Coyote killed by small jet at airport

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A US Airways plane from Las Vegas hit a coyote while landing in Medford early Monday morning.

"We have wildlife issues all the time, but this is the first I've ever heard of a coyote strike," airport manager Bern Case said.

The coyote was killed in the collision, but a check found no damage to the small jet, he said. Case said passengers might not even have noticed the impact upon landing at about 2 a.m.

Mesa Airlines operates the US Airways flights serving Medford. Details about the number of passengers on the flight weren't available Monday.

The Medford airport has wildlife fencing to keep animals away from the runways, but coyotes can get through by swimming in creeks that cross the fence line, he said.

Case noted that rabbits are plentiful on the airfield, but they avoid the paved areas where planes travel.

Wily coyotes usually avoid planes and people, too. Case speculated that stormy weather might have confused the coyote.

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